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- Reading responses must be AT LEAST 200 words.
- Include your full name at the end of your comments. Unnamed comments will be deleted.
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- Reading responses are due by midnight on the night PRIOR to our discussion of the required reading.
If you have ever gone camping you know that it a long journey, there is mud and animals everywhere. Some campers may even get antsy about this. Yet, others may find this as the most extraordinary journey they have ever had. In Moore’s chapter “[…] Ah Wilderness!”, he takes us through a camping trip he takes and speaks of experiences from an article by Solnit’s. Sometimes we go into something thinking we will see the same results as others but the truth is that we cannot experience the same thing as others, we have our own take on nature. You either hate it or don’t. you can find beauty in every rocky and muddy puddle you step on. In Shteyngart “Behind Closed Doors at Hotels” he mentions the romantic vibes of different hotels and the love-making that take place at each. The surroundings make all the difference for the couples whom reside in those hotel rooms. I find this article to be very comical as well as informative. How odd would it be to be listening on someone couple getting it on in the room next to you? Yet, in this article we see why it is informative. Couples tend to leave and want to find a place to escape their regular lives and at times rekindle their romantic lives. This piece could help them research the scenery and possibly choose Naples as one of their next love nukes.
ReplyDelete-Christina Velasquez
Moore's "Ah Wilderness!" chapter was fun to read. I liked that he constantly compared his trip to the article by Solnit. That kept the conflict throughout the article. I kept waiting for something to go wrong and for Moore to agree with Solnit. I understand what Moore was trying to say about Solnit being committed to not enjoying herself. I felt a little sad reading the tidbits Moore gave us. Why would you not want to enjoy your vacation? I also really liked that Moore spoke of a place not far from here. The Rio Grande is not a river you hear good things about. It is easy to agree with Solnit's picture of it. I think that's why I found Moore's article so refreshing. I also really liked the couple times he broke from his article to give us advice about writing ours. I really liked reading "Behind Closed Doors at Hotels" also. It's not something I would think to write about but it was fun to read. It just goes to show that you can write about just about anything and make it enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteDawn Bustamante
Moore’s “A Closer Look: Ah, Wilderness!” is an excellent read when on should seek on how to take the words of other nature and travel essays. For example, before we even are introduced to Moore’s personal story, he explains to us who Rebecca Solnit is and how her work is in relation to his. He openly tells us that he might be biased towards her, but in the story of his, he became as analytical as he had to. From the beginning, we are shown everything that happen at the Rio Grande from his point of view, and how different it is from Solnit’s more critical essay. Finally, near the end, he explains how the more critical travel and nature essays tend to equate humans with all problems. Moore wrote, “It too often sounds as if the human species is the only thing separating a contaminated planet from Eden. If the “cancer” we call human beings were to be cut away, they seem to imply, then all problems would somehow be solved” (pg. 127). By inputting this idea, Moore creates a more favorable idea that nature would not be as different as it would be now if humans were not around. With this thread, it can add the rejuvenating idea that maybe the nature we are observing now would have always been how nature was ought to be. Overall, Moore uses the comparison of his own essay with that od Solnit’s version of a travel essay to give us the comparison between a more critical essay to that of one that is more optimistic. .
ReplyDeleteDavid Leal
Moore's "A Closer Look: "Ah Wilderness!"" was a terrific reading experience. The way he wrote as if he were playing critic to Rebecca Solnit and respectively disagreeing with what she was saying about the Rio Grande River, while putting in his own 5 cents about the river was marvelous. The way he explained his experience with the change of events and changes in settings made it feel as if I were there with him. His choice of words and the way he described his feelings and observing the feelings of other or at least attempting to understand what they were feeling made it feel like I was linked with him or saw things through his eyes with out even meeting the others that were there. This chapter set up a perfect reference essay for me to look back to when creating my own nature/travel essay. Moore is an amazing writer that any writer in the making should look up to.
ReplyDelete-Marco Garza
What started as a basic travel essay evolves into many topics and issues that surround the non-fiction writing of "Ah, Wilderness!" The writing is crisp, clear and to the point with little prepositional baggage. Moore does a great job in explicating the view points of Annie, then the physician and, in the end, his own after contemplating the viewpoints of the formers. This is a well written essay because it also challenges the reader to come to their own conclusion on the topic of environmental preservation (which is implied repeatedly throughout the reading). "Behind Closed Doors in Hotels" is a travel essay where the author talks about his lack of companionship throughout his travels. This being said he also notes that despite the intimacy shared by many of the patrons of the hotel that it does not mean they are close (as evidenced by the Japanese couple and the man's mannerisms, which is cool and detached from his lover the morning after). This concludes with the author being very much appreciative of his company at the conclusion of the essay.
