This post was developed and authored by Alison Schell
CORE TEXT
Le, G. U. K. (1976). The word for world is forest. New York: Berkley Pub. Corp.
SUMMARY
After running out of resources on planet Earth, humans travel to the planet Athshe in hopes to find more resources and another chance at life. Upon arrival they discover that the planet is already inhabited by Athshean natives, but this does not stop them from taking what they want. As they begin to colonize this new planet, the humans disregard the culture, civilians and the natural world. They enslave, sexually assault, and even kill the natives, and begin the same processes of deforestation and destroying the environment on Athshe that caused their ruin on Earth. Captain Don Davidson sexually assaults a native woman named Thele, the wife of a native man named Selver, in an incident that caused her death. After losing his wife in such a tragic way, Selver comes to the realization that their once peaceful civilization must turn to the violent ways of their colonizers in order to save their planet and its inhabitants. He leads the Athsheans in a war against the Terran people, becoming a God in their eyes as he introduces violence to a once non-violent community. In the end, the Athsheans win the war to save their planet, but they lost the peace that was the center of their culture and lifestyle. “The World for War is Forest” contains several parallels from this science fiction story to the real world, presenting issues such as European colonization, the Vietnam war, and deforestation.
RESOURCES
CLIFFORD, J. (2011). RESPONSE TO ORIN STARN: “Here Come the Anthros (Again): The Strange Marriage of Anthropology and Native America.” Cultural Anthropology (Wiley-Blackwell), 26(2), 218–224. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1548-1360.2011.01096.x
Clifford reads “The Word for World is Forest” as a parallel or a microcosm that goes beyond the 1960s era in which it was written. He discusses Le Guin’s personal connection and scholarly background related to the history of California Indians, to prove her merit and show that her pieces of literature serve a purpose to recount and represent historically accurate information and experiences of natives both during past colonization and present day. He commends Le Guin for creating writing does not hold back from the harsh truth or distract from the damage caused by colonizers by creating a human protagonist or fully good white savior, but instead making it known that even those with more positive intentions such as the anthropologist still cause negative effects by intruding into a society in which they have no understanding of the culture. Clifford then highlights several parallels between characters and experiences in the book and real-life events but focuses mainly on the lasting effect that the humans had on Athshe even after the war was won and they were gone, and the accuracy in that parallel that Europeans and other colonizers create damage and changes to native societies that can never be repaired and that will never allow for natives to live in the same peace and lifestyle they originated from.
DEBITA, G. (2019). The Otherworlds of the Mind: Loci of Resistance in Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Word for World Is Forest and Voices (Book II of the Annals of the Western Shore). Cultural Intertexts, 9, 46–67.
In this academic essay, Debita explores Le Guin’s themes of resistance to colonization and invasion throughout several of her later works, going in depth on her analysis of “The Word for World is Forest” and “Voices”. She discusses the power behind literature such as these pieces, as all actions begin with a mindset and suggests that Le Guin’s pieces force the reader to understand what is happening currently and historically through the use of science fiction in order to change their mindset and broaden their perspectives on these issues. This analysis interprets the deeper meaning of “dreaming” and the spirituality and connectedness of all of the Athshean people and minds, and how the invasion and introduction of violent resistance effects not only the current natives, but also the future generations to come.
GRISAFI, L. (2020). Living in the Blast Zone: Sexual Violence Piped onto Native Land by Extractive Industries. Columbia Journal of Law & Social Problems, 53(4), 509–539.
Grisafi discusses both current and historical treatment and sexually assault of native women and how flaws in the United States justice system continues to allow their assaulters to go unpunished in this academic journal. She highlights real accounts and stories of Native American women and their experiences with rape and sexual harassment from white colonizers and white men in general. This journal breaks down the fundamental injustices within a system that is meant to provide safety and justice for all citizens and brings awareness to an issue that has been continuously swept under the rug for hundreds of years. Grisafi also provides statistics and facts on violence, force, and sexual assault shown toward indigenous women throughout time. Le Guin touches briefly on these topics when writing about Captain Don’s desires toward the native women and Thele’s sexual assault and murder in “The Word for World is Forest”, but this journal goes into depth to explain the horrors that indigenous women have and continue to face with no consequences for their attackers.
LITERARY DEVICES
Ursula K Le Guin uses a series of symbolism and microcosms to draw parallels between the characters and experiences in her novel “The Word for World is Forest” and real-life historical and current events. In her novel there is an initial invasion for resources which results in deforestation and the destruction of nature. After realizing that they have a better chance of survival on this new planet with more resources, the invaders begin to colonize. Their colonization has drastic effects on not only the environment, but also on the native people of this planet Athshe. Le Guin uses the characters experiences with sexual assault, murder, introduction to violence, loss of culture, war and slavery to symbolize the real-life effects of European colonization on Native Americans and several other groups of people. Each character or experience, from the rape and murder of Thele, to the development of Selver to “Sam”, to the seemingly pure intentions but ultimately harmful results of anthropologist Raj, conveys a very important message and bring light to an often skipped over part of history that seems to be continuously repeating itself. For years native people have suffered through these same things and this novel is meant to force readers to understand these issues by using fictional characters and setting in order for the reader to see the impacts of colonization from a nonpolitical or economical view, but simply to feel the harm that is caused by it.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
How does Le Guin use characters and character development such as that of Selver to indirectly introduce the psychological effects of colonization on the native people?
