Analysis Of The Peace Of Wild Things By Wendell Berry

Imagine having the ability to switch off our minds after a stressful day. Would you do it? The sad reality is that stress is extremely common, and we can’t just turn off our thoughts and emotions whenever we feel necessary. Instead, we focus on challenging ourselves to take these moments as learning lessons. Then, in life’s hardest moments we look for guidance to find new appreciations for life, new discoveries about ourselves, and to make peace within. In “The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry, he discusses the connection between peace and nature to the key of one’s happiness. While imaging a new life and surroundings for himself, he can accept and appreciate his ability to find harmony in his civilization. The message being that stress

will always remain a factor, but we must live in peace with all of the Earth. The key to happiness is creating a purpose for ourselves and all the creatures of nature to change our perspective of what life has to offer.
Wild animals live a particularly uncomplicated life, being a part of nature, they lie around freely with honestly no care in the world. The animals only focus on survival and meeting food supply demands. However, through the symbiotic relationships, they can help each other to provide removing any possible stress. Berry’s aspirations are to understand their power and mindset to cope with life’s conditions through unity. For example, “ I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethoughts of griefs” ( Berry 476). The animals do not spend their lives planning and overthinking future worries and stress. In contrast to us, a majority of humankind continuously worries about their next move and repercussions. Berry is not trying to become a “wild thing” but more conform to their mindset to avoid the stressful reality of life. The wild things represent an enormous role in his development through the difficult circumstances of life. The imagery claims wild things to be intellectual and driven through interactions. While they are Berry’s expectations for his life and spiritual connection to nature, they also demonstrate a life without social pressures and expectations.

Therefore, the wild things are a representation of how being spiritual connected to nature and creating unification can change a mindset. Similar to Nomad tribes, they went about life living like the animals, always traveling from places to places with no permanent settlement. Unworried about the consequences of leaving whether it was safe or they could find food because they had each other. Hunting and gathering brought them together where they could be unified but still seek out their potential. As part of this imagery of “wild thing,” the Nomads were once wild themselves, they followed these animals lifestyle to provide food and knowledge to their people. This way of life is similar to the representation of God in religion; he creates a spiritual path that allows for guidance in the darkest times. Along with, establishing unification between humanity despite their individual situations. As Tim Vivan noted, “Wendell Berry not only writes about that life and death struggle in our society, he attempts to live out neighborliness, to people, to animals, to the earth—and thus to God. Antony recognized the bond between neighborliness and Godliness, and its

theology: If we gain our brother, we have gained God, but if we scandalize our brother, we have sinned against Christ” (Vivian). This quote implies to do wrong to others is to do wrong to ourselves and God. We must go through life welcoming faith and our acquaintances to find clarity. This lesson suggests that there is a relationship between our ability to understand peace and make spiritual connections. Being able to understand something bigger than ourselves creates an appreciation for life. Berry’s connection to animals allows him to understand all forms of life, while religion makes it possible to have another purpose. In comparison to the imagery of animals, we must create unity in a certain way to be able to work together as spiritual beings. By forming a unification between any power or group, we can influence our perspective of civilization. We look to God to prevent suffering caused onto us, as Berry looks to the image of “wild things” to guide him to their life.
The state of solitude allows us to be alone without being lonely and can create the opportunity for self-appreciation and self-discovery.The abstract imagery created by the image of still water represents innocence and detachment of his mindset by isolating himself from the real world.

Isolation portrays how our surrounding affects the importance of not worry about the future, but living in the present today. As Berry has acknowledged, “I come into the presence of still water. And I feel above me the day-blind stars waiting with their light. For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free” (Berry 476). The still water is a representation of serenity found through the disparity in the world because the water is calm and quiet; as a result, his mind becomes at ease. The role of the still water is to keep Berry’s mind clear of dwelling on his past or future at this moment. The water provides wisdom and comfort to his mind at that moment, and he is free. It is much easier to remove yourself from society when there is less chaotic and distractions, allowing you to just sit down for a minute a breath. In comparison, still water limiting the amount of stress by providing a separation of our two mindsets (peace and pressure) similar to how various yoga techniques would. Yoga concentrates on conscious breathing to activate a different path of the brain that separates us from stress, anxiety, and insomnia. To be able to remove yourself for a short moment eases the mind

from the stress without completely turning it off. In words of researcher Richard Miller, “In this next stage, notice how your sense of being a separate self is ephemeral. For example, notice how you can be unaware of driving across a bridge until you reach the far side. Or how your sense of self is absent during dreamless sleep” (Health and wellness resource center). In other words, this step acknowledges the benefits of becoming absent-minded in your current surroundings by separating our awareness for a brief moment.This is why people who practice meditation can make their mind clear and put their bodies at ease during certain situations.This connection to this idea of being able to detach from your surroundings by occupying our minds with escapes. Berry can remove the stress of his life and his children by escaping after a long day to the calmness of the still water.
Kevyn Aucoin once said “today I choose life. Every morning when I wake up, I can choose joy, happiness, negativity, pain. To feel the freedom that comes from being able to continue to make mistakes and choices every morning when I wake up, I can choose joy, happiness, negativity, pain. To feel the freedom that comes from being able to continue to make mistakes and choices today, I choose to today I chose to feel life, not to deny my humanity but embrace it.” As people, I think we forget that we have the choice to decide how we will let our situations affect us indeed. To wake up every morning and just live in the moment before it is gone. The last step of Berry’s tranquility is being able to be easy on yourself. The recurring image of heaviness on one’s mind helps to see how we weigh ourselves every day with disparity. Although, he is only able to cope with reality temporarily the thought of his present moment gives his mind ease. For instance, the repetition of “ When despair for the world grows in me” (Berry 476). This is a line that repeats at the beginning and end of this poem. The role of this image is to display that he is only able to escape from this reality for the time being. The weight of the world feels as if they are on his shoulders and sadness grows within him. Berry is unspecific about the pain and what this world often will lead us to. Making the reader visualize their sense of despair and reality that he could be facing. David Skinner points out in Wendell Berry’s biography that, “At seventy-seven years old, Wendell Berry continues as a great contrary example to the compromises others take in stride. Instead of being at odds with his conscience, he is at odds with his times” (Skinner). Berry advantage to relieve stress and compromise with humankind was that he grew up in a time where people need to stay together to make it through. Growing up in the Great Depression he knew what it was like to be always struggling yet he was aware of the power of ground beneath his feet and connections with our other human beings was the key to strength. This would be his key to happiness through the social and economic poverty of the Great Depression.
As humans, we often undergo a lot of unnecessary stress and emotions which is simply reality. However, we forget that pain and suffering are just temporary things. The imagery throughout this poem illustrates how life gets easier with support. Whether that might be from the others around him, new activities or the spiritual connection we make in life. Constantly thinking about the stress of his life would have served him no judged. Berry must get out of his mind temporarily to forget lives problems and to become at peace. When I ask the question about switching ourselves off, I do not refer to distractions but physically being able to. The way we can learn from stress is by keeping our minds active and distracted till we find something good.