What is it that defines a person and decides who they are? It would seem simple; what are the actions of said person and how do they affect other around them. The key to truly understanding a person is not by the current present, but the past and the chain of events that led up to it. The book “Life Studies” written by Robert Lowell addresses this fact. He dedicates this book to his life in hopes that the reader will come to understand why he feels and interrupts the world the way he does. The thing that really makes it interesting is perspective. One thing that is right to one person may not be right to another. Actions to help might hurt, removing yourself from a situation might only isolate rather than help, and all because of perspective.
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The key point to look at is the amount of tragedy in Lowell’s life at such a young age. First his uncle then his grandfather; after that his father died and his mom shortly after. So what is left is a young man with inheritance beyond his comforts but no one around him which he can say “I love you.” On page 69 of Lowell’s life study, Lowell says “My Uncle was dying at twenty-nine.” In comparison to Lowell my uncle did not die that young he did however die at the age of forty-five. Ironically too my uncle did leave for Texas a week before his death on his “last honeymoon” (Lowell 69) If you will. I am able to relate to Lowell on an emotional level, the sudden death of a close family member so young is devastating. Children cannot grasp the concept of death or the idea of forever, and the idea that my Uncle is gone leaves a sour taste in my mouth about death. It is not fair. It causes kids to grow up quicker than they should. Lowell understands this feeling all too well saying “I cowered in terror. I wasn’t a child at all.” (Lowell 69) At such a young age he was forced to see a reality of the world causing him distraught. This rapidly speed up his depression as an adult because the only memories he could rely on were that of death. However, in light of all that darkness that week did turn around towards the end. The end of that week my family and I went to the Texas …show more content…
By informing the reader of my life it points the center of attention on me making my life seem as worse or great as I want to make it. I told a few sob stories and only a couple of good times but how does this life study show who I am over the course of my life in just a few stories. My life study tells a story of how I have progressed as a person and how I can overcome curve balls in my life. It is also being a way of confession and reflection for the writer. This is how my life, and my life study ties in to that of Robert Lowell. His life study was about his depression and loss and how he overcame it at the end. He confesses about subjects that were not ok in the 1950’s to talk about with the common person. We both have had strong parent figures in our life that were not actually our parents. Our Grandparents played a big part in how Lowell and I grew up. We both had a summer dream house where we could play and dance till the sunset, only to wake up and do it again, and we have both experienced losses of a family member close to us that happened so suddenly. Lowell spun into a deep dark depression, while I am trying to strive for something great. Two lives that share similar experiences but have two different outcomes from one another. It is not that Lowell came from a bad family, a bad name, or a bad place, it was the loss in his life of
The key point to look at is the amount of tragedy in Lowell’s life at such a young age. First his uncle then his grandfather; after that his father died and his mom shortly after. So what is left is a young man with inheritance beyond his comforts but no one around him which he can say “I love you.” On page 69 of Lowell’s life study, Lowell says “My Uncle was dying at twenty-nine.” In comparison to Lowell my uncle did not die that young he did however die at the age of forty-five. Ironically too my uncle did leave for Texas a week before his death on his “last honeymoon” (Lowell 69) If you will. I am able to relate to Lowell on an emotional level, the sudden death of a close family member so young is devastating. Children cannot grasp the concept of death or the idea of forever, and the idea that my Uncle is gone leaves a sour taste in my mouth about death. It is not fair. It causes kids to grow up quicker than they should. Lowell understands this feeling all too well saying “I cowered in terror. I wasn’t a child at all.” (Lowell 69) At such a young age he was forced to see a reality of the world causing him distraught. This rapidly speed up his depression as an adult because the only memories he could rely on were that of death. However, in light of all that darkness that week did turn around towards the end. The end of that week my family and I went to the Texas …show more content…
By informing the reader of my life it points the center of attention on me making my life seem as worse or great as I want to make it. I told a few sob stories and only a couple of good times but how does this life study show who I am over the course of my life in just a few stories. My life study tells a story of how I have progressed as a person and how I can overcome curve balls in my life. It is also being a way of confession and reflection for the writer. This is how my life, and my life study ties in to that of Robert Lowell. His life study was about his depression and loss and how he overcame it at the end. He confesses about subjects that were not ok in the 1950’s to talk about with the common person. We both have had strong parent figures in our life that were not actually our parents. Our Grandparents played a big part in how Lowell and I grew up. We both had a summer dream house where we could play and dance till the sunset, only to wake up and do it again, and we have both experienced losses of a family member close to us that happened so suddenly. Lowell spun into a deep dark depression, while I am trying to strive for something great. Two lives that share similar experiences but have two different outcomes from one another. It is not that Lowell came from a bad family, a bad name, or a bad place, it was the loss in his life of