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Literary analysis once more to the lake
E.B. White's "Once More to the Lake" diction, syntax, tone, point of view
Once more to the lake descriptive essay
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An Unwanted Transformation
in E.B. White's "Once More to the Lake"
"Once More to the Lake," by E.B. White is a short story in which White recalls his annual summer vacations to the lake, and in turn develops a conflict within himself regarding the static and dynamic characteristics of this lake, and their relation to the changes that White himself is experiencing as he is growing older. When White takes his son to the lake, he comes to the sharp realization that certain aspects of both the lake and himself are different, and with a sense of reminiscence, White takes us from the time his father first took him to the lake, and tells the new story of his most recent visit when he is no longer a boy, but a father, showing his son this "holy place" for the very first time. Throughout the story, White comments on how many of the elements of the lake have changed, and how other things have stayed constant with the passage of time.
When White arrives at the lake, he finds that many of the characteristics of the lake that he had once held so dear have ch...
The narrator character went from being a rebel or bad guy to having a conscience. Each series of events in Greasy Lake reassured him that he wasn’t a bad ass after all. Thinking about crying, vomiting, and wanting to crawl into the bed when the girl asked to party ultimately showed he changed for the better.
Nature has a powerful way of portraying good vs. bad, which parallels to the same concept intertwined with human nature. In the story “Greasy Lake” by T. Coraghessan Boyle, the author portrays this through the use of a lake by demonstrating its significance and relationship to the characters. At one time, the Greasy Lake was something of beauty and cleanliness, but then came to be the exact opposite. Through his writing, Boyle demonstrates how the setting can be a direct reflection of the characters and the experiences they encounter.
In the essay “Once More to the Lake,” E.B. White, uses diction and syntax to reveal the main character’s attitude towards the lake in Maine. He has an uncertain attitude towards the lake throughout the essay because he is unsure of who he is between him and his son. On the ride there White, pondering, remembering old memories, keeps wondering if the lake is going to be the same warm place as it was when he was a kid. The lake is not just an ordinary lake to White, it’s a holy spot, a spot where he grew up every summer. “I wondered how time would have marred this unique, this holy spot-the coves and streams, the hills that the sun set behind, the camps and the paths behind the camps” (29). White’s diction and syntax
The story describes the protagonist who is coming of age as torn between the two worlds which he loves equally, represented by his mother and his father. He is now mature and is reflecting on his life and the difficulty of his childhood as a fisherman. Despite becoming a university professor and achieving his father’s dream, he feels lonely and regretful since, “No one waits at the base of the stairs and no boat rides restlessly in the waters of the pier” (MacLeod 261). Like his father, the narrator thinks about what his life could have been like if he had chosen another path. Now, with the wisdom and experience that comes from aging and the passing of time, he is trying to make sense of his own life and accept that he could not please everyone. The turmoil in his mind makes the narrator say, “I wished that the two things I loved so dearly did not exclude each other in a manner that was so blunt and too clear” (MacLeod 273). Once a decision is made, it is sometimes better to leave the past and focus on the present and future. The memories of the narrator’s family, the boat and the rural community in which he spent the beginning of his life made the narrator the person who he is today, but it is just a part of him, and should not consume his present.
In Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, the relationships between whites and blacks are a main theme. Throughout the whole novel Morrison adds her own opinions toward the race problems that the characters of Not Doctor Street experience. Poverty is another big issue in the novel and many of the main characters struggle financially. Money becomes a means of escape for many of the characters, especially Milkman and Guitar. For both men their quests for gold leaves them empty handed, but their personalities changed. Milkman’s quest was to be independent, especially since he was still living with his parents. Milkman however, was not poor. His family was considered one of the most financially comfortable black families in town. He was the spoiled son and it was galling but easy to work for his father, easy to be waited on hand and foot by his mother and sisters, far easier than striking out on his own. So his idea of freedom was not really one of working to support himself, but simply having easy money given to him, and not having to give anything to anyone in return. It was his father Macon Jr. who informed Milkman of the possibility of Pilate having millions of dollars in gold wrapped in a green tarp that was suspended from her ceiling. The hidden gold was in Milkman’s opinion his only ticket out of Not Doctor Street, his way of having his own possessions, being free from his parents lending hand. For Guitar it was a way to escape and fund his Seven Days mission.
