Eng 111 SBCC Vesper Flights Discussions

Read: “A Handful of Corn”; “Berries: Cherry Stones”; “Birds, Tabled”; “Hiding”; “Eulogy”; “Rescue”; “Goats”; “Dispatches from the Valleys”; “The Numinous Ordinary”; “What Animals Taught Me”. 195-224 (29); 233-258 (25) = 54.

Each response should be 4-6 sentences.

1. What is Macdonald critiquing in “A Handful of Corn”?
2. 1. What is Macdonald’s main points in “Berries?” 2. What stands out to you about the way she organizes her ideas in this essay? Be specific. Don’t just summarize the chapter.
3. Who is Macdonald eulogizing in the chapter called “Eulogy?” How is this chapter symbolic of the notion that Wallace (in his essay “The Nature of Nature Writing”) references when he discusses nature writers as eulogists? Do you see Macdonald’s work as symbolic of an eulogy to nature in general? Why or why not? (There is a lot to consider in this question, and your answer will be short, so do your best to write about what resonates with you while staying close to this question and to “Eulogy.”
4. In the essay “Birds, Tabled,” what is Macdonald critiquing about the role that socioeconomic status plays in how we engage with, and define, nature? Don’t just summarize the chapter.
5. In “Dispatch from the Valleys” Macdonald writes about the ways that encounters with nonhuman nature is meaningful. What stood out to you in this chapter and why?
6. In “What Animals Have Taught Me,” Macdonald summarizes her experiences with nonhuman nature. What is one “lesson” she has taken away from her experiences with nonhuman nature? Then select a quote in this essay that stood out to you and state why.