Le Guin purposefully highlights the fact that Selver struggles to remember how to dream after adapting to the human workday. What does “dreaming” represent in the parallel to the real world and what statement is Le Guin trying to make by stating that Selver is losing this ability? Furthermore, what other long-term effects do we see this invasion have on the Athshean people and culture as a whole, and how does this relate to real world historic cultures that have had similar experiences?
Indigenous women often face sexual assault. Explore how Captain Don and Thele are examples of sexism, racism, and the way native women have been portrayed and treated throughout history.
Atwood, M., Bacigalupi, P., Boyle, T. C., Litt, T., Millet, L., Mitchell, D., Rich, N., Robinson, K. S., Simpson, H., 1., W. M., McKibben, B., & Martin, M. (2011). Time Capsule Found on the Dead Planet. In I’m with the bears. essay, Verso.
Summary:
Atwood’s “Time Capsule Found on a Dead Planet” is a fiction short story written about how the planet the author is on is now dead. It is divided into five parts where each part is a different “age.” The first age is the very beginning, where things were simple. Gods were carved out of wood and painted on temple walls. The people of the time believed that the gods brought good weather, harvest, and children. They were omnipotent and omniscient. The second age is where money was created, on one side of the coin was a famous mortal figure, while on the other side of the coin was to remind the people of the gods. The people would keep this money close to them, and although you could not eat it or wear it, like magic, it could be turned into those things. When the author gets to the third age, money had become a god. It controlled everything. It became everything to these people. It became the most important thing. In the fourth age, the author gets into how money has caused greed and how it has caused destruction to happen to the planet. In the fifth age, the author writes her last words as money has caused the destruction of this planet.
Resources:
Atwood, M., Bacigalupi, P., Boyle, T. C., Litt, T., Millet, L., Mitchell, D., Rich, N., Robinson, K. S., Simpson, H., 1., W. M., McKibben, B., & Martin, M. (2011). Time Capsule Found on the Dead Planet. In I’m with the bears. essay, Verso.
Besides containing the short story, there is an about the author section which contains some interesting information about the author. It talks about how she is versed in many different forms of fiction and poetry. It also mentions some of her best-known novels that could be read and looked at.
Pan, Z. (2021). Climate change and global warming. Salem Press Encyclopedia of Science
This encyclopedia is full of information about climate change and its continuing effects. It defines what climate change is and gets into a lot of specifics of the issue. This is a great resource to use if you want to get more familiar with climate change and its effects on the earth. The article talks about how climate change is detected and likely scenarios that could occur. This all connects to Atwood’s short story, as climate change is what kills the planet. This encyclopedia will give you a better understanding of how climate change leads to the result at the end of the story.
Guardian News and Media. (2018, May 31). Margaret Atwood: Women will BEAR brunt of Dystopian climate future. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/31/margaret-atwood-women-will-bear-brunt-of-dystopian-climate-future.
This article gives insight and information about Margaret Atwood’s environmentalist and feminists views. In the article, she is quoted as saying “This isn’t climate change – it’s everything change…women will be directly and adversely affected by climate change.” She explains how the changing climate will lead to less food which means women and children will get less food. She even goes on to say that she predicts that the future will be like what she imagines in her fiction. This article gives you an idea of how she thinks as a writer and where she stands on certain issues. This is what inspires her to write.
Analysis:
The way that Atwood writes this short story makes it seem like it is a diary of some kind. This is a very effective way to pull the reader in and make them feel like you really are reading something that someone left in a time capsule. In this short story, the narrator is not technically the author. You do not get much of a sense of their personality, but the narrator seems to know everything that has happened throughout the ages. The setting is on a planet, and it is a physical place. When it comes to plot, you can see the rise and the fall throughout the different ages, with the 1st and 2nd age being the beginning and rising action respectively, the 3rd age being the climax, and the 4th and 5th ages being the falling action and resolution. The narrator seems to be the protagonist of the story, while the antagonist seems to be the society that destroys this planet. Some irony is used, like the line about thinking money could make you fly is repeated at the end of the story as the planet dies. The big ideas explored in this are climate change and the negative effects of money.
In the first paragraph of the first age, Atwood states that they carved gods out of wood when wood still existed. This is a nice way to foreshadow what is to come at the end of the story and sets an environmental tone right away. In the second paragraph of the first age section, Atwood uses a metaphor for dew; “We smelled the earth and rolled in it; its juices ran down our chins.” The word choice is an interesting one and it paints a definitive picture in your mind. In that same paragraph, the titles “All-Knowing” and “Shining One” are capitalized, showing respect to these gods.
In the second age section, Atwood starts out by stating that money was created. This money is made from shining metals, just as the gods were carved out of them in the first age. Mentioning that the coins were being made from the same metal that the gods were being carved out of is a great way of showing that soon money would be reverend just as much as these gods. She mentions how money cannot be eaten or used for warmth, “but as if it by magic, it could be changed into such things.” This leads to the line saying that if you had enough money, it would be said that you could fly. This sets up the theme of age three which is money becoming a god, as it can bring humans unnatural things, like magic and the ability to fly.
