Barry Lopez's Essay A Literature Of Place

587 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Impact of environment on humans

A Literature of Place Summary In the essay, A Literature of Place, Barry Lopez discusses the topic of the influence of nature. Lopez believes that “nature is critical to the development of a sense of morality and human identity.” A sunny day typically has a positive set off for your day, but it does much more than what you may be aware of. Lopez stated that the geography of your surroundings can influence many different aspects of your life, such as your imagination. By being aware of your surroundings and taking in everything that is around you, he describes how you will create a special relationship with the nature that you're surrounded by. And through that relationship you will feel a sense of belonging instead of feeling unwanted. A sense of belonging can get you …show more content…

Lopez believes that people will live a much happier life and will come to the realization that it is more important to be in love than to be in the position of power. Through nature mankind will learn the difference from right and wrong and you will grow into a stronger, independent member of society. Ultimately, what Lopez is trying to convey through his essay is the positive effect of nature on mankind. While reading Barry Lopez’s essay A Literature of Place I found myself to be very intrigued. I was able to connect to most of what he was said because of the way I grew up.I spent most of my childhood outdoors, most of my favorite memories are influenced by the nature of Alpena. It wasn’t until reading this essay that I realised just how lucky I am to grow up and live in such a wonderful location on this earth.

Show More
Related

  • Perception In Barry Lopez's On Entering A New Place

    369 Words  | 1 Pages

    In "On Entering a New Place", Barry Lopez discusses how perception can be deceiving when trying something new that you don't completely understand. Typically, a person would be uncomfortable about the unknown so in their minds they theorize what could be. To continue getting rid of their nerves, they run their ideas through their heads multiple times until they believe that is how it's supposed to be.

    Read More

  • Five Themes as Expressed Through “The Power of Place” by Harm de Blij

    1261 Words  | 3 Pages

    Harm de Blij and his “The Power of Place: Geography, Destiny, and Globalization’s Rough Landscape” truly describes how geography is displayed in the world today. In particular on of the major themes that he discusses is the idea of globalization. He actually calls these people the “globals.” In the very beginning of his book he describes two different types of peoples: Locals and Globals. The difference between these people is that Locals are the poorer people, not as mobile, and more susceptible to the concept of place. On the other hand the Globals are the fortunate population, and are a small group of people who have experienced globalization firsthand (5). This idea of globalization is a main theme that Blij refers to throughout the book, however he also indirectly references the five themes of cultural geography: culture regions, cultural diffusion, cultural interaction, cultural ecology, and cultural landscapes. Through Blij’s analysis these five themes are revealed in detail and help explain his overall idea of globalization in the world today.

    Read More

  • Natural Happiness By Paul Bloom Summary

    1480 Words  | 3 Pages

    There is this feeling we all experience when we step away from the chaos of rushing cars, infrastructure, and artificial lights, and we step into nature. Some describe it as bliss, comfort, excitement, pleasure or just pure happiness. This is the answer to the question Paul Bloom asks “Why should we care about nature?” in his article “Natural Happiness.” Paul goes through this process in which he uncovers the fact that “real natural habitats provide significant sources of pleasure for modern humans”, regardless of our need for food, clean water, and air. There are 3 main arguments that Paul makes in this article that I find particularly interesting, they include: “Our hunger for the natural is everywhere. In many regards our species has already kissed nature goodbye, and we are better off for it. There is a considerable mismatch between

    Read More

  • Comparing Blessing by imtiaz Dharke and Island Man by Grace Nichols

    2034 Words  | 5 Pages

    In this essay I will be comparing two poems which show connections between people and the places in which they live. The two poems I will be comparing and contrasting are “Blessing” by imtiaz Dharker and “Island Man” by Grace Nichols. Both of these poets express their feelings through these poems. Grace Nichols allocates her experiences of how people feel when separated from the environment and place they lived in for such a long period of time. On the contrary Imtiaz Dharker uses the poem “Blessing” to convey the importance of water for less fortunate people. From both of the poems I have chosen I can see that the poets have written about something they feel is important. The reason why I have chosen these two poems is because both of the poets have veteran or have understanding about what the problems out there has to offer you. The reason why they are so knowledgeable is because they are cross cultural. Mutually both poets show us the readers, the connections between people and the places in which they live meaning that it depends on where the person lives in which quality of life they will get.

    Read More

  • The Riders

    1464 Words  | 3 Pages

    An individual’s ‘Sense of Place’ is predominantly their place of belonging and acceptance in the world, may it be through a strong physical, emotional or spiritual connection. In Tim Winton’s novel ‘The Riders”, the concept of Sense of Place is explored through the desperate journey of its protagonist, Fred Scully. Scully’s elaborate search for identity throughout the novel is guided and influenced by the compulsive love he feels for his wife Jennifer and their family morals, the intensity of hope and the destruction it can cause and the nostalgic nature of Winton’s writing. Two quotes which reflect the ideals of a person’s Sense of Place are “Experience is not what happens to a man. It is what a man does with what happens to him.’(Aldous Huxley) and “It is not down in any map. True places never are.” (Herman Melville). Huxley and Melville’s statements closely resemble Fred Scully’s journey and rectify some of his motivations throughout the text.

