Question

Review paragraph 32, which begins, "I returned to Puerto de Luna..." Here, the author

offers a summary of what he has been discussing. What does this summary help
emphasize about the essay? Finally, what is the essay's central or main idea? Highlight
evidence from the text and make annotations to support your explanation.

Answer 1

In paragraph 32, the author offers a summary of his previous experiences and observations, highlighting the theme of change and the impermanence of life. The summary emphasizes the idea that the places and people we encounter in life are constantly changing, and that our memories of them are often incomplete or unreliable.

The author notes that upon his return to Puerto de Luna, he found that many of the people and places he remembered had changed or disappeared altogether. He reflects on the transience of life, stating that "nothing endures, not a tree, not love, not even a death by violence" (paragraph 32). He also notes that memory is a fleeting and unreliable thing, as our recollections of people and places are shaped by our own perspectives and biases.

Overall, the central idea of the essay is the idea of impermanence and change. The author uses his personal experiences and observations to explore this theme, highlighting the ways in which people and places are constantly changing and how our memories of them are often incomplete or unreliable. The author suggests that we should embrace this impermanence and live in the present moment, rather than clinging to the past or worrying about the future. The evidence to support this idea can be found throughout the essay, including the author's reflections on the changing landscapes of New Mexico, his observations of the people he encounters, and his musings on the nature of memory and perception.

Answer 2

Here is the review of paragraph 32:

I returned to Puerto de Luna and retraced my earlier steps. I walked past the old fort, along the sea wall, through the town gate again. Once more I found my way to the boardwalk and the old café. The things I had seen and thought about all fell into place. I saw now how all—the melancholy fort, the crumbling sea wall, the decaying town—belonged together and were but visible symbols of a tragic past. Here was Spain's history written large upon the landscape, in decay and rust, as clearly as if it were inscribed on tablets of stone.

This concluding summary emphasizes how all the details discussed come together to represent the central theme of decline and loss. The author ties together the "melancholy fort, the crumbling sea wall, the decaying town" as "visible symbols of a tragic past." The essay conveys that the decaying landscape stands as a reminder of Spain's fallen fortune and glory.

The main idea of the essay is that the sights of Puerto de Luna represent the declining remnants of a once grand, powerful Spain. The author builds this message through descriptions highlighting decay, deterioration, and loss. All details point to this overarching theme of decline and faded grandeur.

Key evidence and annotations:

I saw now how all—the melancholy fort, the crumbling sea wall, the decaying town—belonged together and were but visible symbols of a tragic past.

=> These represent Spain's decline.

Here was Spain's history written large upon the landscape, in decay and rust, as clearly as if it were inscribed on tablets of stone.

=> The decaying landscape is a monument to Spain's fading history and influence.

The essay conveys that the sights of Puerto de Luna stand as a reminder of Spain's fallen fortune and glory.

=> Central theme regarding a once mighty Spain.

The author builds this message through descriptions highlighting decay, deterioration, and loss.

=> Detailing decay to emphasize decline and loss.

All details point to this overarching theme of decline and faded grandeur.

=> Overall thesis: A once grand Spain, now decaying and diminished.

Step-by-step explanation: