Autumn Season Descriptive Essay Paper 6 pages

Abstract

Here is presented a descriptive essay on autumn. It describes the essence of the season, what makes it unique and so different from the other three. It tells why it is the season of poets, the season of prayer, and the season of Thanksgiving. Autumn represents the harvest—not just of the fruit of the fields but also of life itself. Autumn is the time in which man turns his mind to his own final end, to his own mortality, and yet maintains hope for good things to come.

Introduction

What is it that makes autumn so special? Perhaps it is that autumn is the season of poets. Keats wrote his ode “To Autumn,” describing it as the “season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.” Hopkins penned “Spring and Fall,” with all the emphasis on the latter as he asked to the young girl to whom the poem was dedicated:

“Márgarét, áre you gríeving

Over Goldengrove unleaving?

Leáves like the things of man, you

With your fresh thoughts care for, can you?”

Hopkins gently chided Margaret, convinced that she was not so much mourning the falling of the leaves as she was mourning her own fallen nature and the debt that she—like all—must inevitably pay—though, of course, what could she know of this, being only a child? Hopkins, like a cold autumnal cloud, poured cold water all over the girl’s feelings—and sneered not a little while doing it. To prove what? That man is meant to grieve?—and what better time to grieve than when nature itself seems in the very throes of its final hours, offering a flash of terminal lucidity?

But then again, that is autumn. Autumn is like a ghost calling an end to summer’s swells, to paraphrase Keats. It is the end of the dance—yet not the end of the dance. There is still light left, but the sun is in its descent. The sky is orange and purpling now. The warmth from the day is now giving place to a slight nipping breeze. And what awaits…? Something on the other side? Autumn is the season of spirits. All Hallow’s Eve, followed by the Feast of All Saints, followed by the Feast of All Souls (Newland, 1999): prayers for the dead. Prayers for the poor souls in purgatory. Feasting and praying, fasting and mourning.

Autumn is the season of cemeteries. Yet it does not leave one there. It is also a season of hunkering down, of gathering and storing and getting ready for the long winter months ahead. Autumn is a season for thinking on the end of things—but it is not the end of things itself.

Body

But what is it about the season of autumn that turns one’s thoughts to the end of things? Is it the yellow browns, the crisp chill in the air that foreshadows the cold snap of winter? Yet fall is full of life, too: outdoor walks, football at the local high school, raking leaves into piles in the yard, trick or treating with friends, Thanksgiving with family, romantic rides in the countryside to see the changing colors of the foliage—all of these represent some of life’s most memorable moments. Perhaps that is why autumn is so often linked with reflection. Autumn causes the mind to stop and pause, to look back while also musing on what lies ahead. There is a wistfulness about Autumn—something at once youthful and old. No other season has such an effect on the mind and mood. Spring does not do it, with its newness and buds and blossoms. Summer has a kind of torpid dullness intermixed with a frenzied state of action. Winter is encased in glass and icy gloom, coupled with moments of dazzle and delight. Autumn alone stands out as soulful and eloquent—touching upon something significant—something haunting.

“Ah! ás the heart grows older

It will come to such sights colder

By and by, nor spare a sigh

Though worlds of wanwood leafmeal lie;

And yet you wíll weep and know why.”

So says Hopkins. But one need not limit oneself only to his perspective.

Autumn is the season of harvests. The fruit is taken from the fields. The trees give up their yield and that which cannot be carried off in baskets is left behind to rot and give itself back to the earth.

The fullness of time has come. There is no more to give. Things are called home. Man himself thinks on his other home—his home on the other side. He thinks on the Grim Reaper, who collects souls in his own basket and ferries them to the other side. He thinks on his own life and wonders—have I done enough? Will it be enough? Will it do?

Shakespeare himself used the season of autumn to describe his own mind’s unease about any seeming permanence, any attachment to the things of this world:

“That time of year thou mayst in me behold

When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang

Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,

Bare ruin’d choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.”