I would have to choose the essay of Once More to the lake by E.B. White. The essay engages readers in a relatable story that is easy to comprehend and read. Many of us can relate to a summer fishing trip with our fathers or even family and this essay encaptures that very essence. “I wondered how time would have marred this unique, this holy spot-the caves and streams, the hills that the sun set behind.” The author goes to explain the wondrous beauty of the lake and its surrounding areas engaging the reader visually. The thesis of Once More to the lake is also much more simplistic and easier to understand. In the first paragraph we know and can understand that this essay is going to be about the reliving of past memories returning to a
Ernest Hemingway has a superbly unique style of writing in Hills Like White Elephants. His short, to the point syntax and sentence style plays a great role in helping readers understand the theme of this short story. The critique M.A.K. Halliday observed, “The story is frequently generated by the repetition of words, clauses, and groups of related words or ethical sets” (Link, Alex). The first set of dialogue that can be pulled from this story is story is short and to the point. The American states, “We can have the whole world.” Jig replies with “No, we can’t” (Hemingway, Ernest). The sentence length is very short, yet there is a hidden meaning behind the small talk. Jig is referring to not having the baby. She can have everything, but her will to decide things. She can’t have a baby due to unloving pressure from the American. It is in sync with the tone of the story perfectly. The tone is forward, direct, and shallow. That is exactly what happens in this dialogue. There is no emotion, just pure sarcasm on a huge topic. Abortion to this couple is nothing more then a qui...
---. “Take Me to the Water.” 1960. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998: 353-403.
Now switching gears towards Big Sandy, the first thing anyone would notice is that this is truly a beautiful lake, a gem of Minnesota. If you come down from Highway 65 you’ll get a clear shot at the beauty the lake contains. One of the first things that catches people’s eyes is t...
Within every person’s mind there hides memories that will forever last. Memories that will echo with every step you take in life. A memory that was repeated through two eye sites echos on in the story “Once More to the Lake” by E. B. White. In this story, a man takes his son on a fishing trip that his father once took him on. Throughout the whole story the reader sees another memory echoing into the one that's in the midst of making. The man now gets to experience the memory through his father's eyes rather than his little boys.
White, is experiencing a mental breakdown. He consistently confuses his own memories with the present time. It is almost as if he believes that nothing has changed since the last time he came to the lake. Change is a significant factor in the essay, but generally on time and maturing because change means a difference between the now and then. However in my perspective, things do not have to change to show progression. The best things in life that I have come in contact with are things that are familiar to me. Relationships that are with people that I love who I have not seen in a while are great because when we meet again to socialize, it is as if nothing has changed and we are back to being as close as ever. I love relaxing with my friends one last time before we have to go back to college because we get to catch up and get to know each other even more as we
In “Once More to the Lake” emerged the Ideological content when the author says that his son does things in the same way he did when he went to the lake. In “Confluences” emerged the ideological content as well; it is about the last moments of the author’s uncle with her father. In addition, all of these essays present some Philosophical content. All of them requires a deep understanding of things ( Sowers and reapers) and life (confluences and Once More to the Lake). All of these essays ask for a search of the essence, not just the obvious but the abstract
---. “Take Me to the Water.” 1972. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998: 353-403.
In “Once More to the Lake,” E.B. White expresses a sense of wonder when he revisits a place that has significant memories. Upon revisiting the lake he once knew so well, White realizes that even though things in his life have changed, namely he is now the father returning with his son, the lake still remains the same. Physically being back at the lake, White faces an internal process of comparing his memory of the lake as a child, to his experience with his son. Throughout this reflection, White efficiently uses imagery, repetition, and tone to enhance his essay.
White, Jonathan (1994). The Unreturning Arrow. In Talking on Water: Conversations about Nature and Creativity. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books.