Where The Wild Things Are

Although Leopold’s love of great expanses of wilderness is readily apparent, his book does not cry out in defense of particular tracts of land about to go under the axe or plow, but rather deals with the minutiae, the details, of often unnoticed plants and animals, all the little things that, in our ignorance, we have left out of our managed acreages but which must be present to add up to balanced ecosystems and a sense of quality and wholeness in the landscape.

As a child, I unraveled nature’s beauty and existence. Each new experience brought me feelings of excitement and joy, sparkling my imagination and igniting my curiosity. It all seemed so large back then. Oceans appeared endless as they reached towards the horizon. Treetops seemed to make friends with the puffy-looking clouds as they soared to the sky. Over the years however, as I have grown older and life has become more complex, I am beginning to think less and less about the natural world around me. I glimpse sunset stuck in rush-hour traffic trying to return school after debate practices and only listen to the pitter-patter of the rain when there’s a storm outside. Forests and oceans seemed less appealing as they became intertwined with the urban development. In a way, I was becoming more and more distanced from the so-called nature. So, with an overwhelming desire for adventure and to escape the masses, my family and I drove to Big Bend National Park in Southwest Texas last summer.

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

The narrator's vision of her ancestors expanding a plentiful life is emphasized with the picturesque “blue fields…with leaves and vines and orchards.” This then strikes the narrator with the realization that cutting down the tree would be a betrayal to their ancestors, their dreams and the demise of the heritage of the

There are a few reasons why I recommend reading the classic, “The Call Of The Wild” by Jack London. There are very exhilarating action scenes throughout the book. The suspense is well placed and makes you wanting more and more. The story is told through the eyes of a dog, which gives an intriguing perspective to the storyline. These reasons and a few others give this book a lively feel.

Some of Hunt’s most eloquently used rhetorical devices are diction and imagery. Diction is an author’s word choice. Imagery is a rhetorical device used to appeal to the senses of the readers. Diction is seen throughout the article, such as Hunt’s describing the beauty of the colors of nature as Nature’s way “to show the dullest eye how she loves color.” This quote provides a selective choice of words which express how bright and joyful the colors of nature must be if Nature can show how much she loves color without providing any explanation. A masterful piece of imagery in the article is Hunt’s use of “as if Nature herself has been making some

In this passage from Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv puts a strong emphasis on the increasingly distant relationship between people and nature. Louv uses specific examples to support his argument, as well as imagery, sarcasm and an appeal to ethos and pathos. By using these rhetorical strategies, Louv appeals to his readers and convinces them of his argument.

“Could it be that we are supposed to be talking to the plants and animals, interacting with them, accepting the gifts they offer, and using them in ways that further their growth?”(Starhawk, 162). I feel this quote from “Our Place in Nature” is a great way to start the topic of how artists uses plant life in their work. It shows how artists might try to interact with the environment for ideas on the works that they come up. I feel also that they are trying to be one with the environment. I feel if you spend enough time in nature, you will build a strong connection with everything around you. This comment is justified when Starhawk said, “I can walk into any forest where the trees are strange and understand something about the relationships

The relationship with man and nature is often influenced by the experiences that one encounters. Douglas Stewart in the snow gum uses descriptively visual techniques in order to portray his experiences, indulging all senses.. The use of imagery to describe the snow gum “ performing its slow miracle” creates a sense of spiritualiy and connection between him and nature that’s present. And in this short pace of time of the “slow miracle”, he is caught up in the experience and awareness of the tree. It is suggested that from his world, he had to slow down to stop and view the natural phenomenon. . The choice of the word “something”, reveals his amazement and questioning. He is suddenly aware of the wonders of nature, not just about the tree surviving in the harsh climate but the shadow and the perfection that exists in nature

J. Baird Callicott and Priscilla Solis Ybarra are both professors at the University of North Texas and the situation they are explaining is that the wilderness was once seen as a wild place filled with beasts that couldn’t be tamed. They include the view points and work of great foresters like

In Jon Krakuer's novel Into the Wild, the main character, Chris McCandless, seeks nature so that he can find a sense of belonging and the true meaning of who he is. However, it is the essence of nature that eventually takes his life away from him. At the end of his life, he is discovers his purpose and need of other people. After Chris McCandless death in Alaska, Krakuer wrote Into the Wild to reflect on the journey that McCandless makes. Krakuer protrays McCandless as a young man who is reckless, selfish, and arrogant, but at the same time, intelligent, determined, independent, and charismatic. Along with the irony that occurs in nature, these characteristics are the several factors that contribute to McCandless death.

In the novel Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Melinda, a high school freshman, is given the assignment of working with a tree as her object for the year in Mr. Freemans’s art class. She thinks,

The novel Into the Wild is a nonfiction novel published by Jon Krakauer who investigated the life and death of a free spirited individual named Christopher McCandless. McCandless was a recent Emory University graduate who sought to suck the marrow out of life through an independent experience in nature and purposely sought to this experience in the rawest form of supplies. He was found dead in August of 1992 in an abandoned bus in the Alaskan wilderness. For the sake of his journey, he purposely didn't bring an adequate amount of food or supplies.   Consequently, those who read of his actions wonder what evoked him to live the way he

The first landscape feature that is described are, “the tops of trees” (Chopin 203). Trees are commonly attributed to nature and the symbol of life. Although the author has attributed the trees in this story with the literary term personification, as the trees, “were all aquiver with the new spring life” (Chopin 203). The author has attributed the trees to movement as the protagonist begins to desire to be in the cycle of nature. The protagonist relates to the trees because the trees are no longer weighed down by the heavy snow, thus allowing the trees to grow again, which is similar to the protagonist, as she is no longer confined by her husband, but she desires to be rebirthed (Lucas). Consequently, the protagonist was learning her desires to participate in life as an independent individual and to have restrictions a memory in the past. Therefore, the protagonist is beginning to participate down the path of becoming

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)