In the 3rd age, money has taken over everyone’s lives. It has become the most important thing. Atwood says it is all-powerful, as she had described the gods earlier. The line, “It created greed and hunger, which were its two faces” is a great call back to money being a coin, and coins have two faces. She is saying money is evil. We are reminded of the environmental theme as she uses the metaphor of money “eating” forests and croplands. “To have it was a sign of grace” is also a callback to godly things.
In the 4th age, she talks about how deserts were made, wells were poisoned, and there was no more land for food to grow. At this point, money has caused too much greed. People have forgotten that this made-up currency does not mean anything if there is no planet to live on. The gods are not even mentioned because they have been completely forgotten about and money is the only thing that matters.
The 5th age addresses the person who finds this capsule. The planet is now officially dead. The last line, “Pray for us, who once, too, thought we could fly.”, is a call back to the 2nd age where it was said that if you had enough money, you could fly. Turns out, money is the reason the planet is now dead.
This short story, although fiction, speaks to a lot of things going on today in the real world. The whole story symbolizes Earth. You can easily see this planet is supposed to be Earth, and this happening to our planet can truly happen.
Questions:
In the 3rd age, Atwood mentions how money has become a god. How do we see this manifested today? Think about how the want for money has impacted our environment.
Describe the setting of the story. How does the setting of the story make it more relatable to the readers? When talking about the deserts in the 4th age, what is she referring to?
What is the overall message of this short story to you? What do you think the author is trying to say? What message is she trying to get across? After looking over the resources, do you have a better idea of what climate change is and how Atwood thinks about it?
Carson, R., Lear, L., & Wilson, E. O. (2002). Silent Spring (Anniversary ed.). Houghton Mifflin Company.
Summary
“The classic that launched the environmental movement”. Carson’s Silent Spring paved a new way for environmental issues to be heard. Carson combined science and fiction into her writing to create an opportunity to change the way people think about and treat the environment. She uses her platform to highlight the negative effect of chemicals that were apart of US agriculture. Carson used this book to bring environmental consciousness into people’s minds. Within just the first chapter Carson uses a science fiction approach, to bring awareness to the birds no longer chirping, and the roadsides being no longer beautiful. Although this place she speaks of is not real, she preaches that it will become a reality if there isn’t a change made. This first chapter serves as a call to action, only making the rest of her book where she focuses on insecticides and waste, more impactful. Carson wastes no time to make her intentions clear behind this book, which makes her words more meaningful throughout the rest of her work.
Literary Devices
Throughout Carson’s “Silent Spring” readers are able to get a feel for her work and really imagine living in the town that she describes in the beginning of her book. Carson allows us to not only see what the town would be like, but she also brings deeper meaning into it, by relating it to what we citizens could live through if no one takes action. She uses the reader’s attention, gained from the first fictional chapter, to inform the world on why this may happen and what we can do to prevent it.
Devices:
Foreshadowing: Foreshadowing can be seen in Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, most importantly in the first chapter. Carson used this by creating a fictional town and describing its changes in environment, and how it looks and feels. Because this is not a real town she is speaking of, her whole idea is to send a message that is foreshadowing our real future planet. She uses this in order to grab readers attention and want them to keep reading to find out why this could happen.
Imagery: Carson uses imagery when painting a clear picture of this made up town she speaks of. The way she describes the scenery of this town makes it easy to picture it visually in our minds. For example, “The roadsides, once so attractive, were now lined with browned and 249 withered vegetation as though swept by fire.” Descriptions like that excerpt, make it easy for any reader to clearly see what she is describing.
Conflict: This story is created with intentions on highlighting the conflicts between humans and nature. The town in the beginning of the story is destroyed by humans. Humans are blamed for destroying land, trees, even the air. This story reflects on a deeper conflict that is a real-life conflict still occurring now, which is climate change, pollution, and deforestation. Carson allows us to see a fictional conflict, arise to reality.
Resources
Lear, L. (1993). Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring”. Environmental History Review, 17(2), 23-48. doi:10.2307/3984849.
Within this journal article, Lear puts an emphasis on Rachel Carson’s intelligence. She highlights Carson’s achievement on inspiring a cultural revolution, something she definitely did not expect. Lear goes through Carson’s whole timeline briefly, and mentions her time spent outdoors when she was young, leading to her work at Fish and Wildlife Service, which is a bit foreshadowing to what she had later become. Lear labels her work of Silent Spring, an “overnight sensation” after stating in her book, “every human being is now subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals, from the moment of conception until death”. He emphasized Carson’s accusations flowing all across the world, where she would get love and hate, to where Time Magazine charged the book an “emotional and inaccurate outburst”. Despite many complaints and hatred surrounding this book, Lear emphasizes his love for this book and what it had done historically.
Pollock, C. (2001). Silent Spring Revisited: A 21st-Century Look at the Effect of Pesticides on Wildlife. Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery, 15(1), 50-53. Retrieved August 6, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/30136866
In this article, Christal Pollock, takes a look at Carson’s Silent Spring in a 21st Century stand point. Although Carson was not the first to take awareness to the use of pesticides, Pollock, as well as others, surely agree that Carson’s approach was definitely more heard with all the discredit Carson received, Pollock makes it a point that it only gave her and Silent Spring more public awareness. Pollock takes a look at what these dangerous chemicals have done within the later years, and highlights that he feels it would have been worse if Carson hadn’t written Silent Spring. Pollock emphasizes Carson’s idea of the birds no longer chirping, to where birds’ eggs are growing thinner now, resulting to hatching failure. Pollock preaches that she hopes people these days will raise their voices like Carson and take action when toxicity can be diagnosed. She wishes to keep the public aware, following in the footsteps of Rachel Carson.
