Resilience In Norman Maclean's A River Runs Through It

Rivers are the carriers of life and culture. It is on the banks of rivers where plants and animals are guaranteed what is necessary to survive: water and food. It is on the banks of rivers where the first civilizations popped up, and where some of today’s most influential cities are located. So what happens when humans begin to meddle with rivers? Dams are notorious for the destruction of river’s ecosystems and some of the civilizations around them. Though they are seen as a symbol of development and growth, in reality, they are a destructive force. It is this destruction that is detailed in Bruce Barcott’s book The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw: One Woman’s Fight to Save the World’s most Beautiful Bird.

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.

“Each house-hunting trip I’ve made to the countryside has been fraught with two emotions: elation at the prospect of living closer to nature and a sense of absolute doom at what might befall me in the backwoods” (White 1064). In her essay, “Black Women and the Wilderness, Evelyn White describes her contradictory feelings about nature, and throughout her text, her experiences display a very complex perspective of nature. Raymond Williams, in his article, “Nature” describes the word ‘nature’ as the most complex word in language (Williams 219). When referring nature, people generally think of it representing something of peace, comfort, and a place where most can feel safe, almost as if it were a home. White revises our understanding of nature

In the story “Time of Wonder” the writer and illustrator Robert McCloskey creates a mesmerizing picture book. Throughout the book he relates his message to the reader of taking time to enjoy the weather and nature. Likewise, the reader is able to experience these events directly with phrases such as “IT’S RAINING ON YOU” (McCloskey 10). One event the reader is able to conjure up is the ocean in Maine with the taste of salt on their tongue. Moreover, the reader visualizes the calm sea on a sunny day and fears the roaring wind before a hurricane. Yet, McCloskey allows the viewer to feel “…pleased to see that the storm-flattened sunflowers are once more lifting faces to the sun” (McCloskey 58). All things considered, McCloskey writes a story that expresses the enjoyment that readers can feel towards the weather and nature.

In this passage from Last child in the Woods, an extremely discouraged Richard Louv shows the separation of nature to both parents and children. By showing imagery through car rides in the present vs. car rides in the past he shows an extraordinary change. By his use of rhetorical devices such as pathos, ethos, and imagery Louv produces a captivating argument to fire up the modern generation.

Rough waters is a book written by S.L. Rottman. Rough Waters is a “Heart-Wrenching (from back cover and my opinion)” adventure story. Rough Waters was published in 1997 and takes place in Buena Vista, CO (AP). Rough waters is a book for adolescents ( from back cover). Rough Waters is not a bestseller and S.L. Rottman is the author of Hero. S.L. Rottman got her idea for Rough waters from her rafting experience but, she wondered what it should be like if somebody didn’t have a choice if they wanted to raft or not. S.L. Rottman is a coach, a mom, and a teacher. S.L Rottman was born in georgia but, she moved to colorado when she was young. S.L. Rottman had a happy life as a child even though Rough Waters is a sad book. I

What does resilience really mean to you? The literal definition to resilience is the ability to cope with problems and setbacks. In the story Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, she shows us all different kind of ways that the characters in her story used the skills that Kendra Cherry was talking about, to help them out of every situation. In this story it shows how certain situations affect people in different ways and how each person goes through seven skills. The characteristic that Louie undergoes is the skill of Strong Problem-Solving. The Strong Problem-solving skill is when a crisis emerges, people are able to spot the solution that will lead to a safe out-come. However, if you are not a non-resilient person you sometimes develop tunnel vision, which basically mean that you fail to notice important details or take advantages of oppurtunities.

Gallien starts to notice the settings around him while he is on his way to drop Alex off. “For the first few miles the stampede trail was well graded and led past cabins scattered among weedy stands of spruce and aspen. Beyond the last of the log shacks, however, the road rapidly deteriorated” (Kraukaur 2). This quote creates of visual of the quick change from rural civilization to deep and dense forest. It also exemplifies the jurastic difference between the peaceful areas of the forest and the extreme woods in Alaska. One moment there can be a nice little open field and the next you cannot see ten feet without a tree getting in your way. From that the reader can easily foreshadow the events to come in Alex’s

Richard Louv, a novelist, in Last Child in the Woods (2008) illustrates the separation between humans and nature. His purpose to the general audience involves exposing how the separation of man from nature is consequential. Louv adopts a sentimental tone throughout the rhetorical piece to elaborate on the growing separation in modern times. Louv utilizes pathos, ethos and logos to argue that the separation between man and nature is detrimental.

Nature is easily projected onto, as it allows for a sense of peacefulness and escapism. Due to its ability to evoke an emotional reaction from the masses, many writers have glorified it through various methods, including describing its endless beauty and utilizing it as a symbol for spirituality. Along with authors, artists also show great respect and admiration for nature through paintings of grandiose landscapes. These tributes disseminate a fixed interpretation of the natural world, one full of meaning and other worldly connections. In “Against Nature,” Joyce Carol Oates strips away this guise given to the environment and replaces it with a harsher reality. To her, it is superficial and only has overlying positive associations because humans

Summer camp is supposed to be a sunny, adventurous and fun time in a child's life, but not in Margaret Atwood's, Death By Landscape. Atwood tells a story of a women, Lois, that experiences the tragic loss of her best friend, Lucy, as a young girl. The story goes on to tell the effects the tragic disappearance had on Lois. In order to illustrate Lois’ symbolic death, Atwood uses the motif of landscapes as well as comparisons and imagery.

Richard M. Donovan wrote the book “paddling the Wild Neches”. Once the story is fully read, the realization of what a human will do in order to keep an important place that values so much, it is magnificent. Richard was 66 years old during his 200 mile canoeing expedition, he did not think that he was going to make it happen. However, he accomplished what he felt he needed to do so he can open minds about a place that needs their help. He captured what was hidden in the river and wanted to tell his story about it. Richard wrote about every little thing he saw, touched, heard around him while he was on the trip. The Neches River was not just a river to him, it was a home to animals and people that carried history within itself. In the book of “Paddling the Wild Neches” it

How can one become one with their environment? Connection with one 's environment was always easier to maintain until the industrial age came into existence. With the birth of modern society came the birth of social responsibilities and burdens unknown to man. In “The Way to Rainy Mountain” and “A place for literature,” Barry Lopez and N. Momaday Momaday explain the impact of lands on its occupants. In “the white heron,” Sarah Jewett explains the feeling of reconnection with one’s inner voice though nature. In “The Way to Rainy Mountain” Momaday explains the connection between the Native Americans and the lands they held until they were forced out of it by the Americans. In “the white heron,” Jewett explains the feeling of reconnection with

Nature is a beautiful component of planet earth which most of us are fortunate to experience; Ralph Waldo Emerson writes about his passion towards the great outdoors in a passage called Nature. Emerson employs metaphors and analogies to portray his emotions towards nature. Emerson begins by writing, “Our age is retrospective. It builds the sepulchres of the fathers.” , this is a metaphor for how we think; all our knowledge is based on what is recorded in the olden days and a majority of our experiences are vicarious instead of firsthand encounters. Additionally, Emerson says, “why should we grope among the dry bones of the past, or put the living generation into masquerade out of its faded wardrobe?” This metaphor portrays how people hide

Nature does a great job healing the mind and soul. Nick shows his connection with nature as he hikes away from civilization. Hemingway shows Nick’s connection with nature by sending him on a camping trip. Nick is a veteran returning from war suffering from PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). The camping trip helps to heal nicks mind and soul.