Chapter Eighteen through Chapter Nineteen Summary and Analysis

In chapter eighteen, Pollan admits he enjoyed hunting more than he anticipated. He is hunting with Garro for wild boar, and Garro teaches him about tracking animals. Garro hunts for the delicious food, as he explains, and not for the thrill. After a day of searching for the elusive pig, Pollan experiences Hunter's Eye, or the feeling of everything coming into sharp focus. He is fully relaxed but fully aware, and he likens the feeling to being stoned. Ortega y Gasset, a writer, believed hunting returned humans back to nature, and Pollan agrees. After a relaxing lunch, Pollan and Richard, another hunter, come upon four large boars. Pollan goes to take the shot, but his gun is not cocked. He feels ashamed and knows he was not ready for the hunt.

A month...