What I Lived For Analysis

Dante Alighieri once said, “There is no greater sorrow than to recall a happy time when miserable.” Though not directly mentioned, the idea of the quote seems to be explored thoroughly in both “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For,” by Henry David Thoreau, and “Once More to the Lake,” by E.B. White. While both of these authors float around several thoughts including reality, advancements, and living in general, they take very different approaches to do so. In “Once More to the Lake,” White reminisces on his journey back to a place he spent many summers as a child. His essay takes the form of a narrative, with him explaining in great detail the beauty and isolation of the lake. White uses vivid sensory details such as ‘remembered how the bedroom smelled of the lumber it was made of,’ and ‘lie down in the accumulated heat of the little bedrooms after the long hot day and the breeze would stir almost imperceptibly outside and the smell of the swamp drift in through the rusty screens.’ White includes these details to help the readers engage in the experience, and reflect on their own childhoods similarly to him. White also uses …show more content…
Both men even use nature and somewhat isolated areas as the backdrops for their revelations about life. However, both men have very different views surrounding society and advancements, and although both expressing their views eloquently, both men have very interesting and unique ways of parlaying those