Search of The Essence in Literature Essay Example

Essence is the important qualities that define a person or thing. However, there is one key factor that helps shape a person’s essence which is Nature. Thus, the short stories which search for essence are The Bear by William Faukner, White Heron by Sarah Jewett, and In To Build a Fire by Jack London. The Bear displays a decisive young hunter named Paul who is set on finding an unpredictable bear. The story of White Heron is told from a girl named Sylvia, who is intent on trying to find the sacred heron who lives high up in the alluring trees. Pop from To Build a Fire, who’s egocentric himself leads him through a dangerous winter storm in the Yukon. Throughout The Bear by William Faulkner, White Heron by Sarah Jewett, and In To Build A Fire by Jack London, all the characters display their essence through their persistent determination when facing Nature.

In The Bear, Faulkner displays Paul’s essence when he talks about Paul’s commitment to finding the Bear after his sudden encounter with it, by studying and fully memorizing its footsteps when he says, “Although by now he knew its footprints better than he did his own, he could see any one of the three sound ones and distinguish it from any other, and not only by its size” (Faulkner, 4). Here, Paul shows he is prepared in being able to locate the bear. Moreover, Paul proves that he is resilient, someone who is quick to recover from his past mistakes and move forward. In fact, Readers can see that Paul shows his readiness to finally try to kill the bear for a second time when Faulkner says “It was not a stalk; it was an ambush, he timed the meeting almost as if it were an appointment with a human being…they were so close that the bear turned without even running, (Faulkner 6). Furthermore, Paul wasn’t just prepared, he proves to readers through his determination to kill the bear that he is courageous and not affected by the possible danger/failure by other hunters who tried to do the same. Not only did Paul achieve essence through Nature, but so does Sylvia in White Heron when looking for a secluded heron.

Additionally, In the White Heron, Jewett illustrates Sylvia’s essence through her determination to find the sacred heron’s location regardless of the challenges presented to her such as tree climbing when Jewett says, “Sylvia began with utmost bravery to mount to the top of it, with tingling, eager blood coursing the channels of her whole frame, with her bare feet and fingers, that pinched and held like bird's claws to the monstrous ladder reaching up, up, almost to the sky itself” (Jewett, T.W.H). Here, Sylvia is displayed as bold and unphased from the challenges ahead of her. More importantly, Sylvia climbing the towering trees without hesitation highlights her ability to take risks and persevere during these obstacles nature throws ahead of her. In addition, readers can see that Sylvia also shows her loyalty when refusing to jeopardize the heron’s location to its hunter after experiencing a life-changing moment with it in the forest when Jewett says, “The murmur of the pine's green branches is in her ears, she remembers how the white heron came flying through the golden air and how they watched the sea and the morning together, and Sylvia cannot speak; she cannot tell the heron's secret and give its life away” (Jewett T.W.H). Thus, after Sylvia had been so committed to exposing the heron that when she is put face to face with it, she realizes how she is connected to nature and becomes inclined to protect what means so much to her. Nevertheless, the man from To Build A Fire continues to display essence when going through a grueling storm for the first time.

In To Build a Fire, London illustrates the man’s essence through his decision to set on into an unbridled storm despite being inconsiderate of the danger ahead of him when London says, “As he walked along he rubbed his cheek-bones and nose with the back of his mittened hand. He did this automatically, now and again changing hands. But rub as he would, the instant he stopped his cheek-bones went numb…But it didn’t matter much” (London T.B.F). Here, the man shows how he is committed to going through a dangerous storm. However, his decision to go on shows readers that he lacks imagination by failing to contemplate all the bad things that could happen to him such as freezing up. In fact, when London says, “he remembered the advice of the old-timer…the old-timer had been very serious in laying down the law that no man must travel alone in the Klondike after fifty below,” (London T.B.F), readers can see how the man displays stubbornness when still proceeding through the storm despite the warnings beforehand. Throughout The Bear by William Faulkner, White Heron by Sarah Jewett, and To Build a Fire by Jack London, all of the characters illustrate their essence through their constant determination when facing the challenges presented in Nature. Readers can see a young hunter display resilience and courage when being fixed on killing a petrifying bear, while a young girl illustrates her boldness and loyalty when trying to protect an endangered heron from a charming hunter, along with a man whose commitment to go through a blood-chilling storm displays his lack of imagination to and stubbornness when disregarding the dangers ahead. Thus, not only does Essence play a part in what we are, but contributes to how we respond to things in the real world.