Smith, M. (2001). “Silence, Miss Carson!” Science, Gender, and the Reception of “Silent Spring”. Feminist Studies,27(3), 733-752. doi:10.2307/3178817
In this article, the author, Michael Smith, states his stand point on Carson’s controversial work of Silent Spring. Unlike most, Smith sees her as a threat because she is a woman. He argues that Carson received these threats because she was a woman, “an independent scholar whose sex and lack of institutional ties placed her outside the nexus pf the production and application of conventional scientific knowledge” (Smith, 2001). Smith highlights that with all the controversy surrounding Carson’s bold accusations about the environment, no one has yet to scrutinized the gendered nature of the criticism received. Smith believes that not only is the conflict of her work between human and nature, it is also male versus female. Michael Smith also goes as far to examine the criticism Carson has receive. He highlights that they are all written by men who call her emotional and an amateur. This article is different from the others that are out there because Smith focuses on a different outlook.
Discussion Questions
How can you see gender as a contributing factor to the hate and discredit Carson received from writing Silent Spring?
In your opinion, what does a “Silent Spring” mean to Carson, and secondly, what does it mean to you?
Do you think Carson’s use of a fictional approach in the first chapter made her book more effective or less effective? Explain why.
This post was developed and authored by Megan Hastings
CITATION
Silent Spring, Fable for Tomorrow, Rachel Carson
Houghton Mifflin Company, September 27, 1962
SUMMARY
This particular story begins with the description of a beautiful and prosperous town, with colorful fields, trees, and plentiful vegetation. Everything the citizens need or want they have, and they appreciate the abundance of nature that lies in their town. Many visitors come to fish and enjoy the natural beauty of this community. But quickly the story takes a depressing turn into darkness and despair and the town faces a series of unfortunate events. The livestock perishes and fall ill, families start to pass away suddenly, unexplained deaths increase, doctors are finding new illnesses and have trouble helping their patients, and everything becomes lifeless. The fish die and the visitors stop coming. “It was a spring without voices. On the mornings that had once throbbed with the dawn chorus of robins, catbirds, doves, jays, wrens, and scores of other bird voices there was now no sound; only silence lay over the fields and woods and marsh” (Carson, page 2). Carson speaks of an “evil spell” that seemed to have been cast upon the town, changing it to an apocalyptic setting. This exact town does not exist, but towns around the world experience these hardships all of the time. “The people had done it to themselves” (Carson, page 3). The message that the people had done it to themselves sends a clear and strong message that we need to be doing something different in order to preserve the beauty of our society. This story shows the hardships that one town faces, but heavily relates to troubles all around the world.
TEACHING RESOURCES
Lerner, Robert E. “Apocalyptic Literature.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/art/apocalyptic-literature. In this source, apocalyptic literature is explained which is the main idea of the primary piece of work, Silent Spring. It gives the origin and reasoning behind writings with such a tone and tells about the earliest apocalypses written by Jewish people. Sometimes a tone like this is overwhelmingly depressing and scary, but it has been around since around 200BCE and has told stories for many years. The apocalyptic genre had disappeared after the Middle Ages but is making a comeback today in modern literary works. This website gives the example of the American bestseller The Late Great Planet Earth which was written in 1970 by Hal Lindsey. Lindsey was a preacher in the Protestant faith that put forward this idea and genre and it became very popular. In Silent Spring, it is unsettling to read about the hardships that fall upon the town, and it was something that I had never read before. This source explains how apocalyptic writing has evolved and come about in our own world. Although Silent Spring is fiction, it can demand the reader to make connections to their own world and history. The history of this type of reading is helpful in understanding the reason people write in this way and love it and unlike the third source, this one explains in great detail the history of apocalyptic fiction across many different cultures for many years.
Lear, Linda. “Silent Spring.” Rachel Carson, Silent Spring, www.rachelcarson.org/SilentSpring.aspx. This site further explains the text of Silent Spring and Carson’s intentions behind writing it. She tried to take the struggles of real communities all around the world that were exposed to the chemical compound Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, DDT, which had damaged the environment as well as the beings who inhabited it. This is an insecticide that has the potential to severely harm the environment and this book is portraying what would happen if the use of DDT continued. In 1972, DDT was actually banned and deemed a probable human carcinogen in the U.S. and by international authorities. Silent Spring had become such a popular fable that John F. Kennedy even read it and it became an instant best-seller. Carson believed that humans were misusing many kinds of chemical pesticides and that humans were to see the effects shortly if they did not have pesticide use under control. She argues that the users of DDT especially might not know the harm to the biome when they use it. Her book inspired a movement that started years later after the publishing of it, and it was successful at conveying the message that she hoped it would deliver.
