"A Feeling Of Wildness" By David Gessner Book Review

In “A Feeling of Wildness”, David Gessner is trying to persuade his audience that you don’t need to travel to marvelous places such as Mount Everest or the Amazon to experience the feeling of “wildness”. Through the uses of anecdotal stories, vivid imagery and descriptive syntax; Gessner is claiming that “wildness” is not just a place, but an unexpected feeling. He also personally believe that one’s wildest moments will often occur close to home. Gessner claimed, “While wilderness might be untrammeled land along the Alaskan coast, wildness can happen anywhere — in the jungle or your backyard. And it’s not just a place; it’s a feeling. It rises up when you least expect it. ” (89). The author, David Gessner is notably respected when discussing about the topic of wildness/wilderness. Due to the fact that Gessner is a nature-writer who travels all over the world seeking new adventures, he has personal experiences with what most would consider “wild”. Though even with all those valuable experiences, Gessner consider his “wildest” moments to be close to his home in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. He stated, “In fact, it was while observing my own species, my own family, that I experienced the two wildest moments of my life. ” (89).

The audience reading should have sense curiosity about the topic. Those who read Gessner’s works are likely seeking to comprehend the desired knowledge about wild experiences that they have not yet achieved. Based on the life-events Gessner listed, we can infer the audience/demographic targeted seem to be an older, more mature group. This is due to the assumption that he is trying to relate to the audience by suggesting that they reminisce about moments that often occur later in life such as the death of one’s parents and entering parenthood. David Gessner’s position on the topic derived from important key events throughout his life. “The first happened holding my father’s hand while he died. I listened to his final breaths, gasping and fish-like, and I gripped his hand tight enough to feel the last pulsings of his heart. ” (89), “But there was nothing tame about that indelible moment, during the C-section, when the doctor reached into my wife, and a bloody head appeared, straight up, followed by Hadley’s full emergence and a wild squall of life as her little arms rose over her head in victory… but it was also more than that: a wild gushing, both a loss and then a return to self. ” (89-90). Wild events are often those that produce strong emotions, and usually have a huge impact on a person’s life. Gessner is trying to remind those reading to not get lost searching for pleasure through flashy adventures; instead, look back at the most important moments in your life, your “wildest” moments could have already occurred. Gessner support his claims, and persuade his readers using Ethos and Pathos.

The first information provided in the essay was the fact that he is a nature-writer who have traveled all over the world. “As a nature writer, I have traveled all over the world to experience the wild, but some of my own wildest moments have been closer to home, on the same domestic Cape Cod beach I’ve returned to all my life. ” (88). Establishing his credibility as a world-traveler creates a sense of trustworthiness to his readers. Revealing his authority over the topic also influenced his readers to accept claims they might not have agreed with at first. The audience are more likely to understand his position better knowing that he have had experience with the actual wilderness, as well as traveled to perilous places. Gessner also target the emotions of his readers by bringing up topics including deaths and creating a new life. An euphoric tone is frequently conveyed in the essay, along with brief uses of serene and sentimental tones. These tone set the mood by creating senses of happiness/sadness for the reader; it also allows them to find something to relate with someone like himself, whom many put on a pedestal since he has traveled to many unvisited/wild places. Likewise, to those that could not comprehend his claim or initially refuse to accept it; Gessner includes a good deal of imagery of Cape Cod to enhance the reader’s view of “home” by creating scenic pictures through descriptive phrases.

Gessner described, “In summer this beach is covered with kids, umbrellas and beach balls, but in the winter the cold clears it of people and its character changes. ” (88), and “From the rocks at the end of this beach, I once watched hundreds of snow-white gannets dive from high in the air and plunge into the cold winter ocean like living javelins. Then, as the birds dove down, I suddenly saw something dive up: a humpback whale breaching through the same fish the gannets were diving for. ” (88). This create a sense of awe from the audience, who might have look as their home and plain and boring before. Additionally, he frequently appeals to the psychological need of his audience by going against the concept that wildness can only be sensed when one is in a dangerous/mysterious setting. “. . . people often get the quote wrong and use “wilderness” instead. While wilderness might be untrammeled land along the Alaskan coast, wildness can happen anywhere. ” (89). By stating one’s personal life experiences can develop a similar pleasure, he provided them a substitute and a more common way of experiencing this sought after feeling. The author’s purpose for writing this essay is to share and inform his audience of an opinion/belief he has developed through his life and travel experiences. He is suggesting to those seeking wild adventures that they have actually already experienced the same feeling, or an even wilder feeling with memorable events that occurred in their life. For someone whose career is to sightsee the marvels of the world and write about it, Gessner still concludes his opinion of experiencing wildness through everyday events. He stated, “So, while I’ll continue to seek out wild places, I know I don’t need to travel to the Amazon or Everest to experience the ineffable. It is here on Cape Cod, on the domestic beach where I first walked holding my mother’s hand, and where I later spread my father’s ashes, that I learned that my wildest moments are often closest to home. ” (90).

Throughout the entire essay, David Gessner is trying to promote the claim that experiencing wildness is not only about traveling to many mysterious, extravagant places. He greatly emphasizes the fact that the popular feeling can also be felt during life-changing occasions. He back up his claim by listing his credibility, presenting his authority over the topic; as well as appeal to his audience by manipulating the tone and syntax of the essay. He also supported his second claim of wildness often occurs close to home by sharing a couple of anecdotal stories. He enhances the perspective of one’s home through the use ofvivid imagery when describing his home town of Cape Cod. This essay is targeted toward an older/more mature demographic. Understanding who he is trying to address his claim to, Gessner frequently persuades through Pathos. A person reminiscing back throughout his life with the enhanced perspective on common important events will be more likely to comprehend his claims.