Landscape Essay - 717 Words

The influence of landscapes on individuals is immeasurable; it is not the grandiosity of landscapes that make an experience most memorable, but the symbiotic relationship between people and landscapes which evokes self-reflection and personal enlightenment. Alain De Botton’s epistemological text The Art of Travel (2002) and Adrienne Rich’s feminist poem Diving into the Wreck (1973) infers that, rather than a destination for transitory experience, landscapes are a holistic process that acts as a catalyst for the growth of self-identity and introspection. Ultimately, both texts use landscapes as an allegory for navigating through life, indicating that the influence of landscapes on individuals is immeasurable. The surprising process of†¦show more content†¦Rich evokes the semiotics of â€Å"checked the knife-blade† to signify an element of threat. This notion is reinforced by the medieval imagery of the persona ‘suiting up’ – â€Å"I put on the body-armour of black rubber†, implying that the persona is preparing herself for a difficult journey of self-exploration. Ultimately, although confronting, exploring landscapes can act as a catalyst for growth. Exploring natural and sublime landscapes can rejuvenate and transform an individual. De Botton employs intertextuality and intermediality â€Å"enables us to mount [†¦] lifts us up when fallen† to reference Wordsworth’s autobiographical poem â€Å"The Prelude† as to valorise the sublimity of nature’s restorative and therapeutic properties. Additionally, the ironic statement â€Å"I set out for the desert in order to feel small† juxtaposes the insignificance of humanity with the supremacy of the sublime landscape to validate its transformative attributes: â€Å"not crushed, but inspired†. A desire to possess landscapes prevents us from noticing its beauty. The tautological didactic message â€Å"the camera blurs the distinction between looking and noticing† excoriates humanity’s ignorance of landscape’s beauty due to our impulses to possess beauty via mediums such as cameras. Instead, we should try to notice elements and understand their construction. This is why Vincent van Gogh postulated that â€Å"the night is even more richly coloured than the day† – viewed asShow MoreRelatedEssay on Use of Environment, Landscape, and Cycles in My Antonia3310 Words   |  14 PagesUse of the Environment, Landscape, and Cycles, in My à ntonia       The landscape and the environment in Willa Cathers, My à ntonia, plays several roles. It creates both a character and protagonist, while it also reflects Cathers main characters, Jim and à ntonia, as well as forming the structure of the novel. Additionally, it evokes several themes that existed on the prairie during the time in which the story takes place. 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