Essay #1

Leisure is a time of relaxation to get away from daily jobs and work and enjoy life. Modern day teenagers will grab their iPod, iPad, cellular device, or laptop to listen to music, play games, text, or surf the web. Ingenious philosophers tell you, perhaps, that the great work of the steam-engine is to create leisure for mankind. Do not believe them… (George Eliot). George Eliot supports her view on leisure with stylistic devices such as pathos and imagery.

George Eliot believes that “Old leisure is defined by escaping into your own world away from works such as the steam-engine.” She believes that leisure in her own time is about embracing the elements of nature and enjoying life. Eliot believes that leisure has modernized so much that it is nearly non-existent. The definition of leisure has evolved greatly and traditional leisure is now gone.

Imagery was a strong factor in George Eliot’s argument on how leisure has changed. “[…] sheltering himself under the orchard boughs at noon, when the summer pears were falling.” Eliot uses strong imagery by describing a scene which can easily be captured in the readers mind. Eliot uses imagery to describe a warm, welcoming scene which the reader feels comfortable in. I believe this can be used to convince the reader to consider her point of view by making it seem wonderful. As Eliot makes her side seem inviting, she is using pathos to evoke feelings in the reader. She evokes feeling by using Imagery as a main factor.

George Eliot describes leisure compared from her times to the present day. Eliot explains how leisure has been lost and a main factor of that is technology. By giving examples of leisure in her own time by using imagery the reader is able to see the difference from leisure today and decades ago. This provokes the reader and personally affects the reader so that they are able to relate to the leisure that they are missing out on because it has almost been driven to extinction.