White- Once More To The Lake Continued

Assignment Questions:

E.T.3. The author tends to ponder on his memories, more than describing the new scenary as he returned, this time with his son. Much of the story was the author recalling his previous experience. The observer's perspective of his previous trips to this lake was the calm, solitary feeling of "simply being". He described this area as if it was a whole different unique world in itself, where the sun shone endlessly day after day, where the breeze would stir up the sweet scent of the lake, letting it drift through each and every one of his memories of this place. His opinionated comments more often evolved around his memories, than actually describing the scene infront of his eyes. When he commented about the differences and changes in this place, they were often to his disappointment, reluctant to notice the passing by of years.

D.V.2. "Summertime, oh, summertime, pattern of life indelible, the fade-proof lake, the woods unshatterable, the pasture with the sweetfern and the juniper forever and ever, summer without end;" paragraph eight. I would see this as a more sentimental part of the passage. The author, with great enthusiasm, creates a picture of this lake being in an unbelieveable environment, where summer never ends, and everything is the way it always has been. On the other hand, more hesitantly, he still noticed the changes his surroundings, things that were different from his memory of what this place used to be.

The passage refers to the "Lord's Prayer" "forever and ever, world without end," to indicate that the author regards the experience as something special, perhaps a glimpse of permanent or eternal value and beauty. A sentimental style suits the author's purpose for writing the piece. <-- Answer, from Chapter lesson 2.f

White- Once More To The Lake

Summary:

White uses description throughout the whole essay to portray the calm, solitary feeling he once had long ago when he visited this lake in Maine every summer. To restore that state of mind, he brought his son along, years after, returning once more. This visit, however, was different from others. He continuously struggled to make out which of them he was. In the early morning, his son would sneak out, and walk along the lake, just as he did when he was young. At the same time, he felt as if he were the boy, and the father.

Assignment Questions:

1. The shift of focus on what used to be there, and what it was now in the story started when White began describing the road they walked up. In much of the first part of this piece, White frequently used the phrase "there had been no years" to illustrate the feeling of familiarity to this place. Once he began to notice changes, and that there were years that passed by, as these subtle changes began to be more bold. The attitude is shifted gently when he indicates that the changes did not feel right, right as in the memory he once had of this place.

2. The inboard and outboard motors were a significant difference in the atmosphere of the lake, as White put it. He found the sounds of the inboard motors sleepy, as they gently moved accross the lake. As for outboard motors, White complained about the loud and whiny noise they made, day and night. This difference in life between he as a child, and now he as a father with his child was summarized by the description of sound in both times.

Gansberg- 38 Who Saw Murder Didn't Call The Police

Summary:

Gansberg uses light narration to develop an idea of people's reaction to danger. "38 Who Saw Murder Didn't Call The Police" written in 1964, for The New York Times exemplifies the fear of getting involved with dangerous situations. In this writing, a twenty-eight-year-old female was a victim to three stabbings over an half hour period. During this time, however, all the neighboring houses who heard the screams, had not called the police until after the third stab. By the time, the ambulance had arrived, the victim was already in fatal condition. Afterwards, the police interrogated the witnessing neighbors, in which all replied that they had not wanted to get involved.

Assignment questions:

1. Gansberg's central theme was the fear of getting involved in situations that may endanger oneself. If the writer had not used narration, and presented this theme through a series of facts and quotes, as if he were writing a news article, I believe he still could have developed his theme so that readers would understand the message. However, for the purpose of this story, which is to enable readers to realize how danger can complicate other's decision as to whether or not to lend a hand, I wouldn't find other patterns of exposition as effect. The writer used the detailed descriptions of the scene to enhance the feeling of sorrow for the woman and disappointment towards the witnesses of the crime. However, the writer also succeeds in making the reader stop to carefully consider what she or he would do, if they were those witnesses.

2. This news article from 1964 has still managed to retain it's significance today because the theme is still so true and honest. Many people are still afraid of reporting a crime to the police for various reasons that evolve around the idea of those witnesses also being involved with danger. In areas of the lower class, situations as such may be considered as very risky to even have the authorities walk up to your doorstep for questioning. People are afraid of the baggage of insecurity and vulnerablity that is brought along with a phone call to the police.

2&3. The main narration in this piece begins where the writer talks about what the police said happened. The preceding paragraphs are used to explain what happened in such a way that compells the reader to carry on with the story. The paragraph transitions in within the narration are subtle, but also lack in variety. The writer uses techniquies such as stating the time of which the following paragraph was describing, followed by transitions (by then, by the time, later, today). These transitions are used to smooth the breaks between each paragraph as the reader proceeds through the article.