Once More To The Lake By E. B. White
Renowned for his clear and lively writing style, E.B. White has been regarded as one of the most successful American essayist and author. Born on July 11, 1899 in Mount Vernon, New York, Elwyn Brooks “E.B.” White was raised by his parents, Samuel White and Jessie Hart White, and lived in a middle-class community along with his six siblings. White later attended Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where he started writing for the Cornell Daily Sun, which was a student-run newspaper. After graduating from Cornell with a Bachelor of Arts degree, he freelanced as a reporter for several newspapers, including the United Press Seattle Times. In 1927, he secured a job as a contributing editor for The New Yorker, an American weekly magazine. Of
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In addition to writing children’s novels, White also published a series of essays. “Once More to the Lake,” originally published in the October 1941 issue of Harper’s Magazine, later appeared in White’s book entitled One Man’s Meat. An emotional essay, “Once More to the Lake,” effectively portrays White’s struggle to find his place in the world, as he deeply wishes to preserve his childhood memories. This personal essay begins in the past, which develops a nostalgic tone, as White remembers the experiences he shared with his family on the lake in Maine. The essay ends in the present, as White observes his own son and accepts the unkind reality of his future. In “Once More to the Lake,” White asserts that the only thing constant in our life is …show more content…
The author discloses his thoughts saying, “I began to sustain the illusion that he was I, and therefore, by simple transposition, that I was my father. This sensation persisted, kept cropping up all the time we were there. It was not an entirely new feeling, but in this setting it grew much stronger. I seemed to be living a dual existence” (White 2). White is truly confused about his role in life. Throughout the essay, White flips between the past and the present, as he views life through a different lens. The author is reliving the same things, but now as a father figure. This new sensation is rather puzzling, as he does not know whether to cling to the past or to face the
In addition to writing children’s novels, White also published a series of essays. “Once More to the Lake,” originally published in the October 1941 issue of Harper’s Magazine, later appeared in White’s book entitled One Man’s Meat. An emotional essay, “Once More to the Lake,” effectively portrays White’s struggle to find his place in the world, as he deeply wishes to preserve his childhood memories. This personal essay begins in the past, which develops a nostalgic tone, as White remembers the experiences he shared with his family on the lake in Maine. The essay ends in the present, as White observes his own son and accepts the unkind reality of his future. In “Once More to the Lake,” White asserts that the only thing constant in our life is …show more content…
The author discloses his thoughts saying, “I began to sustain the illusion that he was I, and therefore, by simple transposition, that I was my father. This sensation persisted, kept cropping up all the time we were there. It was not an entirely new feeling, but in this setting it grew much stronger. I seemed to be living a dual existence” (White 2). White is truly confused about his role in life. Throughout the essay, White flips between the past and the present, as he views life through a different lens. The author is reliving the same things, but now as a father figure. This new sensation is rather puzzling, as he does not know whether to cling to the past or to face the