In "Once more to the lake" the theme is developed on the personal experience of writer. After a biographical narration from the writer, a very sympathetic touch of inner feeling penetrates the emotions in the readers.
"Beauty: when the other dancer is the self" is again a biography written by Alice Walker about her life experience. Theme of the story is built upon the accidents of life. Walker tells her personal story that how much a physical defect influence the personality and how one can put his/herself out of it.
In the essay "Once more to the lake" the writer is enjoying the lake once again and at the same time remembering his childhood days and finding and feeling them in his son to enjoy them exactly. But, at the end, he realizes the truth of life with the transformation of roles. Because, on the second visit he takes his father role and his son takes his role as boyhood.
It tells that life is a circle which is going and going on. The change is only the character and the role. The start is more thrilled and enthusiastic as compare to the end of life. At the same time, the last stage of life always rings a bell that you are not more just like your elders. This is the biggest pathetic thing or feeling which a human being deals in his life.
In the essay "Beauty: when the other DANCER Is the self" Walker explains her personal feeling about before and after the accident. Before accident she describes that as she was the prettiest girl in the locality on which she never feel proud. She uses to enjoy everything with the bright face and glowing eyes. But, at the age of eight she got an accident which is the source of deformity in her personality. After accident and with one eye it is a totally different world for her. Her confidence has been shattered and her performance from every aspect has been downed. Therefore, the accident changed her entire life living, socializing and everything.
She tells the readers with the explanation of her personal experience that a change can change yourself. But, at the same time, she also elaborates at the end of essay that the change only remains the change until you change that change by yourself. At the end she concludes that everything is self confidence which remains you the same makes you the best. Therefore, confidence is vital to live a satisfactory and pleasured life.
Comparing the essays after a critical analysis, we can say that both of them are entirely different essays in respect of story and theme. Because, each of them has their own storyline and theme, but, the only same thing is both of them are biographies. Both of the writers shared their personal experience and feeling with their audience. We can say that these very different biographies have two things very similar in. One is they are biographies and the second thing is everyone can relate his/herself with both of the essays. The end of each essay raises the emotions to accept and appreciate the theme of the essay.