MasterClass Staff. “What Is Apocalyptic And Post-Apocalyptic Fiction? – 2021.” MasterClass, MasterClass, 8 Nov. 2020, www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-apocalyptic-and-post-apocalyptic-fiction#7-common-themes-in-apocalyptic-fiction. This source provides a more in-depth review and explanation of apocalyptic writing. The importance of understanding and appreciating this genre will help the readers of Silent Spring understand the message that Carson is giving. Why such a dark tone? Why so unsettling and unhappy? This site gives key information on why people write this way, and why it is important sometimes to do so. In Silent Spring, Carson clearly is trying to tell the reader that they are doomed by giving an example of a town that actually is. It shows the reader their potential future if things do not change. Many different religions such as Christianity, Islam, and Judaism have stories of their people reaching “the end.” This source also lists the seven common themes that appear in apocalyptic fiction which include climate change, nuclear holocaust, medical pandemic, the rise of sentient robots, the destruction of a major city, endless war, and a fascist government engaged in mind control. These all would lead to “mass unrest, societal breakdown, and widespread death” (Masterclass, 2021). In silent spring, we see the theme of climate change as the environment starts to dwindle and suffer.
LITERARY ANALYSIS
This vivid piece of apocalyptic fiction is extremely straightforward in the troubles that the town faces, and that humans have done this terrible thing to themselves. The setting of this piece is very important because it relates closely to the real world and hits very close to home. Nothing in this story is very far-fetched because all of the events that occur, occur in our own world. It clearly views the town in two different ways, one when it was alive and prosperous, and two when it was damaged and dark. The plot starts with a perfect little town and it suddenly takes a turn to where evil and darkness consume it. This contrast sets up the tone of the story which creates the reader to react, making them feel sad for what has happened to the town. Carson does not go right out and announce what has happened to the town, other than an evil spell being cast upon it, figuratively. In the second source listed, it is explained further that insecticide was the root cause of the despair in the town. The message in this story is that humans should appreciate nature in all of its beauty, and while taking advantage of it might be easy, when it is all gone there will be nothing left and it will not go unnoticed. The theme is that nature needs to be treated more gently or else many of the bad things the reader learns of in this story may happen to us on Earth. Humans have neglected and destroyed nature for long enough, and now it is time to stop and help it heal. This story does a great job of creating an apocalyptic tone/style that will surely cause the reader to care about environmentalism after they have finished reading it.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Is the genre of apocalyptic fiction dangerous? Can it be misleading or misunderstood? Could it cause false worry or stress? What is your view of apocalyptic fiction? Does your opinion change depending on the story?
How does the story Silent Spring encourage care for the environment when it is such a dark and dreary story? Is the message more negative or positive?
How do you as the reader feel after reading Silent Spring? Rachel Carson accuses the humans of doing the damage, do you feel as if you have caused any significant damage to the environment? What might this kind of story provoke you to do about the dwindling environment?
On a June evening in the New England countryside a little girl named Sylvia is walking home through a forest with her cow. Sylvia has moved to the countryside to help her grandmother Mrs. Tilley, and while living on the farm she has developed a spirit and love for nature. Sylvia realizes she is late and needs to arrive home. Sylvia and the cow stop at a brook for a break, the little girl hears a whistle from a young ornithologist who approaches her asking to spend a night at her home. Sylvia walks the man and the cow back to her farm where the young man is offered food and a place to sleep. Sylvia’s grandmother makes conversation with the man and explains how Sylvy is an explorer at heart and extremely attached to nature. The hunter sees this as an opportunity to tell the small family that he collects and preserves birds. He gushes over how he would love to find the white heron and would give ten dollars to whoever could find it for him, but Sylvia, even though she has seen the bird in the marshes, does not reveal anything about the bird’s location. During the next day, Sylvia accompanies the hunter and forms a small crush on him even though she dislikes his hobby.
That night, Sylvia is unable to fall asleep and instead travels to the great pine tree to try and spot the white heron. She bravely climbs to the top of the great pine and is amazed by the beauty of her surroundings. She then witnesses the white heron in the marshes where the bird flies past the great pine to an adjacent tree closer to Sylvia. After viewing the white heron and its nest, Sylvia makes her way down the pine and back home where her grandmother and the hunter were awaiting her arrival. After going through the work of finding the white heron’s nest, Sylvia debates the importance of the bird’s life in comparison to the money that the hunter could provide for her family. But eventually she decides to not reveal the bird’s location to the eager hunter, and he leaves disappointed. Sylvia is never fully sure if she made the right decision.
The author Sarah Orne Jewett was also a New England resident as she was born in South Berwick, Maine during the year 1849. Throughout her career, she has been inspired to create literary works based on her New England surroundings.
This short story focuses on Sylvia’s direct relationship to all her natural surroundings and how her values reflect her lifestyle. She is placed between man and nature and learns to be the bridge between industry and the environment.
Literary Analysis
Sarah Orne Jewett implements several literary techniques such as imagery, selective point-of-view, and personification to emphasize mankind’s environmental impact on concepts relating to wildlife, gender roles, and industrialization pressures.
Throughout the entirety of her short story, Sarah Orne Jewett includes imagery to develop an elegant and saturated environment for Sylvia to explore. As the little girl reached the top of the great pine, she notices that “the heron has perched on a pine bough not far beyond yours, and cries back to his mate on the nest and plumes his feathers for the new day!” (Jewett). The detailed descriptions of the white heron’s appearance and behaviors is used to demonstrate its role in the environment. The pair of snowy egrets are described as living peacefully in their surroundings. Their seclusion and rare beauty are the factors that make them desirable for a hunter who is too consumed by his artificial background. The separation between the city-life and pure nature is apparent in Jewett’s inclusion of intricate setting.
