Leopold and Wordsworth

1. Leopold and Wordsworth Writing of the wonder that is nature

3. To students • The following is an outline and a guide to “essay 1”. Please do not directly copy. You will receive higher grades if you use your own creativity and style. Just use the following as a guide line if you need it. Good luck, Nick

4. Dorothy Wordsworth: a question • 1) Aldo Leopold and Dorothy Wordsworth use quite different methods to convey the spirit of nature. Outline their respective styles and them compare them.

5. Notes: Dorothy Wordsworth, an introduction • Writers of the romantic period used many literary devices to try and reconnect the reader to nature. Dorothy Wordsworth employed two major means of vivifying the beauty and vitality of nature. • a) She allows nature to be a living breathing being that one has a natural connection to. • b) She writes of the continuities and dramatic movements of nature.

6. An example of a simple introduction for this essay: • It is quite common in the modern world to find people who have no concern for nature; they are people who have lost contact with its beauty and magic. Many writers employ certain elegant literary techniques to try and bring us back to nature’s wonder and magic. Two such writers who do this are Aldo Leopold and Dorothy Wordsworth.In this essay I will outline and compare their respective techniques for revealing to us the wonder and magic of nature. Start with general statements or interesting facts about the subject Then make your general introduction lead to your thesis sentence. In this essay your thesis sentence can just outline the intent of your essay

7. General structure of the paragraph • topic sentence (the main and general idea of the paragraph) • -focus sentence (make your topic sentence more clear) • -provide example (at least one, in this case a quote from the text) • -analyze example (should take a few sentences to explain quote sufficiently) • (if need be) Provide more examples…and then analyze • -Summary sentence

8. Example of paragraph Topic sentence Dorothy Wordsworth allows nature to be a living breathing being that one has a natural connection to. Focus sentence That is, she describes the various parts of nature, --trees, mountains, clouds, moon and sun-- as if they were alive and full of character . An example from the text (At least one Quotation) For example she writes “#### ### ###” Analyze example Summary sentence

9. Example paragraph Topic sentence Similarly, she also describes how the elements of nature are in a social relation to each other. In describing nature in terms of social relationship she reveals nature as a brilliant drama where there various characters dance with one another. For instance, she writes: “*****************” Focus sentence An example from the text (At least one Quotation) We can see here that the moon is described as Venus and the Sun as Jupiter. … She also describes the Moon being followed by the… Analyze example

10. Wordsworth also enhances the vitality of nature by describing the continuities and dramatic movements of nature. She describes nature with such movement that nature becomes revealed as something dynamic and full of life and energy; rather than something stagnant, dull and without significance. Wordsworth writes “********************” Here the ******* becomes like a ******* moving like a ********* and the ****** moves and follows like a ******** Topic sentence Focus sentence An example from the text (At least one Quotation) Analyze example So emphasizing the wondrous movement, the wondrous dance of nature, she has allowed nature to be vivid and powerful. Summary sentence

11. Aldo Leopold Marshland Elegy • Writers of nature use various literary devices to try and reconnect the reader to nature. In this way they highlight different aspects of nature. Aldo Leopold uses quite different methods to convey the spirit of nature to that of Dorothy Wordsworth. As I will explain, Leopold uses the power of History, time and evolution to highlight the nobility of nature. In addition, he also describes nature in a much more masculine way than Wordsworth does. A transition paragraph

12. Paragraph: notes on Leopold • Throughout The Marshland Elegy Leopold enables the reader to feel the intense power and magnitude of nature through emphasizing nature’s interrelation with time. Topic sentence Focus sentence

13. Paragraph: Notes for Leopold • Furthermore, Leopold’s emphasis on the power of time in nature is also developed through the images of evolution and the processes of death and life. Topic sentence

14. Some further notes for comparison between Wordsworth and Leopold • He also describes the panorama of nature in a masculine and even militaristic fashion. Wordsworth, on the other hand, in a much more feminine fashion, emphasizes the movement and dance of nature. Wordsworth, for example, describes “…*******.” Where as, in stark contrast, Leopold illustrates nature as “…*********.” We can see here….. A comparative paragraph Analyze quotes

15. Notes on contrast between Leopold and Wordsworth • Wordsworth’s description of nature is quite spatial in contrast to Leopold’s sense of nature which is time driven. Topic sentence

16. Conclusion • By way of conclusion, we can see that Leopold and Words worth employ descriptions of nature that are unique and quite different from one another. • Although these lovers and writers of nature differ in their perception of nature, ___________ • I suggest that we all need to read more of writers such as Leopold and Wordsworth as there ability to lead us back to the primordial wonder and profundity of nature is something we need more that ever in this age of pollution and alienation. Restate the topic sentence in a different way Comment on the thesis sentence Make a suggestion to the reader

17. Just a guide line • Remember these notes are just a guide line. You do not and you should not directly copy from these notes. You can, however, borrow from some of these ideas and use them in your composition. • Remember if you really want to answer this question more fully, your essay should be around 1000 words.