Once More To The Lake And The Hunger Of Memory Analysis

E.B White and Richard Rodriguez are both accomplished writers with the particular ability to examine and simplify some of the most complex concepts. White’s “Once More to the Lake,” and Rodriguez’s The Hunger of Memory analyzes another perplexing notion: identity. Though they both agree that a person’s identity is molded by their experiences and circumstances, White uses his childhood memories, relationships, and extensive figurative language to describe his identity, while Rodriguez takes a much more simplistic and pessimistic approach. Identity is what defines a person; what makes that person unique. “Once More to the Lake” claims that identity is the culmination of memories made over a lifetime. White uses his family vacations to a lake …show more content…
In trying to conceptualize their respective identities, White uses figurative language heavily, whereas Rodriguez takes a more unornamented approach. “Once More to the Lake” is rich with imagery. Phrases such as “utterly enchanted sea,” “woods unshatterable,” and “crackling light against the dark” provide the reader with a more detailed description of the situation being presented by the author. White also writes with tools such as personification and onomatopoeia to further illustrate his point. The use of such flowery imagery is key in developing the deep connection and feelings he has towards the lake itself. The lake is a symbol of White’s identity, molded by his childhood and the relationship he has with both his father and his son. By returning to the comfort of the lake with his son, he is attempting to share that same comfort and bring his son the same joy that his father shared with him. Conversely, Rodriguez is much more straightforward. His writing is composed mainly of short, concise sentences that contain only the message Rodriguez is attempting convey and nothing more. Some difference between the two works can be expected, due to White being a native English speaker and Rodriguez’s native tongue being Spanish, however, they both use their distinct writing styles to communicate their ideas. Rodriguez uses succinct sentences for multiple reasons. He allows the reader information as though it is coming from his own stream of consciousness. Such a technique enables the reader to more thoroughly examine the points made the Rodriguez and form an opinion of their own. Additionally, the writing style gives the work a generally cynical tone. The short sentences do not permit to fully express his thoughts or feelings, as though he is suppressing them. Rodriguez will never see himself as involved or assimilated. He was forced to choose