Once More to the Lake analysis

In Once More to the Lake, by E.B White, the author describes a conflict that arises within himself when he takes his son to the lake in which he travelled to as a child. White begins to develop an identity crisis, not knowing if he still lives in the past as a child or if he is living in the present, as the father of his own son. E.B White, an attendee of Cornell University and an editor and writer of The New Yorker, was famous for his Pulitzer Prize winning books. White is a renowned author of not only children and adult stories, but essays, much like Once More to the Lake. E.B White describes the setting of the lake, combining his past adventures with his father and the present adventures with his son. He begins to get caught in between the past and present and becomes confused as to what his own identity is. Through the way E.B White becomes confused, you are able to see his growth within the essay. White’s confusion shows that his sense of time is distorted, making him go back and forth with the memories he made years ago to the memories he is making now. The idea of him taking the place of his father creates the sense of a cycle and gives the essay a purpose; the cycle of life is one White is beginning to come fully around. He is beginning to realize he is coming closer to death. The audience White intends on reaching is people who are at the same point of the cycle he describes, people who are beginning to realize their past is no longer close and their future holds only a limited amount of time. The rhetorical device of imagery is used to bring about the purpose. The description of the lake in the past and the author’s past adventures help the audience compare it to the present adventures the author is taking with his son. Through the use of this rhetorical device, the author linked the past and present and successfully communicated his purpose.

Father and Son Return to the Lake

E.B White is stuck between the past and the present as he continues through the cycle of life and comes closer to mortality.

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