ipl-logo

Human Nature In T. Boyle's Greasy Lake

618 Words3 Pages

What is human nature and how do young people overcome or accept it? This is the question that T. Boyle’s “Greasy Lake” asks. Between the misconstrued thoughts of adulthood and superficial attempts of establishing independence, the story walks through a short period of time where the Narrator is caught in the middle of such occurrences and through this the literary elements of setting and perspective truly shine. However, before looking into the underlying meaning of the piece, examining the plot at a surface glance is a crucial place to start. The story begins by describing nineteen year old rebellion in its purest form; borrowing station wagons and drinking underage. Once introduced as “bad characters”, the gaggle of adolescents take their …show more content…

But in relation to the grand scheme of the story,the setting is much more important in relation to any other element. These events could have taken place in a parking lot, a mall, or any other place where young degenerates wasted time. However, the line, “This was nature.” adds another layer of depth to the setting due to the Narrator’s changed perspective (2). The repetition in this line once the Narrator emerges from the disgusting depths to see the beauty of “the sun firing buds and opening blossoms” and “the birds [who] had begun to take over for the crickets.” This change in perspective represents an adolescent’s realization on poor life decisions and the desire to move forward. The use of nature instead of visuals that are man-made are also important in relation to the story because when the line, “This was nature.” was first used, it was referring to the ugly side of mankind such as sex, drugs, and alcohol. Though setting was previously stated as the most important literary element, theme also ties nicely into the message the story is trying to make as well. Many readers may interpret this piece as a coming of age story for the Narrator or for adolescents in general. However, the theme is actually human nature and the choice to succumb or stray away from it. Human nature in it of itself is the power to make

Show More
Related

  • T. Coraghessan Boyle's Greasy Lake

    405 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the short story “Greasy Lake” by T. Coraghessan Boyle, three boys embark on a journey to the greasy lake, where kids would go to perform illegal activities. At the time it was good to be bad, it was cool to drink and smoke. The unnamed narrator, Jeff, and Digby think that going to the greasy lake will make them look cool to society. The trouble begins when the boys pull a prank on a guy who they think is their friend but turned out to be a “bad greasy character.” The narrator thought he killed the bad character, but really he was just unconscious.

    Read More

  • A Family Tragedy In Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

    723 Words  | 3 Pages

    A Family Tragedy : In Cold Blood by Truman Capote In Cold Blood is a nonfiction novel written by Truman Capote in which he narrates the murder of a family the Clutter family; “Herbert Clutter ­ The father of the Clutter family, Bonnie Clutter ­ Herbert's wife, Nancy Clutter ­ youngest Clutter children, Kenyon Clutter ­ the oldest Clutter children” (SparkNotes Editors) in a savage act. “Capote’s next big project started out as an article for The New Yorker”(biography.com) but after going with Harper Lee, his friend, to interview the people in the small Kansas community. He decided to make a nonfiction book which was later on famous for the “dark [themes]”(biography.com) Truman expose, which was later on banned in “Savanna, Georgia, for containing

    Read More

  • Summary Of Greasy Lake

    948 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the short story “Greasy Lake” the narrator, our protagonist, describes himself as a 19-year-old rebel, but as the story progresses, we learn how it is all a façade to try to be like the rest of kids his age. What started off as a joke to who he thought was his friend Tony Lovett, turned out to be a life lesson that would crash down his false image of a bad boy. A series of events trigger his common sense and make him see that his way of living will bring him severe consequences or even death itself. The narrator we see at first changes his opinion on what he wants to be by the end of the story, therefore making him a round character. When we first meet the narrator and his two friends, we learn that “[they] wore torn-up leather jackets,

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Walden

    441 Words  | 2 Pages

    But, nature does not exclude humans, human excludes themselves from nature. Within the “mists of [the] chopping sea of civilized life, such are the clouds and storms and quicksands and thousand and one items to be allowed for”(277). He uses clouds and storms and quicksands to convey that civilized life includes the same negativity included in the connotation of those conditions, but nonetheless, those too are apart of nature. The purpose of utilizing imagery is so evoke images people already have to connect with them on that level to make them understand that they must find a harmony and balance in the world. So, in order to restore order within one’s individual life, one must defy the social norms that distance themselves from nature to find harmony with it.

    Read More

  • Duality In The Swimmer

    1001 Words  | 5 Pages

    Many times in the story the good overcomes the bad fortune of the main character. The primary conflict can be observed through the main characters forgetful memory and the constant reminders during the story of how much he lost. One likely theme is the passage of time, so the author uses nature to illustrate the passage of time without outright admitting any time has passed for the main character. The sadness Neddy feels about his life and shortcomings are resolved in the story by sharing a friendly conversation with friends. The pools of water are metaphorical for the passage of time, and the beauty he saw in the pools were faded to murky leaf filled swamps.

