Once More to the Lake II E.B White

E.B White's Once More to the Lake proves to be a strong narrative because of his attention to detail. Not only do the sensory images assist the reader in traveling back in time with White, they also enhance the story’s overall ability to retain interest. When White describes the bedroom, he says it “smelled of the lumber it was made of and of the wet woods whose scent entered through the screen.” The use of olfactory images allows the reader to know what the room smells like. The specific details make the story more personal and also confirm how important the memories of the lake are to White.

The organization of the essay is one of the most effective in White’s piece. He organizes it in a descriptive pattern so the audience can follow and picture exactly what he wants them to. His most significant description includes the way he illustrates the appearance of his son just before he goes swimming in the lake. White describes himself watching his son put on swim trunks before he goes swimming, and White paints the picture of “his hard little body, skinny and bare” and how the boy “[winces] slightly as he pulled up around his vitals the small, soggy, icy garment.” His description of his son is important especially because it relates to the epiphany White has in the next sentence. White’s attention to detail makes Once More to the Lake an impressive narration because it enhances the story by allowing the reader to become engrossed in the memory.