In Praise of Margins Essay

Richard Louv uses Logos in several different ways throughout this selection. He collects research from many different studies, interviews parents, and finds sources from history. In his second chapter especially, he uses numerous examples of scientific experiments to back his point that people really do not have an adequate realization of the difference between humans and animals. In his third chapter, he conducted an interview with a parent who had moved to a certain neighborhood because of the abundance of outdoor areas. Louv uses this interview to illustrate his point that even if nature is available, it really is not supposed to be used for unstructured recreation. In his second chapter, he draws on U.S. Census Bureau reports to illustrate the decline of the family farm. He uses historical events and ideas to show his idea of the romanticizing of the American frontier. Through these concrete examples, he is able to persuade the reader that his ideas and theories are valid.

Violent imagery characterizes the ruthless and cruel forest by describing how the forest has been eating itself to live forever. “...a choir of seedlings arching their necks out of rotted tree stumps, sucking life out of death” (Kingsolver 5). The setting in this novel is defined by this quote. In order to survive, one must be willing to put their needs first, or else they will suffer the consequences. In this world, nothing is safe. The forest

This essay depicts a relationship between society and nature, referring to the woods. Society is changing rather quickly which prevents an individual from truly seeing everything around them. It has destroyed nature and the clarity that the woods provide. Berry notices how people do not see where they are anymore. Many are going through life never actually looking to see what is around them or observing closer. He goes into the woods and immerse himself in nature. As Berry states, “The faster

Firstly, Ian Frazier begins his short story with telling the tale of his youth, namely his experiences with his young friends, who would go into the woods for no particular reason, other than to have fun. This was such a common occurrence, in fact, that it had become known as going "out into the woods"(para. 1). When I was a primary school student, five of my best friends and I came to a small garden after school every day. We had played balls, been free to talk, ran or lied on the grass. We were back home only someone’s parents came to catch us. We have spent four years like this, day after day, year after year. So I could say I totally understood what Frazier’s feeling was when he was in “the

Marginal places and activities have a great value to Frazier because the place he discovered as a child is now lost because as he entered adulthood he started seeing these places and activities as a waste of time. According to Frazier, “The margin is where you can try out odd ideas that you might be afraid to admit with people looking on.” (305) Marginal activities and locations allow an individual to discover one’s true passion without any other influences. This is an important idea because everyone occasionally needs to liberate from

The inception of “Covers The Ground,” begins with establishing the setting of the city of Sacramento. Understanding the natural beauty of the city is best conveyed by establish vivid imagery and Snyder accomplishes this by describing the “blossoming almond orchard acres.” As the image of nature sparks into the reader’s head, Gary Snyder is

Richard Louv, an American nonfiction author and journalist, in his essay, "Last Child in the Woods", uses a variety of rhetorical strategies to pass on his message. Louv establishes specific examples, literary devices, and an appeal to ethos in order to infrom us of the seperation of people and nature. The author proves his claim with specific examples, as a rhetorcial startegy, which makes it beleiveable to his audience. During his essay he gives an example that Researchers at the State University of New York are trying to change the colors that appear on butterfly wings.

Places have the ability to trigger memories from one’s childhood and experiences. In the excerpt, “In Praise of Margins,” by Ian Frazier, the author argues that marginal places and activities are necessary for our lives because they grant us the opportunity to use our imaginations to have fun without fearing judgment from others. According to Fraizer, these places lack a purpose and don’t need to have an economic value nor need to be productive to be considered valuable. Marginal places are simply a place for you and/or your friends to reminisce all of your memories and reflect back on who you were and how you’ve become who you are now. These marginals are considered to be any place or activity that serve an unintentional purpose. Typically, they originate from childhood adventures such as running around the woods, providing an unintended consequence of a sense of exploration. Through my personal experiences, all of our marginal places and activities change as we age throughout our lives due to societal expectations, but they remain significant because they inspire creativity and allow us to be ourselves.

In the passage extracted from Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv makes use of several rhetorical devices such as: logos and satire, also, he employs kinesthetic imagery; in order to mock the modern day American society, and simultaneously emphasize how young children are being driven away from nature. Louv employs logos when he includes researchers like Matt Ritchel who argue the "countless possibilities [of] moving ads out of the virtual world and into the real one" and he does so in order to exemplify innovative advertising mediums that will keep people engaged with nature. Furthermore, through logos, he also encourages the readers to "respect the cultural importance of using nature as ad space," and also ponder over the idea of synthetic

I believe "Mapping the Margins" should be taught in every college freshman origination class across the world. This article tells women they do not have to suffer in silence and it brings awareness to one of the oldest crimes. One thing that I took from the article is African American families should not feel they have to keep violence a secret because they do not want other people in their business. It is like Tyler Perry said in his play (Big Happy Family), "anything covered up can not get healed." We as a people have to make African American women and girls free it is safe to talk about abuse and rape. We have to stop acting like domestic violence and rapes are things that only happen in white families. We are not a perfect people and we

When Willy and Linda purchased their home in Brooklyn, it seemed far removed form the city. Willy was young and strong and he believed he had a future full of success. He and his sons cut the tree limbs that threatened his home and put up a hammock that he would enjoy with his children. The green fields

The building labeled B appears to be the main building for courses at Local Community College. Students walk in and out of the building all day and stop only to enter a classroom or buy food from the vending machines which fill one corner of the building’s long hallway. Often, students sit on the chairs that line the walls while waiting for a class to start, but for now the hallway is nearly empty and waiting for the ambush of students.

When Brian crashes in the woods he has already been set adrift by the rift between his parents, has already been left as one that will have to survive on his own. Brian was comfortable in the security of his stable familial unit but now he is left alone in a new world, the untamed wilderness of a broken home. These aspects of divorce and infidelity, however, would hold no real sway over young male readers, so it is made real by the woods that Brian finds himself in. Everything he has to do in the woods revolves around a “home”. When Brian takes stock of everything he must do once he first crash lands, from building a “lean-to” (Paulson, p. 53) and not just eating, but hoarding and storing the “gut cherries” (p. 67) what he is really doing is rebuilding the home that he felt his parents separation has stolen from him. It is indeed only a few days before he comes to think of his new crude lodgings as home, but when he

My Wooded World Sheila Visingardi tells a story about how nature plays a huge part in her life. As a child she would sit in the beautiful, relaxing, woods and let her mind wander. It was as if the branches would call to her. (Lines 2-4) As the speaker grows older the woods have become an escape for her. The woods represent a sanctuary. This is where she feels inspired and creative, and also safe and at home. It is “a world full of imagination, creativity, resourcefulness, as well as inspiration.” (Lines 7-8)

A secondary character in the story is Seth Bregman, a young trader and a friend of Peter Sullivan. He attends to all major decisions of the company for this crisis situation.