The aspects of nature have always been used by man for their benefits, but in recent years there have been signs that the connection between people and nature is waning. Richard Louv argues this case in the passage Last Child in the Woods by using the devices imagery, anaphora, and rhetorical questioning to create a relationship with the reader. Louv uses the rhetorical questions in the passage to show how puzzled he is about the actions of others, like why people are such hypocrites for wanting “their children to watch less TV, yet continue[ing] to expand the opportunities for them to watch it” (43-45). His use of this device really enables the reader to know how he feels about the topic. He goes on to ask why “people no longer consider the …show more content…
His description as to how a car ride would go creates a nice and pleasant image for the reader to visualize. It elicits the reader to think about all the characteristics only nature could provide and to be convinced that it is not worth losing. He also puts it in the perspective of the future selves of people, “perhaps we’ll someday tell our grandchildren stories about our version of the nineteenth-century”(57-58). He further deepens the link with the audience by employing anaphora within the imagery. By continually repeating the word “we” before describing an image he consolidates the relationships by basically saying “you and I” are alike. This can ultimately convince the audience to take his side on the issue of separation between nature and man. For example he says, “we saw birds on the wires and combines in the fields. We were fascinated with roadkill...we considered the past and dreamed of the future, and watched it all go by in the blink of an eye”(64-66...72-73). He mentions even the miniscule detail of a bird on a wire and describes roadkill with fascination showing how nature, no matter how small or insignificant can actually prove to be a worthy attribute in life to keep because only nature can provide this kind of experience. The last sentence is particularly powerful for it creates the