Homecoming, by Jean Little and An Urge for Going, by Richard Ford both dealt with home in a similar, but different way. The similarity between the two stories consisted of both authors traveling around and not having one place they particularly called home. However, the traveling for Little happened at a young age, and for Ford it occurred after his childhood and adolescent years. Perhaps the major difference in the two stories, which you can probably determine on your own from the title's was that one expanded on a need to come home and the other was always on the move and going to new homes.
Little, who traveled mainly during her early years, writes predominately to children. I believe she does this because she traveled around so much at a young age that she has a good grasp on what it is like to not have a set home. She really struggled with this and now she writes to children who may have the same or similar problem she did. She really tried to keep children focused and talk about real things that all children can relate to. .
When she described her adopted niece and all her struggles it was sad that she never stayed with her adopted parents. They always took care of her and welcomed her back into their home time and time again. She never did stay, but she used herself by telling other young girls to stay at home and not to runaway. She took advantage of her own mistake of running away from home and by doing this probably saved the lives of many whom were heading the same direction. Little's point came across clearly through this story, in that children need people to influence them when they lose courage. They need to return home, which may be difficult, but in the end it is rewarding.
In Ford's writing his reward comes not from coming home, but from constantly moving and making new homes. The rewards the Ford saw did not come easily. Ford had to make many sacrifices and through those he received gains.
