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  • Essay / Nature Images in "Out Stealing Horses"

    After stabbing Captain Hook in an epic sword battle, Peter Pan joyfully exclaims: "I am youth, I am joy, I am a little bird that escaped the egg! This proclamation shows the relationship between adolescence, happiness and nature. In many ways, Per Petterson's Out Stealing Horses shows the same connections. James Barrie; both remain young, undertake many adventures, and are able to fly literally or symbolically. However, while Peter Pan relies on his pixie dust for these powers, Trond uses his connection to nature, reliving his memories. childhood to keep this connection with the natural world alive and fresh Petterson uses natural imagery to establish the complete harmony and synonymous identity that exists between nature and Trond. The increased perception it provokes encourages the reader to be more aware of the precious, quieter moments linked to the landscape that we may overlook in our daily interactions with our environment. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Trond's connection with nature, which begins in his childhood, is shown through images that reflect his harmonious relationship with the environment. On his last adventure with his father, Trond travels through the forests and rides horses. His father notices that Trond is not comfortable in the saddle and asks him to “let [his] hips relax…become part of the horse” (207). He suggests that Trond become one with nature instead of fighting against it. Trond then says that “[his] body was constituted in such a way that it was good for rolling” (207). Once Trond allows himself to relax into the rhythm of the horse, he can integrate into the natural world, which he can do with ease. After Trond and his father arrive at the log jam, Trond recognizes that he must tie a rope to one of the logs in order to break the dam. As Trond reaches the dam and begins "jumping from log to log" (216), he exclaims, "I'm flying!" (217). Although Trond does not actually fly, this statement has a deeper meaning. He feels light and free, like a bird, capable not only of appreciating nature, but also of understanding that he is now part of nature itself. Later, as Trond takes the train with his mother to collect money from the bank, he makes many intimate observations about the Glomma River. He notes that “[he] was friends with water” (227). By calling the river his friend, Trond emphasizes its connection with the landscape. Trond also says: “the [River Glomma] was always within me” (227). He moved from simple appreciation to integration of what he observed. The river provides a source of security for Trond. After waking up to find his father missing, Trond stands by a river and says that "[he] could [submerge] himself in the water...and be [the world's] anchor" (101). Not only are nature and Trond closely linked, but nature is important to Trond because it provides him with strength and stability. This imagery shows a symbiotic relationship between Trond and the land, allowing him to form vivid sensory memories that he can immerse himself in even in his old age. As a result of this harmonious connection, a heightened awareness awakens within Trond, allowing him to savor the precious moments his consciousness grants him. While walking through the forest with Jon to steal Barkald's horses, Trond notices "the sweet, pungent, omnipresent smell of something bigger than us...the forest" (22). Trond's fear and respect for the.