The Wanderer
The Wanderer: Also known as the seeker or explorer, is a character that
goes on a journey, either physically or mentally, from his known home to
the unknown to find a greater meaning to life.
A Wanderer can also be a traveler that doesn’t belong to a settled group
or tribe, an outcast, or someone on the run.
Characteristics:
 The journey of the wanderer is usually provoked by some sort of
tragic event in his or her life
 The beginning of the wonderers journey will contain some sort of
captivity, either physically or mentally
 They know that they will be facing a completely different world than
what they're used to.
 The wanderer feels that his or her ordinary life is fake and sets out
to find what life really is, they might've perhaps been wealthy but
still not content with their lives.
 At the end of the wanderer’s journey, the wanderer will have
experienced not only physiological changes, but also physical
changes, perhaps a beard to represent ne found wisdom.
 The different adventures that the wanderer faces along the way is
what keeps the reader entertained.
 The wanderer not only gives up material items, but her or she also
gives up a sense of companionship and a loss of community and in
return builds a relationship with nature.
The Significance of the Wanderer:
 Since the wanderer usually has had either a wealthy or respectable
life before his journey, the people, and places he meets bring in
different cultures and customs to the story.
 If the wanderer is not the main character of the story, he or she
usually meets and speaks to the main character and offers a
different perspective on life.
 The wanderer is also often described as a loner or travels without
companions, this shows how humans can survive on their own if they
choose too and even though they might've not known it in the
beginning, they can take care of themselves.
Wanderers in "The Odyssey" and Cold Mountain
Odysseus could be considered a Wanderer because the epic poem shows
Odysseus’ journey home
Inman- He journies home, and along the way he encounters many different
characters, and gains wisdom and knowledge of life and other cultures along
the way.
Ada- she goes on a mental journey instead of a physical one. At the beginning
of the book, Ada is barely surviving alone and is resentful of the fact that
her Charleston education is worthless in real-life survival situations. By the
end of the book, Ada understands and embraces nature, and is wearing pants
in the final scene instead of a dress.
Stobrod Thewes- he wanders around in the mountains, as an “outlier” in
hiding. He used to abandon his daughter, Ruby, when she was a young child,
but at the end of the book, he comes back to her, and displays a reason for
living, his newfound interest in fiddling.
Pangle- Stobrod’s friend, is also a fellow wanderer as an “outlier”.
The goat woman- is primarily a healer, but could be considered a wanderer
because she doesn’t belong to any specific group or tribe.
Odell the peddler- He travels in search of his star-crossed lover, Lucinda,
a slave his father sold when he discovered Odell’s relationship with her.
Other Examples:
 Finding Nemo
 Pinocchio
 Where The Wild Things Are
 Into The Wild
 Alice in Wonderland
 The Brave Little Toaster
 Siddhartha
 Simba and Timon and Pumbaa
 Peter Pan
 Mulan
Works Cited
"Archetypes 101." CASA Home. Web. 24 Sept. 2009.
http://www.herowithin.com/arch101.html.
Sloman, James. "111/The wanderer." Mayyoubehappy.com. 1997. Web. 20
Sept. 2009.
http://www.mayyoubehappy.com/111thewanderer.html.