Other literary devices that Jewett includes to display man’s interaction with the natural environment are selective point-of-view and personification. For the majority of the short story, Jewett writes in the perspective of the Sylvia, a young girl. Just as Sylvia is about to reveal the white heron’s location, she recalls “[t]he murmur of the pine’s green branches is in her ears” and “she remembers how the white heron came flying through the golden air and how they watched the sea and the morning together” (Jewett). As evident in her thought-process, Sylvia has a strong connection and appreciation for the environment. This inclination toward the preservation of nature correlates to the stereotype of women being more in touch with nature and how they are more sensitive to issues relating to the environment. Additionally, the personification of living aspects of nature provides Sylvia with nurturing surroundings that act as loved ones. It is as if Sylvia’s environment is as much of a factor in her life as any human. When her surroundings become integrated with her life, it represents the intense relationship between femininity and nature. Then the differences between the natural world and our manufactured institutions accumulate to form a stark contrast.
Brian Kirhagis Paintings: Also known as BK The Artist, Brian Kirhagis is a painter who has created a series of artwork titled E.A.R.T.H. to showcase and celebrate “Mother Earth.” In this series he paints portraits of women in grounded poses, but the aspect that makes his work unique is his incorporation of surrealism. Each figure is composed of lush elements of nature that add to the vibrancy of the piece. This series’ goal is to display the interconnectedness between women and the earth.
Resources
Joseph, Sheri. “Sarah Orne Jewett’s White Heron: An Imported Metaphor.” American Literary Realism, 1870-1910, vol. 27, no. 3, 1995, pp. 81–84. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/27746628. Accessed 6 Aug. 2021. This article analyses Sarah Orne Jewett’s reasoning behind including the white heron as her symbol of nature’s vulnerability. As discussed in the article, the white heron, or snowy egret, was rarely spotted in areas north of Georgia by the year 1900 due to excessive hunting. Only after the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act was passed in 1918 were these birds expanding into the northeastern United States. Jewett’s fable, published in 1886, changes the location of these birds’ natural habitat from subtropical Florida to New England. She also alters these birds’ behaviors. The short story depicts a sole pair of herons nesting together where, in actuality, this species primarily nests in large colonies. These changes to the behavior of the snowy egrets were not because of Jewett’s lack of knowledge; however, these alterations were purposeful in exhibiting the need for environmental activism and the extent of nature’s vulnerability. By illustrating the white herons as extremely rare and secluded, Jewett exposes the birds’ vulnerability to predation from mankind and how these symbols of innocence and peace are becoming more fabricated as man attempts to dominate the environment. Additionally, Jewett chose to write about the snowy egret in an inaccurate setting to discourage the industry from hunting these birds for fashion and sport.
Orr, Elaine. “Reading Negotiation and Negotiated Reading: A Practice with /in ‘A White Heron’ and ‘The Revolt of ‘Mother’ “.” CEA Critic, vol. 53, no. 3, 1991, pp. 49–65. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/44377067. Accessed 6 Aug. 2021. In her article, Elaine Orr analyzes how Sylvia’s relationship with the young hunter demonstrates the connection between women and nature. The hunter in Jewett’s story deliberately formed a relationship with Sylvia in order to learn the location of the white heron’s nest. This man manipulates a little girl in hopes of exploiting nature for his own benefit. It is made clear that Sylvia has an inherent connection to her surroundings which makes her an excellent bridge between the persistent pull of industrialization, exhibited by the hunter, and the pure beauty and innocence of the natural environment, represented by the white heron. Sylvia is described as both innocent and courageous which reflects each stereotype involving masculinity and femininity. Sylvia is characterized as “small and silly” while she began her journey up the great pine “with utmost bravery,” which were seen as contradictory traits during the time period in which this story was published (Jewett). This blend of tenacity, associated with masculinity, and delicacy, associated with femininity, adequately demonstrates the push and pull between the masculine industry and feminine nature.
El Bizri, Hani R., et al. “The Thrill of the Chase: Uncovering Illegal Sport Hunting in Brazil through YouTube™ Posts.” Ecology and Society, vol. 20, no. 3, 2015. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/26270243. Accessed 13 Aug. 2021. In the article, Hani R. El Bizri, Thaís Q. Morcatty, Jéssica J. S. Lima and João Valsecchi analyze the instances of illegal sport hunting in Brazil through the social media platform known as YouTube™. Their study suggests that the sport hunters are wealthy Brazilian citizens that severely question the environmental regulations and policies installed by the Brazilian government. The research reveals the immense popularity of sport hunting in Brazil, despite its illegal status. The background of these avid hunters reflects the same urban setting as the ornithologist in Jewett’s short story. Their motivation and reasoning for hunting can also be connect as the article indicates that most hunters are in it for the pursuit and killing of game species. This article reflects on how the combination of hunting and conservationist actions can benefit the environment, though, the authors believe that this can only be successful if each hunter is cooperative. But this method will not follow through if the ornithologist represents the average hunter because the excessive hunting designated for collecting species severely damages ecosystems. The desire for trophies to demonstrate a “connection to nature” is counterintuitive. It is the contrast between an industrial, urban lifestyle and the purity of nature that urges humans to desire a piece for themselves. Additionally, the pressure for specific resources from nature pressures man to exploit the creatures that make the environment so remarkable.
