Once more to the Lake by E.B. White (text Tow #17)

       A prominent writer of the famous New York Times, E.B. White produced many masterpieces under his pen, especially the renowned children’s book Charlotte’s Web. However, contrary to his amazing talents, E.B White himself is a very reclusive man, and Once more to the Lake characterizes his insular tendencies with brilliant narration.

       First published in 1941, Once more to the Lake is a peaceful description of a man’s nostalgia to a shimmering lake he visited often during his childhood. The essay emphasizes upon calmness, peacefulness, and memory unlike any other. There is no dramatic plot for action-seekers or thriller-finders. The essay is centered upon nature and men, and is a way for White to communicate to those who are mature enough to understand nature, men, and memories.

       White primarily relies on rich imageries and a nostalgic tone to connect nature, humanity, and memories into a beautiful picture. In describing the scenery of the lake, White was precise and awed, saying “In the shallows, the dark, water-soaked sticks and twigs, smooth and old, were undulating in clusters on the bottom against the clean ribbed sand… and the water felt thin and clear and unsubstantial”(Oates 181). In portraying his nostalgia of the lake, White used the same imaginable style, saying “I looked at the boy, who was silently watching his fly, and it was my hands that held his rod, my eyes watching” (Oates 181). With pictures that readers can form in their mind, White made his trip to the lake much more realistic and connectable. Surely, every reader has a “lake” he wants to go back to.

       Adding to the rich imageries, the incessant nostalgia White portrays through his diction also calls upon the readers’ cherished past memories through nature. In reflection, White gasped, “the small waves were the same, chucking the boat under the chin, and the boat was the same boat, the same color green…” (Oates 181). All had not changed. The memories that filled White with joy, the nature of his childhood, and the nostalgia of his past were all traced back to the origin, the lake. White, through expressing a longing for the past, through the emphasis of “same”, also bestowed his readers a sense of nostalgia to both their childhood and nature.

       The years were a mirage and that there had been no years.

Insert Flap “A” and Throw Away by S.J. Perelman (Text Tow #16)

       A well-known humorist and a top writer for the prestigious New Yorkers, S.J. Perelman once again demonstrated his exceptional ability of sarcasm in his exceptionally sarcastic short story “Insert Flap ‘A’ and Throw Away”. Published in 1944, the short story details the origin of insanity: the normal human tendency against overtly motley manifestations, especially, in Perelman’s case, the flagrant directions of making a Self-running 10-Inch Scale-Model Delivery Truck.

       The audience of the short story varies from time to time; yet, the distinction only lies in education. Humorous short pieces are for those who understand and those who can see through the humor for the deeper meaning of the author. For those who did, Perelman’s purpose is clear: to ridicule the unnecessary complexity of the human world. The method is also clear: through irony and imagery.

       The irony of the whole process of making the “Self-running 10-Inch Scale-Model Delivery Truck” is laid out overtly from the beginning. An obvious comparison between the “shortest, cheapest method of inducing a nervous breakdown ever perfected” and Self-running 10-Inch Scale-Model Delivery Truck- method instantly displays the un-needed complications society tend to have (Oates 186). Jiffy-Cloz, the infamous nervous-breakdown method, contains “dozen of gigantic sheets of red card board, a packet of stables, and a set of abstruse directions designed to give the builders a vivid sense of frustration, anger, and helplessness” (Oates 187). On the other hand, the Model delivery truck, bought from an ordinary toy store, likewise consists of “ninety-eight segments, two lambkins, and a set of confounding directions”(Oates 187). The result, as Perelman portrayed, is him “bunting the infernal thing along with my nose and whinnying, gouging them with his nail and forcing them together” (Oates189). The complications of the Self-running 10-Inch Scale-Model Delivery Truck and the numerous other unnecessary complexities the Model represented is as Perelman illustrated, only useful for driving this society to the brink. People have no need of making things complicated, so, as Perelman urged, they should not.

       Or else, everyone will be having a “long and expansive recovery” (Oates 189).

“Disgusting…” (Visual TOW#15)

       What’s the difference between the popular Coke and the almost just as renowned Pepsi? The answer, officially, is there are no differences. Coke and Pepsi are two products derived from the same method. Ironically, the two brands belong to two different companies, which results in an intense advertisement competition of the same product to see who can gain more popularity globally.

       With vigor, determination, and a tint of condemnation, Pepsi Company presented yet another advertisement belittling his arch-enemy Coke and praising itself. The aim is simple: to gain credence and favor from the general public, and so is the presentation. Using humorous personification and simple juxtaposition, Pepsi Company strikes again at the “Cokes”, and though little depth is in the message, the straightforward and memorable picture will surely stay in the minds of all who saw the advertisement.

