Aldo Leopold's A Sand County Almanac

A Windstorm in the Forest by: John Muir In A Windstorm in the Forest by John Muir, we learn that he is very passionate about the wilderness. He writes about going on an adventure; his adventure takes place in Mount Shasta, California, one of the Sierra Mountains. The author begins the story by explaining how as he was out enjoying a walk he came across a path where a hurricane had occurred. Interested in what the road had to show he continues to explore it he then comes across the valleys of the Yuba River.

For example, when discussing men, like Long, who had visited the region, she states that they declared it unimpressive and “a dreary plan, wholly unfit for cultivation.” Here, she sets up the views of harsh critics of the region for comparison with her own feelings for the region itself. Marquet goes on to introduce a story about her grandparents, who felt “anticipation” when waiting to receive their land. By comparing the uncomplimentary aspects of the land judged by surveyors with her grandparents feeling of anticipation, she shows the reader how the land represented a new beginning for many Americans who disregarded the criticism of earlier assessors. She once again portrays her respect for the people of the upper Midwest by clowning their ability to cultivate a previously labeled “unimpressive”

The way Krakauer organizes Into the Wild helps support his argument towards Christopher McCandless and to the responses received by the article Krakauer had written earlier on McCandless and about his trip. Krakauer gives the readers background information for most of the book, along with excerpts from McCandless’s journal he seldom kept. McCandless’s journal entries include statements such as, “MOOSE!” on June 6th when he shot a moose instead of squirrels, and different types of birds which he had been eating since he got to the bus (Krakauer 166). McCandless’s last writing reads, “ I have had a happy life and thank the Lord.

In his 1995 essay “The Trouble with Wilderness,” William Cronon declares that “the time has come to rethink wilderness” (69). From the practice of agriculture to masculine frontier fantasies, Cronon argues that Americans have historically defined wilderness as an “island,” separate from their polluted urban industrial homes (69). He traces the idea of wilderness throughout American history, asserting that the idea of untouched, pristine wilderness is a harmful fantasy. By idealizing wilderness from a distance, he argues that people justify the destruction of less sublime landscapes and aggravate environmental conflict.

As Leopold moves along in A Sand County Almanac, the reader finally understands the full scale of thought that is placed in front of them. Leopold begins small in part I, he talks about this circle of life with animals and plants all playing a part and owning the land. Oak Trees end up showing the history of conservation, and wildlife comes from what others consider devastation of the land. Final we learn if mans ownership of land compared to those who also inhabitant it is more important. Bringing to light the question of progress or plants (for this purpose it is a generic term encompassing various flora and fauna)?

The Alaskan Bush is one of the hardest places to survive without any assistance, supplies, skills, and little food. Jon Krakauer explains in his biography, Into The Wild, how Christopher McCandless ventured into the Alaskan Bush and ultimately perished due to lack of preparation and hubris. McCandless was an intelligent young man who made a few mistakes but overall Krakauer believed that McCandless was not an ignorant adrenalin junkie who had no respect for the land. Krakauer chose to write this biography because he too had the strong desire to discover and explore as he also ventured into the Alaskan Bush when he was a young man, but he survived unlike McCandless. Krakauer’s argument was convincing because he gives credible evidence that McCandless was not foolish like many critics say he was.

“As I looked about me I felt that the grass was the country, as the water is the sea... And there was so much motion in it; the whole country seemed, somehow, to be running.” book one chapter two. Even after Jim grows up, he still retains the childlike wonder of the land around him. The amount of admiration that Jim holds for the land reflects on his innocence as a child.

There was nothing but land: not a country at all, but the material out of which countries were made”. While Jim describes the plains as nothingness, the narrator of A Wagner Matinée (Clark) compares his own modern town to the “inconceivable silence of the plains” and how the land he knew was “the flat world of the ancients…more merciless than those of war” (paragraph 12).

Christopher McCandless, a 29-year-old dreamer, went on the journey of a lifetime to involve himself with nature and being truly independent. He had lived a life of privilege, made amazing grades in school, and even went to school at Emory College, getting degrees in both history and anthropology. Even though he seemed to have everything good going for him, it’s not the life he wanted. McCandless decides after law school to go deep into the “wild”, with no map, no resources. All he kept was a small journal and camera in which he captured and recorded all of his experiences in, allowing people for the rest of time to read and learn about his journey in his book titled Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer.

“Bienvenidos a El Salvador,” the flight attendant announced over the intercom. I looked towards the windows and enjoyed the breathtaking scenery. I could see the long fields, the beautiful hills and valleys, and the volcanoes. The palm trees were bright green and the sky was filled with color. The land seemed to be filled with life.

I protest against the crimes and mistakes of society being visited upon them. All of us have a share in it.” He uses the effect of war on Leopold and

“On A Mountain Trail,” by Harry Perry Robinson, portrays wolves as grim, dark forms who moved as rapidly as they did and whom silently, yet ever persistently came upon them with no warning. (paragraphs 1, 6) These ominous creatures may represent the swift and graceful desperation of nature. This representation reveals itself to us in many ways, one of these ways being the way in which Robinson describes the wolves. By describing the pack of wolves as silent and consumed with the pertinacity of the hunt whom which seemed to rise, “out of the earth and the shadow of the bushes,” he conveys that the figures were in sync, yet held chaos in their

I grew up in Wellston, Ohio and lived in the countryside about fifteen minutes from town. My house was a home to me and it wasn 't the greatest, but it was special to me. My big backyard consisted of many fruit trees and a grape vine, it was where I had bonfires with my family and friends, and it was where I ran free with my brother. I had a pond, “over the hill” as my brother and I would say, where we swam and fished in the summertime and sat on the deck feeding bread to the bluegill as we had conversations about life. Behind our pond was where thousands of trees stood tall and where we roamed every inch of the hidden land.

One of my favorite memories growing up is how much time I spent reading. Whenever I got a new book I couldn 't put it down. I remember that I would always read on the bus ride home. Reading was something that I liked to do. As I’ve gotten older my choice of books has changed alot, a different genre for each of my phases.

He describes the land outside the city as “unnoticed,” “hidden,” “neglected,” and “isolated.” This differs from the crowded city environment that the speaker did not approve of. The author also portrays the “unfenced existence” of the space, such as a bird flying through the sky or a fish swimming through the sea. Lastly, the speaker concludes with repetition of the word “here.” By using this technique, he displays his excitement for the new land around him.