Walker Percy The Loss Of The Creature Summary

Photography in Contemporary Society Photography in its purest form is meant to be an art that preserves memories and events, however, it is often muddled with misuse. Photography essentially enhances an experience by providing a way to gain new perspectives of a subject years later. However, in contemporary society, photography has become more of a task in itself rather than an aid to experiencing a subject in real life. In his 1954 essay “The Loss of the Creature,” author Walker Percy builds on this claim by arguing that when one photographs an event, one misses out on experiencing the event itself, obtaining merely a representation of it. Overall, photography is valuable in contemporary society, but when misused, can detract from an experience.

The use of photography is an issue when one considers it as a task instead of a supplement to an experience because there is the cost of not being able to truly engage in the subject. Engaging in a subject is confronting and being part of the subject, using all five senses to make oneself immersed in the setting. When one takes a photo, it does not replace the knowledge that is gained from engaging in the subject. Rather, it is only a representation of the object or event. This is the argument that Percy is making when he writes: “instead of looking at [the Grand Canyon], he photographs it... there is no confrontation at all… at the end of forty years of preformulation and with the Grand Canyon yawning at his feet, [He] waives his right of seeing and knowing and records symbols for the next forty years.” Percy argues that when the sightseer simply photographs the Grand Canyon instead of facing and engaging with it, he or she loses the true experience of being at the Grand Canyon. Consequently, The sightseer has a record of being there, but did not gain the growth or knowledge from truly engaging with it. Percy’s argument applies more broadly to contemporary society because photography hinders one’s ability to experience when used as a task. For example, in my visit to Yellowstone National Park, I spent more time taking photos of different geysers and mountains than looking at and admiring their beauty. By giving more importance to taking photos of those natural wonders instead of admiring them, I now have a record of being there, but do not have the knowledge on what the shading of the rocks indicate, or what taking a relaxing walk in the long trails feels like. While using photography properly can provide many benefits, misusing it can limit one’s growth and knowledge gained from engaging with a