Map of Snowy Egret Population Locations: This visual of various locations of the snowy egrets, or white herons, depicts the common American habitat for these birds as tropical and subtropical areas rather than the cooler climates of New England, the location of Jewett’s story. The text that is paired with this map provides additional information regarding this species’ battle against industry and fashion.
Discussion Questions
Why would Sarah Orne Jewett decide to include factual information in addition to inaccurate details about the white heron? Do you think that this mixture of contrasting elements is confusing to the reader? Why wouldn’t Jewett simply make the behavior and surroundings of the birds in her fable completely fabricated or entirely factual?
The women in Jewett’s tale, Sylvia and Mrs. Tilley, are distinctly separated from the male ornithologist through their true and profound appreciation for all aspects of nature. Does Jewett’s interpretation of femininity in relation to nature progress the feminist movement? Or does it place women in harmful stereotypes that prevent the expansion of gender roles?
Near the end of her short story, Jewett writes “[w]ere the birds better friends than their hunter might have been, — who can tell?” How does this question reflect Sylvia’s values? What about Jewett’s values? Considering that she has lived in both urban and rural settings, how has Sylvia’s surroundings impacted her choice in protecting the location of the white heron?
Margaret Atwood, Time Capsule Found on the Dead Planet (9-26-2009)
Self Assessment:
I definitely understood the plot of the story well. I am just not 100% sure on how the teaching resources are supposed to be formatted or how many we need. I also don’t know if I formatted my citation the correct way.
Citation:
Atwood, Margaret. Time Capsule Found on the Dead Planet. 2009.
Bburgess@uoregon.edu, et al. “ENG 104: Climate CHANGE FICTION.” ENG 104 Climate Change Fiction, 16 Jan. 2015, blogs.uoregon.edu/eng104/2015/01/16/.
“.” Environmental Encyclopedia. . Encyclopedia.com. 6 Aug. 2021 .” Encyclopedia.com, Encyclopedia.com, 13 Aug. 2021, www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/environmental-literacy-and-ecocriticism.
Summary:
This short story is split up in five main parts. Atwood describes “us” as humans in the beginning of time, before we started creating civilizations, cities, currencies and so on and so forth. We created our own Gods and forged them out of wood, “back when wood was still a thing” she says. Our world was bountiful and teeming with life. Birds flew over us by the millions and millions of fish swam in our seas. Then “in the second age” as she puts it, humans started creating money. On one side of the metal coins we had an important figure such as a king, and on the other side was an animal like a bird or a fish. The people were in awe of this money since it could be changed into such things and if you had enough of it, it was said that you would be able to fly. In the third age money became God. It began to talk and create its own. It created feasts and famines, songs of joy, lamentations. No one could stop money and it had no signs of grace. In the fourth age we created “desert’s”, but these weren’t no ordinary deserts. These deserts were fueled by industrious creations with the urge to make more money. These deserts were covered in cement and the rivers flowed rampant with poison. Wars, famines and plagues visited us, but that did not stop the creation of these deserts. The seas were bare and there was no food left to grow. In the fifth age our world was no more. Destroyed by the greed of money and urge to industrialize this world.
Teaching Resources:
bburgess@uoregon.edu, “A Warning To Us All,” https://blogs.uoregon.edu/eng104/2015/01/16/. In this source, the author relates them witnessing melting glaciers and the destruction of villages due to rising river waters to “Time Capsule Found on a Dead Planet.” They say this story is so important because it gives us as readers to ourselves in the perspective of an outsider looking down at earth over the years. This story allows us as the readers to create our own emotions towards the people turning land into “deserts”. Atwood’s use of personification is what makes this story so powerful. She forces the reader to reflect upon society and its flaws, and adds a personal connection to the problem that hasn’t had a personal effect.
Wang, Zhongrui and Wu, Qinghua, “Carbon emission reduction and product collection decisions in the closed-loop supply chain with cap-and-trade regulation”. https://eds.b.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?vid=3&sid=1c5b323f-a0bc-48eb-bd0c-5dc0ca68a8d3%40sessionmgr101&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=151136547&db=bth. The abstract for this article explains how Governments’ emission policies and consumers’ increasing environmental awareness have brought pressure on manufacturers. Specifically, governments are making manufacturers manage their end of life products. This study looks into strategies on carbon emission reduction and used product collection on the basis of cap-and-trade regulation and closed-loop supply chain. Findings show that when the parameters meet a certain condition, the scenario where the manufacturer leads the collection is optimal for carbon emission reduction, used product collection, and profit generation; otherwise, the supply chain will select the retailer to collect used products. The government can affect supply chain decisions by regulating and controlling carbon trading prices.
This abstract pertains to “Time Capsule Found on the Dead Planet” because the planet from this story got destroyed because of carbon emissions and pollution. This case study can be extremely helpful to reduce carbon emissions so our planet doesn’t eventually become the planet from “Dead Planet”.