    Read More

  • No More Horses Analysis

    915 Words  | 4 Pages

    The short story, "No More Horses" is written by Robert Matt Taylor. The story once became the story of the week on the Narrative Magazine, which is a literature website, where everyone is able to submit and share their own literature with others. "No More Horses" is a story about a kid and his uncle. The kid would always be shipped off to stay with his uncle, somewhere near Seattle, whenever his parents felt like they needed a vacation.

    Read More

  • In The Presence Of Nature A Wild Ap Prompts

    558 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the excerpt it is very apparent that “In the presence of nature a wild delight runs through the man” the man being our narrator for this saying to work. The narrator’s love for nature is powerful, almost, overpowering to the reader. The verbiage in this writing is extra, as it is put lately, and seems to splinter in some parts. In fact the feeling of pretentiousness exudes from the writing.

    Read More

  • The Role Of Nature In Design And Ethan Frome

    360 Words  | 2 Pages

    Nature plays important roles in the character’s decisions about their actions. In “Design” and Ethan Frome nature can make the reader's vision what they never thought, but can also push characters into moods and odd behaviors. The role of nature is a recurring aspect in these two works of literature. Nature can play a role in how everything is seen in the world.

    Read More

  • Literary Criticism In Frankenstein

    1245 Words  | 5 Pages

    Their perspectives of nature, however, are vastly different due to their circumstances regarding companionship and affection from companions. Victor Frankenstein describes nature as calming and it brings him great happiness when he is surrounded by nature because he himself is happy and adored by friends who surround him. Frankenstein has friends whom he holds strong bonds with where “harmony was the soul of [their] companionship, and the diversity and contrast that subsided [their] characters drew [them] nearer together” (29, Chapter 2). He is surrounded by companions that give him plenty of love and affection that in turn, bring him happiness and a favoring outlook on nature. Victor takes pleasure in wandering through various scenes of nature, feeling accepted by it, therefore, he can portray it as full of life and “awful and majestic” (82, Chapter 10).

    Read More

  • Nature And Setting In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    764 Words  | 4 Pages

    The references made to nature throughout the novel affect the characters mood. “The very winds whispered in soothing accents, and maternal nature bade me we know more” (77). This quotation from the book shows the impact that nature expressed to Victor that made him feel relieved and happy. “My spirits were elevated by the enchanting and parents of nature; the past was blotted from my memory, the presence was tranquil, and the future gilded by bright rays of hope and anticipations of joy” (96).

    Read More

  • Youth Culture In A Clockwork Orange

    1044 Words  | 5 Pages

    In A Clockwork Orange, the dystopian England envisioned by Burgess serves to exaggerate the evils of both youth and adult society as a way to highlight the futility and the recklessness of youth rebellion. Given that the interactions between the young and the grown up words is one of the primary reasons for the development of rebellious youth cultures, the most effective way of communicating the opposing worldviews of both sides is to take them to their logical extremes. Youth culture is not just carefree and naive, but anarchic and infantile. Adults are not just reactionary and strict; they are antipathetic and authoritarian. It is this extreme clash between the generations that serves to perpetuate and even encourage the rise of youth counterculture

    Read More

  • Theme Of Nature In The Tempest

    1822 Words  | 8 Pages

    The theme of nature shows the differences between Miranda and Caliban. My production will continue to explore the relationship between nature and nurture in the development of the characters Miranda, Caliban, and Prospero. This raises the question whether people are naturally good or bad, or a product of one’s environment. In my production I would emphasize the complex relationship between nature and nurture. I chose nature verses nurture because it is slightly unconventional compared to the more prominent themes in the play and it has modern connections since the debate between nature and nurture continues today.

    Read More

  • Imagery In The Film 'Il Giovane Favoloso'

    1630 Words  | 7 Pages

    This association, bridges a connection between the poet and the film. It attempts to get inside the mind of Leopardi. Attempting to understand Leopardi’s mind through the use of imagery of nature. To examine the reasons his love of self and humanity may be non existent, but his appreciation for nature remains. He appears to take pleasure in nature, whether this be him sitting on the beach, or walking through a garden, he enjoys nature, even at his worst and when he is near death.

    Read More

  • The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

    463 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout the story there are numerous occasions where nature is referenced and used for imagery and foreshadowing. Nature is also used to indicate the change of the characters in the story as it goes on. As previously mentioned, Puritanism

    Read More

  • Importance Of Nature In Literature

    959 Words  | 4 Pages

    He forgets all his inevitable and depressing and sorrowful conditions in the delightful company of nature. It also developed man’s sense of beauty. It fills man’s heart with heavenly pleasure with he can’t get anywhere under the sun. In the presence of nature a wild delight runs through the man, in spite of real sorrows. Every bit of alternation in the atmosphere in nature gives man happiness.

    Read More

More about Human Nature In T. Boyle's Greasy Lake

Open Document