Short Answer 
The excerpt illustrates the boy’s significant progress toward his dream while highlighting the challenges he still faces, emphasizing that despite being physically closer, the journey remains long and arduous. The passage underscores the importance of time and effort, suggesting that achieving goals often involves enduring lengthy struggles and perseverance.
Step 1: Recognizing Progress
In this excerpt, the first significant aspect to note is how the passage illustrates the boy’s progress towards his dream. The author effectively conveys that he has made considerable advancements, symbolized by his geographical distance from his treasure. This recognition of progress is crucial as it sets the stage for understanding his journey.
Step 2: Understanding Remaining Challenges
While the boy is closer to his goal, the passage emphasizes the challenges that still lie ahead. The statement indicating that he is two hours away from completion, yet this distance will extend over a year, highlights the immense effort and time required to finally achieve his dreams. This juxtaposition reinforces the complexity of his quest.
Step 3: Interpreting Time and Effort
The interpretation of time and effort in the boy’s journey is a key insight provided by the author. The two hours that will stretch into a year not only signify a physical distance but also represent emotional and mental endurance. This underscores that reaching one’s goals often involves navigating prolonged periods of struggle before attaining success.