    Read More

  • Who Is Pullman's Use Of Place In The Golden Compass

    784 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many people will ask “what is place?”. Place is a description of atmosphere, time period, location, social hierarchies, culture, perspectives, etc to help illustrate a setting. Place can be used to set tone, provide conflict, establish mood, and so on. The use of place is a staple in literature to provide all of these aspects and more.

    Read More

  • Robert Frost's Desert Places and Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

    1057 Words  | 3 Pages

    something that belongs to them, something to feel a part of. The woods has its

    Read More

  • Dillard and Thoreau Comparison

    1452 Words  | 3 Pages

    From the lone hiker on the Appalachian Trail to the environmental lobby groups in Washington D.C., nature evokes strong feelings in each and every one of us. We often struggle with and are ultimately shaped by our relationship with nature. The relationship we forge with nature reflects our fundamental beliefs about ourselves and the world around us. The works of timeless authors, including Henry David Thoreau and Annie Dillard, are centered around their relationship to nature.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Nature In Hemingway's In Our Time

    1175 Words  | 3 Pages

    Nature is an aspect of life that is conflicting. At times, its complexity serves to confuse those who try to understand its mysterious ways while at other times, its simplicity adds an element of solidarity to one’s life that is both calming and relaxing. Nature, similar to life, endures obstacles and dark times, while also shining bright in times of happiness. Nature surrounds us all and can both represent the trials and tribulations of life, but also serve as an escape from the real world. Although the healing power of nature often goes unnoticed, in Ernst Hemingway’s In Our Time, the element of nature serves to heal the wounds of emotional turmoil and provide an escape to clear one’s mind.

    Read More

  • Edward Relph Place And Placelessness Summary

    821 Words  | 2 Pages

    Place and Placelessness is an adaptation of Edward Relph’s 1973 doctoral dissertation on Geography. Relph was a doctoral student at the University of Toronto in the early 1970’s. His topic of a sense of place was not his initial topic. Initially it concerned the relationship between Canadian national identity and the symbolic landscapes of Canada. But he allegedly became frustrated with the topic because of the lack of philosophical references to a comprehensive definition and understanding of space.

    Read More

  • Jack London's 'To Build a Fire': A Naturalistic Critique

    1122 Words  | 3 Pages

    Conversely, Walt Whitman proposes that nature is there to enrich a man’s life and is there to serve man. Whitman explores this in his poem, “Give Me the Splendid, Silent Sun.”Give me to warble spontaneous songs, reliev’d, recluse by myself, for my own ears only;/ Give me solitude—give me Nature—give me again, O Nature, your primal sanities!” Whitman proposes that nature is a safe space for the man to enjoy life and be free. This is wildly different than London’s idea of nature where nature is Law and is

    Read More

  • Space And Place: The Definition Of Space And Place

    949 Words  | 2 Pages

    "the question of space and place within the realm of spatiality is ultimately not jsut about whether the question of "where" maters in the way that "when" does in explaining "how" and even "why" something happens" (p1. space and place) the purpose of this introduction is to introduce and examin the terms which encompass the investigation into the thinking about the monumentalization and politics of space.

    Read More

  • Benefits of Nature and Outdoor Activity

    564 Words  | 2 Pages

    Since the beginning of time, the human race has been closely affiliated with nature. Our early ancestors didn’t have houses— they lived in tents, caves, and other forms of natural shelter. As the evolution of lifestyle progressed to be what we know it today, people settled down in houses they built on farms, or in small towns. These grew to be cities, and eventually countries. As a population, we have moved away from this lifestyle immersed in nature, especially in the last few decades. We now spend most of our time indoors, doing homework or watching television; not experiencing nature. The great outdoors have so many unrealized benefits, but we don’t take advantage of them or experience them as much as we should.

    Read More

  • Analysis of Robert Frost's Desert Places

    1234 Words  | 3 Pages

    Robert Frost's 'Desert Places' is a testament to the harrowing nature of solidarity. By subjecting the narrator to the final moments of daylight on a snowy evening, an understanding about the nature of blank spaces and emptiness becomes guratively

    Read More

  • Nature in American Literature

    921 Words  | 2 Pages

    In American Literature many authors write about nature and how nature affects man's lives. In life, nature is an important part of people. Many people live, work, or partake in revelry in nature. Nature has received attention from authors spanning several centuries. Their attitudes vary over time and also reflect the different outlooks of the authors who chose to discuss this important historical movement. A further examination of this movement, reveals prevalence of nature's influence on man and how it affects their lives.

    Read More

More about Barry Lopez's Essay A Literature Of Place

Open Document