The Last American Man

· Blog – Why did Elizabeth Gilbert write this book? What does she want us to take away from Eustace. Refer to (and analyze) a specific passage in your response.

Gilbert wrote the book the book to show how Eustace Conaway had become the last American man through his effort to preserve a smattering of the frontier. Eustace Conaway represents the idea of the American man as much as the is that man. Without the frontier real American “Men of destiny” cannot be made. On pages 4 and 5 Gilbert points out that American men come from boys leaving the comforts of civilization to head for the hills to become “robust and proficient men”. The message is that Eustace Conaway’s density in life is to make “robust and proficient men” much the same way his grandfather sought to make “Men of Destiny”. Gilbert writes this book to help him become this man of destiny by telling his story to the world. Gilbert wants us to take away that it is only by departing from civilization that we can competent men, like Eustace. After all, Eustace’s message is “you can”.