Once more to the lake was one of the most vivid short stories/essays that I have ever read. His use of imagery is breathtaking. The standard presentation of imagery is a collection of words that work well together to give the reader an idea of what the author is intending to create. This was different. His description was nearly as effective as a color picture. This story is the Mona Lisa of imagery.
Now that I’m done making corny comparisons, I would also like to express my appreciation of the intense metaphor in this piece. The symbols of the groin and the lake speak volumes about the father- son relationship, and also, on a broader level, inspects the general human experience of aging and paternity. One of the benefits of using literary devices effectively is that it delivers the intended point or message clearer than a simple, bland statement of them would, and adds plenty of style to boot.
This reading has inspired a new goal for me: write a short story with imagery this great. Since this goal is impossible, however, I am changing it right now to finding more stories to read that are on par with this one, and pretending that I’m going to actually do the first goal along the way.
Thanks for the assignment professor!
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