Quotation Reflections

"To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty, and in the same field, it beholds, every hour, a picture with has never seen before, and which shall never be seen again." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

The above mentioned quote seems to have a soul of its own. It spurs the imagination, takes root in the soul, and regales the mind's eye. For who cannot recall a moment of that pure and perfect phenomenon we dub as Nature. Whether or not the beholder thinks it beautiful, the landscape shapes us, makes us its own, and in time we all see its true purpose.

This quote has many meanings and uses within my particular writings. That being said, its themes and effects upon the reader are only part of my "story's" overarching meaning. There can be no debate that the beauty and awe found in Nature encompass not just the Earth, but our own selves as well. For being part of the great circle of life, we can in fact, look upon the quote, not as an outside observation, but as inner enlightenment.

Biography of Place Quote

"Our national literatures should be important to us insofar as they sustain us with illumination and heal us. They can always do that so long as they are written with respect for both the source and the reader, and with an understanding of why the human heart and the land have been brought together so regularly in human history" (Lopez 35).

This quote speaks to my biography of place because it represents the essence of my relationship to this certain place. In the same way that national literatures should sustain us with illumination and heal us, so too should the land. It is becoming increasingly rare to find a place that appears seemingly untouched by humanity, so as humans, it is our obligation to ensure that the places we do touch don't lose this illuminating and healing quality.

In terms of the way I will use and incorporate this quote into my essay, I think it serves my purposes best as an example of the way I interact with my biography of place. While it also functions as a definition of sorts, it is too vague for me to use as the foundation of my essay.

Biography of Place Quote

"Life is like a landscape. You live in the midst of it but can describe it only from the vantage point of distance." 
-Charles Lindbergh


This quote was used in my essay because I believed it was relative towards the topic of biography of place. Taking the idea in the Lopez article discussing two different types of landscapes we perceive - the external and internal landscape- I will use this quote to further support how external landscape shape the way our internal landscape is perceived and viewed in our minds. Our internal landscape is only adopted from the vantage point of our external landscape. I will also tie this quote into my theme of lostness that my places has been viewed and how in my life i can sometimes feel lost as to what my future will hold. This quote will be tied in with my theme so therefore will be introduced in the introduction paragraph.

Refuge Quote

In Refuge, Terry Tempest talks about her first encounter with Salt Lake being boring, until her mom gives her a motive/challenge to play, Terry explains "She had given us a dare. One by one, we slowly entered Great Salt Lake. . . It was in these moments of childhood that Great Salt Lake flooded my psyche" (33).  Terry talks about how initially she was stubborn to enjy the Great Salt Lake but when a motive is put behind the experience new light is shed.  I might relate this to the theme of apprehension towards new places and experiences.  In my paper I talk a lot about my initial impression of camp and how it changed over the time I spent there.  My place ( in my biography of place) is intimidating at first but empowering over long periods of exposure and I feel this quote relates to the push required for change that i discuss in my essay.

My quote lends it self as an advancement to an argument I'm making.  My quote makes a point of identifying the importance of a single push in the right direction can change your whole perspective.

quote response

"In my afternoon walk I would fain forget all my morning occupations and my obligations to society. But it sometimes happens that I cannot easily shake off the village. The thought of some work will run in my head and I am not where my body is-- I am out of my senses." (Thoreau)

I chose this quote because I find it relates to biography of place, specifically the development of our internal landscape. I chose this because I find it gives perspective to the reader in a way that most people can relate to and I feel as though it offers an explanation of a concept to the reader which can be difficult to convey with words. Next, I think this quote would be used primarily to substantiate and strengthen a common concept found in my paper. 

Self as a place

Never make your home in a place. Make a home for yourself inside your own head. You'll find what you need to furnish it - memory, friends you can trust, love of learning, and other such things. That way it will go with you wherever you journey.

Tad Williams

The quote above was chosen because I wanted to explore the themes of independence and self reliance, and how when things get tough, our experiences, and with what weve learned our true nature is revealed.  Specifically, the words "Never make your home in a place." to me this part of the quote was most compelling. I have lived a nomadic existence, with barely any roots since I was a kid.  I would place this quote to reenforce my point of view at the end of my paper. To summarize how I have never quite fit in anywhere, but with myself. 

Biography of Place- make up assignment

1.     The quote I chose to use in my essay is from “The Most Amazing Challenge” article. Hawken’s speech is centered on the theme of restoring the land and the responsibility of the graduates to restore the land. He says, “Inspiration is not garnered from the litanies of what may befall us; it resides in humanity’s willingness to restore, redress, reform, rebuild, recover, reimagine, and reconsider.” This theme of restoring and rebuilding land relates to my farm because part of the farm is in the nature conservancy now, in order to restore the land so that no one can build on it and change the natural landscape.  

2.     This quote can be used to support part of my essay where I discuss the preservation of the land in the nature conservancy. It backs up the idea that my grandfather donated this land in order to save it from being built on and to save the homes of the wildlife that lives there. I think it also supports the idea that it is humanities job to preserve the land and make a change. It proves that one person can make a difference.