ReplyDeleteEutimio Longoria
In Moore’s essay, “Ah Wilderness,” he takes the reader on his canoe journey down the Rio Grande River. I personally have been camping multiple times even one time in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and it was absolutely amazing. I have also been camping here in Encino, Texas which is the city right after Edinburg and I actually got to ride in a canoe on that camping trip so reading Moore’s details of his trip and paddling issues brought back some memories for me. The one unique thing about his essay that I really enjoyed was his use of characters and even humor in certain ares especially when creating an image of Tall Doctor Dave for the reader. Also it was very helpful that Moore did not just insert his essay but would indent when he wanted to show us why he decided to write about his water bottle and why he mentioned Solnit. I thought his criticism of Solnit and environmentalist was humorous and definitely relatable.
ReplyDelete- Joy Perez
I've never been hiking/camping so I can't say that Moore's essay spoke to in any way. I have spent the night at a pier on SPI, but if I remember correctly, I just slept the entire night. I liked the way Moore presented his companions. He didn't give the reader much of a physical description for any of them (besides Tall Doctor Dave), but I really didn't need any to imagine them. Also, I found his descriptions on the scenery refreshing compared to the scorching heat we have here most of the time. As for Shtyengart’s essay, wow, I’m pretty glad that I’ve never had the experience of hearing people in the next room having sex. I’m a pretty light sleeper so that wouldn’t have been very nice. I love his observations, though. He’s not writing about nature in the flora/fauna sense, but he makes the same types of observations that Moore does like with the lustiest hotel being in Manila or being able to identify his neighbors on their ‘morning after.’ Of course, this does come back to nature, but rather human nature. It begs the question: why do people have ‘pornographic’ sex in hotel rooms? Shtyengart explores this subject, but doesn’t give us an answer which is pretty expected. I’m not sure, but I think it has something to do with nature and hotel rooms feeling so liberating.
ReplyDelete-Angie Acuña
What I liked most about Moore’s “Ah, Wilderness!” essay were the details he used to distinguish the people with him and the surrounding environment. It’s easy to forget the little details when it comes to talking about people and while they are not described from head to toe (except for maybe the guide Annie) you do get to know a little more of them when their professions are brought up. As said before, the descriptions of the environment were phenomenal as I could visualize enough of what was going on to use my imagination to paint a picture of the events in my head. Also, I could kind of relate to him seemingly not knowing what he is doing on the trip and Annie scolding him as it brought me back to when I went skiing for the first time and had the group instructor constantly on my tail because I could not coordinate myself very well. As for Shtyengart’s essay…well, it’s interesting to say the least. Besides having a couple argue loudly in the room next to where my family and I were, I don’t think that I’ve ever had the problem of people having loud sex unless the annoying kids hopping on their beds was something else. Overall, I it was something I didn’t think I’d need to know but I thought it was interesting to see someone’s perspective on that subject and what observations they made of the couples afterwards.
ReplyDeleteNarciso Garcia
I really enjoyed both the chapter and the online article. The Moore chapter was engaging and detailed. While he wrote I felt I was there through out it all. I once went hiking with my family. I was scared to death since I hate heights but I think now that I look back at that day what I fear the most is myself. I was a diva and a spoiled brat and because of this I threw my tantrum and claimed I wanted to die to obtain my fathers attention. Lord Jesus, I was a crazy child. Anyways, apart from “that” incident, I remember the hike and it was amazing and beautiful. I liked how this chapter triggered a memory. I’m laughing as I write this. Moving on, the online article was good too! Poor guy, I was laughing towards the end when he writes that when he’s with his partner at a hotel he doesn’t hear anything yet when he’s alone it almost always happens. How awkward is that. I blushed just reading about it. I liked how he says that each sex session was different depending on the couples surrounding and place of “festivities.” You know when I go to a hotel I never think about this. After reading this I think I’m going to become more conscious about it. Thankfully I’ve never been in that type of situation and hope I never will be!
ReplyDeleteAlejandra Rodriguez
ReplyDeleteMoore's "A Closer Look: "Ah Wilderness!"" was a great read. I thought it was neat/smart of him to introduce Rebecca Solnit from the very beginning. The comparison between his view of the Rio Grande River and hers was very entertaining to me. It was interesting to read and envision the Rio Grande River in two different perspectives. It really comes to show that all of us see and experience things in our own ways. We are all very different in our own way. Moore may appreciate the wilderness in his own way such as in his eyes all he sees is the captivating scenery that surrounds him verses Solnit who sounds as if she hates the wilderness and is unappreciative of what she sees. Either way despite what one thinks, I thought it was great to picture the area in two different perspectives. It all made me curious to see what it would look like in my eyes. As for “Behind Closed Doors in Hotels” I thought that it was a fun read, humorous if you ask me. I have never really experienced anything like that but It is funny to hear what he has heard and experienced throughout his time traveling.
