"Once More to the Lake"

                                          The Change

The son becomes the father and the transposition continues. 

       E.B. White, the known American author who won numerous medals, focused his essay, “Once More to the Lake”, on that one place that remains untouched while the rest of the world changes. The essay describes a father and son’s childhood on a lake that gets revisited by the now grown-up son and his young boy. White uses a feeling of nostalgia from his own childhood to set his credibility about the old haunts of his past. He uses the connection built between the past father and son to the present- day father and son to highlight this sensation of transforming from old to new. In the essay, the author writes, “I began to sustain the illusion that he was I, and therefore, by simple transposition, that I was my father” (White 180). His readers, mainly anybody with a feel for nostalgic moments, are able to see their own life and situations through White’s perspective. Therefore, because of the strong presence of mood and imagery, the connection between author and character develops into a connection between author and reader. This transitional effect is White’s main purpose and strategy in sharing a piece of this quality. He wants to illustrate the changes that we, as humans, go through without realizing. We understand the changes that are clearly visible, but we struggle with recognizing the changes that are not as apparent. This is highlighted throughout the story by the significant use of reflection. White communicates his feelings through the thoughts of his character. For example, “This sensation persisted, kept cropping up all the time we were there. It was not an entirely new feeling, but in this setting it grew much stronger. I seemed to be living a dual existence” (White 180). This quote shows how the character was able to feel the change inside of him because of his childhood lake and all the familiar scenery. White’s strategies and use of connections, mood, imagery, and reflection make this work of writing an unforgettable, relatable piece that allows readers to experience a slice of his childhood.