Yet he did not despair—though he knew full well that love must leave the things it loves in this life, in this world, to go before the source of all life and love in the next. The ultimate harvest is that one.

Still, there is much mirth in autumn, too. Autumn need not strike fear in the hearts of men. Autumn can be a light-hearted time, too: a time of hay rides and pumpkin patches, sing-alongs, and haunted houses, homecoming games and dances. The fall coats come out, the stars seem to shine a little more clearly in the chill night sky. One sees one’s breath at night and enjoys the coolness of the crisp air kissing the cheeks. One sees one’s friends; one laughs, drinks hot cocoa, reminisces and looks forward to things to come.

Autumn is a special time of year because it is also the time of Thanksgiving. The first Thanksgiving was an act of generosity and respect by the Pilgrims to the Native Americans, who taught the newcomers how to survive in the New World. But as Little (2018) notes, the harvest of Thanksgiving was accompanied by a period of “prayerful fasting.” That intertwining of feast and friendliness with prayer and penance so encapsulates the spirit of Autumn that it makes a great deal of sense to have the national holiday of Thanksgiving celebrated in November of every year.

Abe Lincoln established the tradition of Thanksgiving during the Civil War—a fact that further shows the duality of the season: peace and war mixing about as much as the sense of life and death in nature. In 1863, Lincoln made his Thanksgiving Proclamation:

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties…others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil…peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict….

With these words, Lincoln invited the nation as a whole to give thanks that even in the midst of a fight that was costing the country hundreds of thousands of lives, there could still be a reason to count one’s blessings.

Today, every family does the same every autumn. In many ways, almost every family, too, is like a microcosm of the civil war: there are brothers and sisters, parents and children who do not get along, who do not always see eye to eye, or share the same ideas or outlooks on life. They fight, argue, quarrel, and go without speaking for long stretches of time. And yet when Thanksgiving comes around on the fourth Thursday of every November, differences are set aside and everyone makes it a point to honor that which is special—family, life, God’s gifts, health, and memories.

Thanksgiving is to autumn what lights are to the Christmas tree: it is the holiday that best illuminates the season and gives it its underlying special character. Family members may travel a great many miles to share the holiday with others: they might drive across the country for two or three days, just to come together with friends and family whom they have not seen since the previous year. They will laugh and talk and catch up over a nice, big turkey dinner, with stuffing and mashed potatoes and gravy and cranberry sauce. They will have wine and beer and soda for the kids. There will be music and videos as the afternoon fades into twilight and twilight fades into nighttime. The festivities will eventually quiet down to a soft murmur as restful sleep descends upon all and brings them comforting dreams to keep them quiet through the night.

And the following day and the whole rest of the weekend there are Thanksgiving leftovers to enjoy—the symbol of the fruit of the harvest that was once so important and crucial to the survival of the Pilgrims as they sought to make their way in the New World. Today, the harvest is enjoyed for days, punctuated only by bouts of shopping as the malls and stores open their doors for the autumnal crowds to begin preparing for the next season and its big holiday: winter and Christmas.

So as November gives way to December and autumn gives way to winter, the thoughts of man also drift and wander onto new topics. They find solace in the serenity of snow-covered streets and lawns—the quiet stillness of a crystallized world after a foot of snow has muffled all the sounds of the ordinarily chaotic world. Autumn says goodbye and leaves it to winter to re-focus the activities of mankind onto new chores and responsibilities. For life does not conclude with the harvest. Autumn is not the final word. It is merely a passing moment in the great big scheme of things—a significant moment, no doubt—but one that is followed, hopefully, by many more chapters yet to come.

