Becc O'Brien
1. The theme of "Bicycle Love" has to do with personal (emotional) growth through a physical journey (in her case, bicycling across France). Godspeed begins her story by claiming that she wasn't much of a cyclist, until she was inspired by "Dr. Margulis' vibrancy and fearlessness" (139). As she continues on her journey, she feels an increased connection to cycling and how it makes her feel, writing, "The bike and I just moved" (144).
I enjoyed the line, "Proust's house was, predictably, closed" (143). It's strategic placement at the end of the paragraph is key to it's impact. It is also humorous because she had just traveled from the Chartres Cathedral, which was also closed.
I also enjoyed the sentence, "I discovered France's alter ego: the one that loves cyclists and independence" (143). To me, this was the climax of the story. It is both where Goodspeed discovers that her preconceived stereotypes about the French were wrong, and where she realizes how wonderful and important the trip was for her.
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