Analysis Of Chris Offutt's The Same River Twice

When I was little, I was never self-conscious but as I went on to middle school my first year was rough because all the people I knew in my elementary school went to a different middle school as me. In 6th grade, I became very self-conscious because I knew no one and would often just be alone and do my own thing. I was constantly doubting and questioning myself. The Narrator from “The bass, The river, and Sheila Mant” and Heather from Panic are constantly self-conscious because they are always doubting and hiding their true selves.

Andrew Barton Paterson, more commonly known as Banjo Paterson, was a famous Australian poet who was born on the 17th February, 1863. He spent his early life at a farm near Yass, in between Melbourne and Sydney. His early education came from a governess, but as soon as he was able to ride a pony by himself, he was taught at a school in Binalong. At 11, Paterson went to Sydney Grammar School whilst his family was living in Gladesville. He left SCS at 16 after failing an examination. From 1885, he started having poetry published in Australian magazine, The Bulletin, where he first coined the pseudonym ‘Banjo’, the name of his favourite horse. In 1899, Paterson became a war correspondent for multiple newspapers, but in 1908, he decided to take a break from journalism writing and focus more on his poetry. In WWI, Paterson served as an ambulance driver and returned to Australia in 1919. His third collection of poetry, Saltbush Bill JP, was published soon after. Paterson died of a heart attack in 1941, just 12 days before his 77th birthday.

Oregon in the 1960s Oregon was a rapidly changing place. A place once full of life and vast wild forests devoid of modernization and the cruelties it brings along. Oregon was a growing agricultural state rich in timber water and almost all other natural resources worth exploiting. New cultures began to clash with indigenous Native American cultures and forced them off the land. In the novel Ricochet River, Robin Cody uses salmon, dams and Jesse a teenage Native American to spawn a recurring theme of tame vs. wild to help illustrate the struggles a transitioning world creates.

doesn't like living with them and wants to live alone and one of the reasons is because of his parents and family. This made him seek into adventuring into the wild.

He took the things he needs with him and got rid of the rest. He lasted a hundred days in the wild, it takes at least twenty eight days to break an old habit. He told his friend Jan Burres where he was, and if he didn’t have common sense he wouldn’t do that. “ In September he hitched down U.S Highway 101 California, then headed east into the desert again. And by early October he had landed in Bullhead City, Arizona.” (pg.39) When Callarman says “ He has no common sense he has no business going to Alaska...” McCandless had every right to go to Alaska. He didn’t want his parents to know where he was going, because he was of age and he doesn’t have to everything by his parents. That's why he changed his name. He wanted to start over by going to Alaska and learning new things along the way. You learn from your mistakes, that's what makes us human. McCandless couldn’t live up to his father expectations anymore. He always saw his father as a liar because he was living a double life with another family. Yes, he did have every right to go to Alaska, a person can only take so much. When it get to a certain point, it drive someone to do something they will either regret or a great feeling. He found what he was looking for freedom and happiness. He was a brilliant person, he wrote things in his letters and journals that was really

He came to Canada because his grandmother was sick,and he wanted to stay in Canada.

By the time he got into seventh grade he was always competing for the top student with the highest GPA. He always kept in touch with his family in Boston, and his sister Ella visited him for a while. He really liked the fact that she was a strong woman, and proud of her race. He ended up staying with her in Boston that whole summer.

Is it fair to hold individuals responsible for a choice society pressured them to make?

his fathers custody, and in the beginning of the story, he did not want to help his father

the various cities he traveled to through the duration of his childhood. Although this story is designed to

In The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant, Wetherell characterizes Sheila Mant as an inconsiderate, uncommitted, careless teenager. Firstly, Wetherell characterizes Sheila Mant as an inconsiderate, uncommitted, careless teenager by telling the reader about her mood swings and the many guys she gets to fall for her. The narrator had noticed the many different moods of Sheila Mant. Most of the time her moods told others to stay away from her. And when she was in a slightly better mood than usual, multiple guys would come after her :“It was only in those glorious moments that her various suitors found the courage to come near her”(1). By saying “various suitors”, it shows that many guys that are different from one another try to get with Sheila.

On the Rainy River, a story written by Tim O'Brien, about a twenty-one year old man who had a personal conflict on whether he should fight in the Vietnam War, a war that he thought was pointless because they didn’t even know why they were fighting in it; or to run away to Canada and escape his old life, essentially starting anew.

Due to the bullying incidents, the move to America became more appealing to Mandvi when his dad first brought it up.

He grew up without his mother and his father was an alcoholic and abuser. He wanted approval of those around him. He couldn't think for himself and was easily manipulated by tom sayer. However when he changed when he decided to go run away. He started to think for himself he could live with his father's ways anymore.

On pg. 85 it states, “I was a criminal, involved in a smuggling ring but the amazing thing was how quickly it became routine.” This shows how he is pressured to do this because how so badly he wants the money, and how sad this became his daily routine just because he is motivated to get away from his father. Also, he makes a phone call to the army which shows how desperate he is and that he has no other option in life because he completely gave