With Smithy's journey having decidedly come to a close by the end of the story, I can't help but realize just how huge of an impact Norma had on Smithy throughout his great cross-country bikeride. He initially set out with the sole intention of escaping his current situation and taking time to reflect on past events in order to more fully understand how he ended up in the depressed, unhealthy, friendless state he was in, and how to fix it. To me, Norma seemed to play just a big a part in this "quest" of his as Smithy did.
Throughout his whole journey, Norma's been Smithy's rock, his guide, his primary source of joy. He's basically dedicated his ride to her. She's also been a central figure of kindness, much like Smithy has, helping to keep him focused on the goodness of humanity rather than to let all of the terrible things people on his journey have done to him get to his head. She contributes to his understanding of compassion, really giving him the strength to continue his ride for her and his sister.
Norma has been an inspiration for Smithy the whole way. Through most of the story, Smithy has had profoundly low self-esteem, and it's really not until he sees Norma, physically crippled yet still tackling life with confidence that he begins to free himself of his harsh thoughts. Slowly, through both example and through the way she treats him, Smithy regains his self-esteem and gains a certain level of confidence that he didn't have before, culminating in his love relationship with Norma. Sure seems like this journey would have been a whole lot more difficult for Smithy without her.
In my opinion, Smithy wouldn't have made it half the distance without Norma there to guide him, both in a financial sense and in as an emotional rock. She also seems to be one of the few joys he has in his journey, and probably one of the main reasons that he goes on the journey.
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