       In the advertisement, the straw for the Coke acts vividly as a human, and the humorous connotation of its action adds another reason for the audience to remember the message. Stretching out his “hand” and clinging tightly to the edges of the Coke opening, the straw is clearly very resentful of even touching the Coke liquid, as if infinite doom is waiting inside. The funny reaction of the straw, its deep and seemingly fanatic determination not to touch the Coke liquid, instantly deepens the audience’s negative impression on Coke. Surely no one will want to drink a liquid so terrifying that even a straw is disgusted and afraid to touch.

       Adding on to the negative impressions of Coke, Pepsi Company turned around and showed the beauty of their own product through another straw, creating a clear juxtaposition of quality for the audience to remember. While the straw of the Coke is trying with all his might not to be touched by the Coke liquid, the straw of the Pepsi is comfortably enjoying the drink and relaxing. The quality difference is imminently made obvious, and Pepsi, which straws like, will probably have an advantage over Coke, which straws despise, next time the audiences go out for shopping.

       Choose Pepsi next time.

Knoxville: Summer of 1915 (Text TOW#14)

       Written as a prologue for James Agee’s prize winning work “A Death in the Family”, “Knoxville: Summer of 1915” is a surprisingly serene and peaceful piece. Though written in 1938, on the eve of the famous and devastating Second World War, the family portrayed by Agee is still living in the summer of 1915, enjoying the sunshine, the flowers, and the natural scenery of American South.

       James Agee himself, perhaps, was never really a man of worries. Graduated from Harvard University, Agee always found jobs when he needed it, including offers from the famous Time magazine. Ironically, his piece, now universally acceptable to all type of audiences to read, at that time probably was mainly for white and literate readers, sadly leaving a tint of racial inequality in such peaceful work of art. His intention toward the piece, however, was never infiltrated by racial prejudice. Instead, the piece contrasts between the void and beauty of life, giving the readers a sense of emptiness mixed with appreciation.

       With a mixture of poetic narration and imageries, Agee gives the reader a picture of life in its most indelible form. Descriptions of how hoses in the garden “turned to the size and style of stream as any violin” (Oates 172), how “sleep, soft smiling, draws children unto her” (Oates 175), and how “[homes] but will not, oh will not, not now, not ever; but will not ever tell people who they are” (Oates 175) instantly gives readers a poetic first impression of life, then a contrasting second impression toward living. The alliteration and harmonizing syntax Agee chooses to use simply is a sign of brilliancy, drawing readers into the poetic world with the prose as a bridge. In addition, the contrasting impressions the poetic sentences build upon the reader, the sense of musical, even ethereal beauty, juxtaposed with a sense of uncertainty, of ambivalence, almost pushes the readers off the cliff named “life” and forces them to experience both the beauty and void, both the exciting and boring----in essence, the common, banal, and every day, aspects of life.

       And life in its most natural form is presented.

The Diary of a Napoleonic foot soldier (IRB TOW #13)

       “Peace” is a term many people in the modern times take for granted, especially those living in fairly well-off societies. However, little did they thought of the men, the regular Napoleonic foot soldier who fought for his very life few hundred years ago, the lucky yet terrified survivor from Napoleon’s erroneous Russian campaign; little did they thought of Jacob Walter. Written in the form of diaries and eventually collected into a coherent book, “The Diary of a Napoleonic foot soldier” details the story of Walter when he served in the Napoleonic army and contrasts in vivid detail the state of war and peace.

       Walter himself, when writing the diaries, probably never expected his writings to be a precious primary source for both the historians and future citizens to read and reflect upon. His writings were meant to be a self-reflection, a way for him to memorize the struggles he went through as a Napoleonic soldier. Yet, the apparent juxtaposition of tone and imagery Walter used from the start of his hellish Russian campaign to his eventual survival and retirement transcends his initial purpose of preserving memory, and to modern day readers, the text establishes a convincingly portrayal of the ineffable value of peace.

       The anxious tone and despondent imagery that characterized Walter’s description of his Russian campaign was distinctly contrasted with the joyous tone and delightful imagery of Walter when he reached his town and was at peace at last. The horrifying anxiety and sense of foreboding, the belief that “I might be taken over by the peasant village and killed”, the need of “to ride as quickly as possible over crack of ice to avoid the villagers” (Walter 97) changed imminently to the happiness of seeing his friends, “the feeling of heavenly joy, of the providence of God, and of the miracle of nature” (Walter 107) when he returned to a state of peace. No longer does Walter feel the danger of being killed nor the need to ride quickly. His peaceful position, as the tone portrays, allows Walter to slow down and feel happiness, feel God, and feel nature.

