The interconnection with our landscapes is usually understood with the geographical and historical understanding of place and its local culture. Barry Lopez explores the idea of geographical connection according to how Americans are gradually discovering America as a homogenized National geography and are not willing to explore the beauty that exists in an intimate manner. This essay is extremely important to understand that how people value their own existence and the geographical environment in which they sustained for centuries, and what are the modern and traditional views across this, which makes a geographical location, symbolic of special specifications. Moreover, Barry Lopez has shown a great passion towards the people and geography of America and she has put forward a strong voice to explain the importance of our landscape for us and therefore as an author she has successfully provided the material which is strong enough to be further explored. Hence, as a part of this study, the essay would be further explored to reveal the embedded concepts, features and commentaries on the people, landscapes and geography of America.
The Americans are less aware about the geography and landscape as compared to those in other countries. However there is a lot of love and attachment that we have as Americans with the geographical assets like rolling-priories, free-flowing rivers and great mountains. The people of America mostly rely on their understanding based on the memorized landscape that portends adventure and supplies enrichment. The actual understanding of American landscapes is all about an extremely diverse set of mountains, forests, rivers, deserts, soils and wildlife. And as these places are wonderful experiences they are also remembered not real your graphical significance however with the enchantment that they provide to the human presence.
Hence, the understanding of American geography is not completely theoretical and requires a private intimacy with the place and the local expertise to understand the actual significance of the place and the history with which it is directly related to. Hence, even if the geographical and historical aspects are not thoroughly remembered, the local geniuses sufficiently remember their intimate attachment with their own landscapes. The American geography is also showcased as to have a romantic presence rather than highlighting the importance of the actual geography for the people across the country.
Hence, most of the times the way a particular landscape is repeated to the people is not the right picture of the geographical presence and therefore the image of the particular landscape in front of people is not adequate which means that they particularly believe in the romantic and scenic side of the place rather than understanding the wildness and natural habitations associated with the place. In order to actually say that one knows about a particular place, it is very important to know about the rivers, the trees, the mountains and the history related to the place rather than knowing the artificial aspects like historical monuments or theoretical geographic factors. The most important idea which is expressed in this article by Barry Lopez is, for the people To truly understand that geography requires not only time but also a kind of local expertise, which is basically about creating an intimacy with place few of us ever develop.
Although, The Norton Book of Nature Writing is an anthology which is basically associated with, various essays that are related to nature however the key essence of nature is related to the realization of it is important is into the eyes of the people that live within that geography or landscape. Hence, considering the fact it makes sense for the readers to firms is that the guys that as of geographical awareness among people in America as thoroughly discussed by Lopez in the argument that she has made in the article “The American Geographies”.
It will be very interesting for the readers to read this as a as it will provide them with lots of information related to the level of understanding that the people of America have about their own geography. From the nature's point of view, it is very important for the readers to first explore that how people perceive and remember their own geography and it will make easy for them to understand other articles related to environment, tourism and other related aspects.
Barry Lopez talks about the depiction of the American geography as a romantic landscape by the media which has led to a false realization of the actual wildness associated with the presence of features and inhabitants in a particular place. While, the nature presents various aspects of geographic presence which may be related to powerful water bodies, dark forests, mysterious mountains and many more however they are simply converted into a pleasant scenery which presents a perfect romantic picture among the people however takes them away from the real natural glory associated with the place. Also, it is important to understand that the actual understanding of our landscape is based on the intimacy which people have with their surroundings however a false depiction of that place into merely a scenic beauty takes away the charm of the natural wild side of the geographic presence and does not give the right picture to all those who are not directly interconnected with that landscape.
In the last paragraph of the essay, Lopez is trying to bring out the main features that one should know about the landscapes in order to have a geographic understanding. The questions in order to know more about the landscape should be based on personal experiences and community understanding. Rather than being theoretical, it should be more about the history of storms, age of the trees, winter color of the hills and all other natural aspects which include details about the connection of a local resident and his intimacy with the landscape. Seeing the museum or other artificial aspects should come later in the priority list while trying to know more about a particular geographical location as the natural aspects are more real and important.
In order to showcase the knowledge about a place, it is very important to know about the natural aspects rather than knowing about the artificial facts or scenic descriptions. First of all, it is important to know about the history associated with the place and about the natural aspects which may include natural calamities, development of landscapes and existence of inhabitants. The next step should be to consider the place from the point of view of a local community and to understand the minute details about the place which may include the rivers, the mountains the environment and whatever is possible to understand and appreciate the nature and to embed the picture of landscape in one's own mind.