Leslie Luna
In Moore’s essay, “Ah Wilderness,” he in specific detail describes his journey down the Rio Grande River. I have never gone camping or hiking of any sort, but that’s why I found his essay quite intriguing. Moore not only explained his journey but he described the people there with him and each one interacted with one another. Moore made the setting natural it was real it made you feel like you were actually there. For instance, “the view becomes truly breathtaking one thousand foot sheer walls, castle like bluffs, undercut canopies riddled with cliff swallow nests (121).” I really appreciated how he described nature and how he had a different opinion than Solnit. Solnit in her writing about the Rio Grande Valley, was more about not liking or enjoying the trip and being upset with human interaction in the river or surrounding areas. I personally think that in order to enjoy nature to the core you have to be able to get dirty. To allow yourself to be a part of nature enjoy the beauty of it all and not everything is beautiful but that’s what makes it incredible. Enjoying the natural beauty of mother nature. Being able to observe the bad things becomes easy. Now the real challenge is you as the writer really letting yourself go and let nature guide you and show you all its beauty is what becomes challenging. In “Behind Closes Doors at Hotels,” let me just say that it was funny to read about because I had never given much thought about it. It is a different perspective on how observing nature but this is human interaction with one another. The way that he describes the different interactions of couples and how in every place it was different. But all of that description came down to one thing him feeling lonely and missing his partner in his travels across the world. It was a mixture of travel and nature but it was pleasant to read about it was different and funny. This article, got me thinking of how observant a person can be with just about anything at any time.
ReplyDelete- Abigail Vasquez
As the title suggests, "A Closer Look: Ah Wilderness!" discusses a camping trip down the Rio Grande River. Now, I've never gone camping or really explored the wilderness before. To be honest, I don't really want to. A lot of has to do with the fact that I just watched clips of a documentary involving Timothy Treadwell "The Grizzly Man." With what happened to him, it's kind of made me completely lose interest in doing any sort of camping trip. While I understand extreme situations like that are rare, I'm much more comfortable staying close to situation after learning about Treadwell's story (I'm also not an outside person in general). Nonetheless, it's still interesting to at least read and learn about Moore's experience and what he got from the trip. I really like the lines: "We take nothing. Or if anyone does, no one's telling." I guess that's one benefit of not being close to civilization (ha ha).
ReplyDeleteNow, I'll admit I was a little uncomfortable with reading "Behind Close Doors at Hotels." Not because I necessarily have a problem with people having sex in hotels. I just prefer not to hear too much detail about it. If that's what you like to do, more power to you. I just would rather not hear about it. But that's my personal taste. I give credit to Gary Shteyngart for choosing a pretty original topic like this. I can definitely see why people would find this an interesting Travel Essay piece. It's just not for me.
Michael McCormick
Moore's "A Closer Look: Ah, Wilderness" should be looked at as a entry level "how to understand nature text", and in this light it is a great tool. This is accomplished throughout the essay with the constant juxtaposition of Solnit's experiance. I understand that it is easy to be "stuck" in a mood, and this mood therefore bleeds into your writing experiance. Instead of this being a negative aspect, as often interpreted, this should be looked at as a unique aspect of personal essays. This should be expected and taken as a critical aspect of any writing. Additionally, the notion of the cancer that humanity has created (pg 126-127) on nature, also demands its own merits. In some aspect, I do agree that nature would be very different indeed without human intervention. Still, humans are part of nature in the sense that we are a product of evolution just as much as a monkey or fish. To say we are the only being to be "cancerous" is false. When a beaver, or otter, creates a dam which restricts water flow down river, leading to reduced fish populations, we do not call the otter cancerous. I suppose this is more of a critique on a writers use of ethos rather than attention to detail.
ReplyDelete-Gabriel Diego Martinez
I really enjoyed Moore’s chapter, “A Closer Look: Ah, Wilderness!”. His venture into the Rio Grande had me wrapped in imagery. Moore is a skilled writer that can suck the reader into his work. It was not like the usual travel essay that I normally come across. It was a good example of a travel nature essay is like. He wrote only what he experienced while he visited the Rio Grande. His story was detailed and easy to follow. I felt that his structure in which he organized his essay flowed well. Moore payed attention to the little things in which I normally would not write. It is an example that I will be sure to try to follow when I do my essay. When I read, “Behind Closed Doors at Hotels” by Gary Shteyngart, I felt uncomfortable. Mostly because I had a neighbor who lived above my apartment that would not let me sleep. It brought back some unwanted memories. I’m not a fan of this type of material and if anything, it’s not something that I would read again. I know sex it something that is natural, but I just personally feel that should be kept private. It was an interesting read none the less.
ReplyDelete-Benito Reyes