Willa Cather's The End Is Nothing: The Road Is All

Words: 350
Pages: 2

What do mountain climbers, road trip-takers, and roller-coaster lovers have in common? These people all understand one of Willa Cather’s most famous quotes: “The end is nothing; the road is all.” Roller coasters don't take you anywhere; you climb aboard just for the ride. If the journey didn't matter to travelers, they wouldn't take a road trip; they would just fly. It is important to go places and do things, not because of the outcome, but simply the journey. When Ms. Cather says the end is nothing, what she means is that it isn't the most valuable part of an experience. Which is true, because the end isn't usually where you learn your lesson and build your character. In the middle of the experience, when you're on the road, is