E.B. White’s essay “Once More to the Lake” (BR 723)
Paper instructions:
Using one or more of the following questions as your prompt, write a brief (200 word) analysis of E.B.
White’s essay “Once More to the Lake” (BR 723). Be sure to give two examples from the essay to explain
or support your points. Respond to at least one other student.
What do you take to be White’s main PURPOSE in this essay? At what point do you become aware of
it?
In paragraph 4, White first introduces his confused feeling that he has gone back in time to his own
childhood, an idea that he repeats and expands throughout his essay. Why do you think he does that?
White includes very specific descriptions of several senses in his essay. Why? List one specific example
of each (sight, sound, smell, feel) and describe what value do they each add to the essay.
Discuss the ending of the essay. What do you think White means? How does the ending relate to the
overall purpose of the essay?