In Dave Barry’s, “Lost in America”, I feel the narrator was not only expressing his regret for having missed the signs of how deep his mother’s grief ran but, also for a chance to relive those final memories with her as a way of making it seem as she is still alive, even if only for a moment. I also feel he intended for his words to act as a warning to others to watch their own loved ones for signs of depression, especially someone who has gone through a tragedy like Dave’s mother.
His mother’s inability to move on or make a commitment to anything after her husbands death were all signs of a deep depression hers sons missed, probably due to their own grief. She was silently telling them she needed help in different ways, unfortunately Dave and his brothers became impatient with her and failed to realize these were their final moments with her. Even more telling was when she wrote on the calendar in her kitchen, “Dave died, 1984,” the note would say, Come back, Dave.
In recalling those final moments I think he is showing the quilt he feels for missing those signs and writing about this tragedy is his way of telling his mother how sorry he is. According to research, after cancer and heart disease, suicide accounts for more life lost than any other cause of death. Depression is a horrible disease and people suffering from this come from all walks of life. The symptoms of depression can be different from person to person, but the truth is this engulfs a suffers every day life and goes beyond everyday sadness.
If there is one thing I learned from reading this short story, it was to be more aware of how tragedies can affect everyone differently and we to try not to get frustrated with people who seem to have trouble moving on after something disrupts their life. I now have an even deeper appreciation for my family and will do everything in my power to make sure they get treatment if I feel they are suffering from depression. The Bartrams introduced us to the wonders of a very different Florida than you we see today.
Their published works have left us with the only link to the native lands along the St. John’s River and the flora and fauna found there before the invasion of European settlers came to Florida clearing land tracks, cultivating fields and draining marshes, thus vastly changing the landscape observed by the Bartrams. Their works are lasting record of a landscape we will ever get to see in person. Anyone who reads them is introduced to the natural beauty and special places of Florida of the lost landscape of Florida.
Through lohn’s textbook descriptions and Williams much more colorful details and accurate nature drawings have allowed generations to learn all they can about these changes and the native flora and fauna found in Florida. Among the pages of their publications you can see how these men helped develop a record of many of the native flora found in Florida, especially since upon future studying you can discover how until the fated trip of the Bartrams had only learned about six of the over 8,000 flora species indigenous to North America.
Their attention to detail and willingness to explore the unknown made the discovery of over 150 native flora and enhanced the practice and study of medicine by supplies live specimens and seeds of the botanical with medicinal uses they discovered. Thus, a major contribution they have made would be to improve medical botanical knowledge for future generations. This was made possible due to the time taken by both John and later William, to communicate and learn from the Native American tribes who inhabited this region.
John Bartram was a self-taught man, with a passion for plants, who founded and created the very first botanical garden. William Bartram was especially passionate about furthering his botanical knowledge. Hew was also deeply aware of what would be lost, as the less advanced culture of Native Americans was usurped by the European invasion. Thanks to his insight and the passion he inherited from his father, as well as growing up around his father’s own private botanical garden he was able to preserve this knowledge for us.
Using his skills as a botanist and artist he was able to compile information on the use and preparation techniques of many native medicinal botanicals. This has served generations well over the years in to create medicines needed for the sick. By reading the different writing styles of these two important men in American history we are able to not only get a glimpse of what they saw but, also feel a part of their travels as well.
