Death By Landscape

The Existence of Two Egos in "Death by Landscape"

0369012

Mi Sung Park

The short story "Death by Landscape" well describes the psychology of Lois, the heroine of the story. One incident that occurred to her when she was 13 years old, affects her whole life. As a thirteen year old, she looses her best friend, Lucy, on a canoeing trip in a summer camp. While Lucy was going to the bathroom behind a tree on the edge of a cliff overlooking a river and Lois waiting where she wasn't able to see her, Lucy disappeared without a trace. The story's setting and characters shows the existence of two egos in one person's life.

Lois was sent to a summer camp ever since she was 9 years old. In the story, the setting, Camp Manitou is shown from Lois' point of view. The description of the camp might be implying that the camp is a symbol of a typical society. Lois is going through a social life in a typical society. For example, Ð''there were many things that Lois didn't like about the Camp Manitou, at first,' but Ð''by the time she was thirteen she liked it 'andÐ'' she was an old hand by then.' It's very similar to what one goes through in a new society. When one first enters a society, there are many things that are uncomfortable. However, as time goes by one gets used to the environment and gets to even enjoy it. When one reaches this state, he/she is a veteran in that field. Sometimes as one goes through the social life, times occur when one isn't sure of oneself. That's when two egos in one exist.

The two egos in "Death by Landscape" could be the two main characters, Lois and Lucy. They are summer best friends. Lucy is almost the opposite of Lois. They don't have much in common. For example, Ð''Lucy did not care about the things she didn't know, whereas Lois did.' Also as time went by Lucy changed so much but Lois didn't have big changes. Lois is the watchminder whereas Lucy is careless of time. Furthermore, in a way, Lois envies what Lucy has. As an illustration, Lois had to Ð''strain' over the fact that they pretended to be sisters because Ð''Lucy was so blond, with translucent skin and large blue eyes like a doll's, and Lois was nothing out of the ordinary.'

However, despite the differences, Lois and Lucy are like one person. It seems like they are two egos in one person. It