Why Lenses?

When looking through the lens what do you see? Why is this object something so widely used in the human race? We have lenses on prescription glasses, cameras, and telescopes, we would go throughout an entire day and use at least one object the makes use of a lens. A lens is made up of many pieces of glass that bend light in such a way that it magnifies or establishes an object through a viewfinder. This is a great piece of technology that allows the focused eye see detail we once knew not to exist.

The essay Lenses takes that idea and makes an interesting composition with very precise details. The author did a great job in describing many events that happened throughout the story. The view from under the microscope was is one of those events. In this particular section of the essay there is talk of a 12 year old looking through a microscope at pond specimens. It sounds like a rather dull subject but when use the microscope as a language device, allowing to mention smaller details in the story. Its almost like the story has nothing to do with looking through a lens a objects. Its more about what you see when you do such a task. Details in any essay, short story, or poem are what make the story great. adding a device in the story that magnifies objects allows the author to use more precise details to tell the story to the audience.

This observation of focusing the story by using a fictional object was something that was missed in the first couple reads. I was originally more focused on the fact that the author describes in great detail looking through a microscope, and i was greatly interested in that. The author then tells you the story is not about that but of a swan. I thought it was interesting how the author felt they need to tell the audience what the story was about. Its almost like the author is the lens to the reader, focusing our attention in such a way that we only see, read, what the author wants. It's a full circle effect and that is why i decided to write about this particular essay. It was more that just a read, it was an experience.