    
   Walter is lucky; he is one of the few who truly comprehends the great value of peace.

Imagine (visual TOW#12)

Lego is becoming an increasingly popular and globally recognized children product in modern society. People, children and parent alike, find it fascinating how the tiny squared shape pieces can produce such an abundance of varieties, ranging from sky-reaching towers to baby toy trucks. The Lego Company, from the instant they released their product, knew the essence of their product’s success lies in the infinite possibilities it can produce, and more importantly, the consumers’ imaginations.

Targeting primarily children but also adults, the Lego Company decides to produce an advertisement emphasizing the magic of creativity to appeal to even more potential customers. The advertisement looks simple, and it is designed to be so. A yellow piece of Lego standing conspicuously in a light green background, the first impression of the audience centers immediately on the eye-catching Lego; yet, the picture does not look intrusive or blunt. The Lego Company ingeniously chose the light green background to give both the children and adult a subtle hint of lightness, of calmness, of, at the most basic level of human interpretation, peace. “Lego is appropriately fun” is the essence of the message. The Yellow Lego is the center of attention and an attraction to many as the product is already so popular, and the calming light-green background is the brilliant supplement asserting to little children and their parents that the fun of Lego is peaceful and friendly.

   The emphasis and the money-making contrast in the advertisement, however, are not between the background and the focus, but between the focus and the imagination. First glance, a yellow Lego stands out in a light-green background. Second glance and most people will see the shadow of the yellow Lego is casting a shape like a dinosaur. Upon scrutiny, the audience will soon realize that the shape of the yellow Lego is like that of a dinosaur. Of course, the Lego Company does not endorse dinosaurs, nor does it believe dinosaurs will earn them more customers. The shadow is meant as a symbolism to imagination, and the shape of the Lego is meant to be seen as the infinite possibilities a Lego set can produce. The Lego Company knows their product’s success depends on its appeal to imagination, so they explicitly showed their audience, who will likely become their customers, of the possibilities awaiting them.

“To infinity and beyond”

The Diary of a Napoleonic Foot Soldier ( IRB TOW#11)

       “Desperation, grueling, and apathy”---- Jakob Walter, a German soldier who served in the Napoleonic army from 1806 to 1813, had personally experienced the hellish meanings behind these words. Born in a Middle Class family, Walter was at first attracted to the glories of a seemingly undefeatable giant at his time, Napoleon. However, war, as he becomes gradually intimately familiar with, was far from what he expected, and his diary, the only known diary from a regular soldier in Napoleon’s army, reflected a gradual loss of innocence.

       Walter, of course, was little aware of the historical significance of his diary as he wrote it. The diary to him was more for his family and himself. His narration from the relatively light Prussia campaign to the all-out terrifying Russian disaster reflected more of him trying to lighten his heart than anything else. Yet, unintentionally, Walter’s diary also manifested itself as a compelling argument against warfare and brought revelation to the real war-time experience of a normal soldier.

       Walter seemed to be especially talented at using imageries and tone to convey his thoughts and mood. He started with playful imageries in describing his Prussia campaign, how “Soldier Hummel wanted to frighten people for fun, so he took his rifle, cocked the Hummel and shot; soldiers were running wild at the time”(Walter 4). From there, the imageries gradually became increasingly depressing, finally reaching the zenith during the Russian campaign when “the banks on both sides of the bridge were filled with dead piled three and four deep”(Walter 54). The deliberate use of increasingly despondent imageries perfectly described the increasing pressure he is feeling for his life. As for the contemporary readers, the imageries blatantly portrayed the inevitable process of losing innocence.

       Assisting the rich yet gruesome imageries in Walter’s diary is his change of tone. Walter’s tone portrayed his thoughts and character. His initial respect toward “Emperor Napoleon” when he “was given good quarter and food everywhere”(Walter 1) turned into bitterness and depression toward “Napoleon” when he “run away from the Russian enemy like gypsies” and constantly “expected the utmost famine”(Walter 39). From “Emperor” to just “Napoleon,” from “good” to “famine,” Walter is slowly collapsing due to the terrifying campaigns. His change of tone portrayed his escalating depression, and to the contemporary readers, portrayed the inhumanness of war.

       Rest well, Walter.