The so-called woman in black is walking across the American South.
The so-called woman in black is walking across the American South.
The so-called woman in black is walking across the American South.
The so-called woman in black is walking across the American South.

Opinion

The appeal of the road

Why has the so-called woman in black's long walk across the southern United States captured people's imaginations?

National Editorial

August 02, 2014

  • English
  • Arabic

The mysterious trek of the so-called woman in black – a self-described Muslim who is walking across the United States while clad in abaya-like garb – has transfixed America. Although the exact reasons for her journey across the American South remain unclear because she mostly spurns attention, it is worth pondering why this kind of journey captures people's imaginations.

Her example follows in the footprints of many others, both real and fictional. Like the woman in black, the title character in the movie Forrest Gump reacted to bad news by running across the US several times, during which he picked up a band of cult-like followers inspired by his journey.

Gump had a real-life counterpart in the form of Peter Jenkins, a young man deeply disillusioned with the United States who set off to walk across the country in 1973. His journey lasted six years and more than 10,000km, rekindling his faith in the US through the kindess he encountered.

But this doesn’t answer the obvious question. What is it that prompts people to set off on epic journeys and why do spectactors become fascinated by their trek? Maybe it taps into the appeal of opting out of modern life and experiencing life at a human pace, disconnected to the consumerism. We could ask the woman in black, but she’s not telling.

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