Man against Nature

Since the dawn of man our species has tested itself against nature, and since the dawn of literature, authors have written about this timeless struggle. Stephen King has taken a slightly different tack in his story, which is not actually "man" against nature, but rather "little girl" against nature. In order to survive her ordeal in the woods, Trisha must summon a level of courage and maturity which many adults do not possess. To survive in the woods is an exercise which pits a person's very character against the often harsh backdrop of nature. In the woods, all of the advantages which we have gained as a species from our inter-cooperative civilization simply disappear, and a person is left with nothing but their guts, strength and determination to see them through.

Another aspect of this classic struggle which Stephen King tries to bring across is that...