Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
Mr. Black, Finch and Violet's U.S. Geography teacher, wants his class to see the world…or, well, the world of Indiana.
As part of a program recently "implemented by the school board…to enlighten students as to the rich history available in their own home state and inspire Hoosier pride" (3.5), he's asking students to pair off and "wander"—that is, see the sights, such as they are.
Finch, who never met a metaphor he didn't like, immediately recognizes the project is a symbol for life. He tells Violet:
"We also have to be willing to go where the road takes us. This means the grand, the small, the bizarre, the poetic, the beautiful, the ugly, the surprising. Just like life." (4.4)
Due to death, depression, and the sort of lackluster reputation of Indiana itself (what's up, Indiana—we know you're a beautiful state), Finch and Violet didn't expect to have an amazing time.
They do, though; at one point, Finch tells Violet:
"I feel like I just walked through the back of the wardrobe and into Narnia." (11.140)
The ordinary places they visit might sound sort of dinky (a tiny hill, a huge ball of paint), but to the couple, they're full of magic and charm.