Conclusion

This descriptive essay on autumn should have provided the reader with a sense of what autumn is all about. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the sensations—all of it is here: from the leaves turning yellow, orange and brown in their silent firework display of color before falling to the ground; to the high school Friday night football games, the student body and proud parents in the stands; hot dogs and cocoa and popcorn sold at the concessions booth; cheerleaders cheering on their team at the sidelines. There will be the homecoming dance, a parade, a king and queen crowned. There will be trick or treating—and for pious souls there will be the Feast of All Saints and a month of prayer for the dead. It is the season of harvest-time, when the fruits of the field are finally gathered and distributed and the earth is stripped of its bounty, looking bare and depleted. Yet the tables will be full for Thanksgiving, and family will be gathered around. Thanks will be given for all God’s blessings, and hope will be communicated among one and all for union with the divine goodness. Autumn is a season of life and a season of death—it is unlike any other time of the year: it embodies the essence of what this life on earth is all about.

References

Lincoln, A. (1863). Thanksgiving Proclamation. Retrieved from http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/thanks.htm

Little, B. (2018). What is Thanksgiving? Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/11/151121-first-thanksgiving-pilgrims-native-americans-wampanoag-saints-and-strangers/

Newland, M. R. (1999). All Hallow’s Eve. Retrieved from https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/catholic-contributions/all-hallow-s-eve.html

---

Get Professional Assignment Help Cheaply

Are you busy and do not have time to handle your assignment? Are you scared that your paper will not make the grade? Do you have responsibilities that may hinder you from turning in your assignment on time? Are you tired and can barely handle your assignment? Are your grades inconsistent?

Whichever your reason is, it is valid! You can get professional academic help from our service at affordable rates. We have a team of professional academic writers who can handle all your assignments.

Why Choose Our Academic Writing Service?

• Plagiarism free papers
• Timely delivery
• Any deadline
• Skilled, Experienced Native English Writers
• Subject-relevant academic writer
• Adherence to paper instructions
• Ability to tackle bulk assignments
• Reasonable prices
• 24/7 Customer Support
• Get superb grades consistently

Online Academic Help With Different Subjects

Literature

Students barely have time to read. We got you! Have your literature essay or book review written without having the hassle of reading the book. You can get your literature paper custom-written for you by our literature specialists.

Finance

Do you struggle with finance? No need to torture yourself if finance is not your cup of tea. You can order your finance paper from our academic writing service and get 100% original work from competent finance experts.

Computer science

Computer science is a tough subject. Fortunately, our computer science experts are up to the match. No need to stress and have sleepless nights. Our academic writers will tackle all your computer science assignments and deliver them on time. Let us handle all your python, java, ruby, JavaScript, php , C+ assignments!

Psychology

While psychology may be an interesting subject, you may lack sufficient time to handle your assignments. Don’t despair; by using our academic writing service, you can be assured of perfect grades. Moreover, your grades will be consistent.

Engineering

Engineering is quite a demanding subject. Students face a lot of pressure and barely have enough time to do what they love to do. Our academic writing service got you covered! Our engineering specialists follow the paper instructions and ensure timely delivery of the paper.

Nursing

In the nursing course, you may have difficulties with literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, critical essays, and other assignments. Our nursing assignment writers will offer you professional nursing paper help at low prices.

Sociology

Truth be told, sociology papers can be quite exhausting. Our academic writing service relieves you of fatigue, pressure, and stress. You can relax and have peace of mind as our academic writers handle your sociology assignment.

Business

We take pride in having some of the best business writers in the industry. Our business writers have a lot of experience in the field. They are reliable, and you can be assured of a high-grade paper. They are able to handle business papers of any subject, length, deadline, and difficulty!

Statistics

We boast of having some of the most experienced statistics experts in the industry. Our statistics experts have diverse skills, expertise, and knowledge to handle any kind of assignment. They have access to all kinds of software to get your assignment done.

Law

Writing a law essay may prove to be an insurmountable obstacle, especially when you need to know the peculiarities of the legislative framework. Take advantage of our top-notch law specialists and get superb grades and 100% satisfaction.

What discipline/subjects do you deal in?

We have highlighted some of the most popular subjects we handle above. Those are just a tip of the iceberg. We deal in all academic disciplines since our writers are as diverse. They have been drawn from across all disciplines, and orders are assigned to those writers believed to be the best in the field. In a nutshell, there is no task we cannot handle; all you need to do is place your order with us. As long as your instructions are clear, just trust we shall deliver irrespective of the discipline.

Are your writers competent enough to handle my paper?

Our essay writers are graduates with bachelor's, masters, Ph.D., and doctorate degrees in various subjects. The minimum requirement to be an essay writer with our essay writing service is to have a college degree. All our academic writers have a minimum of two years of academic writing. We have a stringent recruitment process to ensure that we get only the most competent essay writers in the industry. We also ensure that the writers are handsomely compensated for their value. The majority of our writers are native English speakers. As such, the fluency of language and grammar is impeccable.

What if I don’t like the paper?

There is a very low likelihood that you won’t like the paper.

Reasons being:

• When assigning your order, we match the paper’s discipline with the writer’s field/specialization. Since all our writers are graduates, we match the paper’s subject with the field the writer studied. For instance, if it’s a nursing paper, only a nursing graduate and writer will handle it. Furthermore, all our writers have academic writing experience and top-notch research skills.
• We have a quality assurance that reviews the paper before it gets to you. As such, we ensure that you get a paper that meets the required standard and will most definitely make the grade.

In the event that you don’t like your paper:

• The writer will revise the paper up to your pleasing. You have unlimited revisions. You simply need to highlight what specifically you don’t like about the paper, and the writer will make the amendments. The paper will be revised until you are satisfied. Revisions are free of charge
• We will have a different writer write the paper from scratch.
• Last resort, if the above does not work, we will refund your money.

Will the professor find out I didn’t write the paper myself?

Not at all. All papers are written from scratch. There is no way your tutor or instructor will realize that you did not write the paper yourself. In fact, we recommend using our assignment help services for consistent results.

What if the paper is plagiarized?

We check all papers for plagiarism before we submit them. We use powerful plagiarism checking software such as SafeAssign, LopesWrite, and Turnitin. We also upload the plagiarism report so that you can review it. We understand that plagiarism is academic suicide. We would not take the risk of submitting plagiarized work and jeopardize your academic journey. Furthermore, we do not sell or use prewritten papers, and each paper is written from scratch.

When will I get my paper?

You determine when you get the paper by setting the deadline when placing the order. All papers are delivered within the deadline. We are well aware that we operate in a time-sensitive industry. As such, we have laid out strategies to ensure that the client receives the paper on time and they never miss the deadline. We understand that papers that are submitted late have some points deducted. We do not want you to miss any points due to late submission. We work on beating deadlines by huge margins in order to ensure that you have ample time to review the paper before you submit it.

Will anyone find out that I used your services?

We have a privacy and confidentiality policy that guides our work. We NEVER share any customer information with third parties. Noone will ever know that you used our assignment help services. It’s only between you and us. We are bound by our policies to protect the customer’s identity and information. All your information, such as your names, phone number, email, order information, and so on, are protected. We have robust security systems that ensure that your data is protected. Hacking our systems is close to impossible, and it has never happened.

How our Assignment Help Service Works

1. Place an order

You fill all the paper instructions in the order form. Make sure you include all the helpful materials so that our academic writers can deliver the perfect paper. It will also help to eliminate unnecessary revisions.

2. Pay for the order

Proceed to pay for the paper so that it can be assigned to one of our expert academic writers. The paper subject is matched with the writer’s area of specialization.

3. Track the progress

You communicate with the writer and know about the progress of the paper. The client can ask the writer for drafts of the paper. The client can upload extra material and include additional instructions from the lecturer. Receive a paper.

4. Download the paper

The paper is sent to your email and uploaded to your personal account. You also get a plagiarism report attached to your paper.

GET A PERFECT SCORE!!!

---