Dupler, Douglas, “Environmental Literacy and Ecocriticism”, https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/environmental-literacy-and-ecocriticism. This article goes in depth on why environmental literacy is important in spreading knowledge on environmental issues. One of the main goals of environmental literacy is to provide learners with the knowledge and experience to assess the health of an ecological system and to develop solutions to the problem. Models for environmental literacy include curriculums that include key ecological concepts, provide hands on opportunities, foster collaborative learning and establish an atmosphere that strengthens a learner’s belief in responsible living. Public interest in environmental education came about in the 1970’s. Much of the drive and funding for environmental education comes from non-profit foundations and educators’ associations such as the association for environmental and outdoor education, the center for ecoliteracy, and the Institute for Earth Education. The National Environmental Act of 1990 directed the Environmental Protection Agency to provide national leadership in the environmental literacy arena. To that end, the EPA established several initiatives including the Environmental Education Center as a resource for educators, and the Office of Environmental Education, which provides grants, training, fellowship, and youth awards.
Literary Analysis:
This story puts the environmental crisis going on today in a 3rd person point of view. Atwood lets us look into this apocalyptic world fueled by money and shows us how we could kill our planet from our greed. Because of this style of writing, Margaret grabs the reader’s attention and shows us we need to wake up and pay attention to climate change, or that fictional world in the story could become non-fiction.
Discussion Questions:
How does Environmental Literature such as “Time Capsule Found on the Dead Planet” show readers that they need to pay more attention to environmental issues?
In what ways does Margaret Atwood capture today’s climate issues in a fictional story?
How does environmental literature such as “Time Capsule Found on the Dead Planet” make people aware of environmental issues?
How Language Changes our Perception: Mindset, Gender Equality
and Relationship with Nature
Core Text
Kimmerer, Robin. “Speaking of Nature.” Orion Magazine, Orion Magazine, 28 July 2020, orionmagazine.org/article/speaking-of-nature/.
“One does not inhabit a country; one inhabits a language. That is our country, our fatherland – and no other.”
Emile M. Cioran
Summary
While exploring the many diverse poems, stories, and well known literary works throughout this unit of Environmental Literature, the one that was the most profound to me was “Speaking of Nature” by Robin Kimmerer. Her take on language makes the reader reflect on the power that words have on a cognitive level- that even the slightest vocabulary choices have huge consequences. This work evokes many questions and brings attention to our unconscious ways of thinking and our pre-determined stance on many different issues.
Kimmerer discusses and provides several examples to her claims, on how her tribal language influences our perception. This, she feels, is unfortunately shown by labeling things as he, she or it, by dehumanizing and objectifying parts of nature, by distancing humans from the outside, by labeling what is dead and what is alive, and ultimately, by placing humans above all else. In learning her tribal language, she is able to witness a different way of viewing our relationship with the world.
Literary Analysis
As an author and college botany professor, Kimmerer brings her students to a nearby cemetery right off of campus, where they are asked to ponder and reflect on language and nature, in the realm between the living and deceased. They visit this cemetery twice- once at the beginning of the unit and a final time at the end. By the end of the course, the students will inevitably have more deep and well rounded views concerning the topic of language in life. Through this article, Kimmerer provides the reader with a brief overview of the different components of language that start to make the reader think about our everyday language use in association with the world. There are three ideas in “Speaking of Nature” that can be interconnected, these being: how language influences our perception of mindset, gender equality, and relationships with nature.
To begin, the author truly views nature as being animate. She seems to have discovered this by progressively learning more about her tribal language, Potawatomi. Grammar is a component of language structure that we use to construct our relationships with what is around us, especially nature. Animacy is a subcategory of grammar that distinguishes how “alive” a certain part of speech is. The example she provides is how in Potawatomi, different verbs are used to talk about different things such as hearing a bird vs. hearing an airplane; one would use two completely different verbs. Language is alive; it is part of what sentimentality indicates what the speaker views according to their dependence with the natural world.
Because language use is especially controlled by pronouns, Kimmerer defines the English language as sexist because its speakers always assign a gender to a noun, as opposed to assigning nouns for whether they are alive or not alive (the alive category having a larger collection to what is typically believed). She introduces the idea of “ki” which could be used, “…signify a being of the living earth.” She further explains the idea of “ki” simply being using it in context and not very much explicitly defining it, similarly to how a native speaker would understand this implicitly by use of the language.
This also enables language and people to be held at the same level. The natives of Potawatomi saw the importance of the animals and ecosystems. They needed them to survive so they respected them. It can be concluded that Kimmerer feels that it is unfortunate that animacy does not exist in every language. Kimmerer suggests we use personhood words as opposed to objectification. It is due to our native language and/or the lack of adaptation of aspects in other languages (such as animacy) that create the way humans feel disconnected to nature, simply by the roots of their language.
While animacy is an interesting aspect of language to discuss, many readers being exposed to this concept for the first time may be very skeptical of what Kimmerer has to say. As one finds herself/himself reading “Speaking of Nature ” they will have many questions that enter their minds from the opposing viewpoint. What can be appreciated from this article is that Kimmerer discusses these many arguments and defends her viewpoint in a comprehensive manner, which all tie back to the main concept of broadening our senses to respect nature.
Kimmerer states, “In the English language, a human alone has distinction while all other living beings are lumped with the nonliving “its.” One example of this is how English speakers use “it” to refer to things as if they’re nonliving, but in doing so, it is degrading to nature. The argument to this is that when referring to animals that will be consumed by humans, they are commonly referred to as “it”. This is because it is obvious what is implied by not providing a name. It creates a mental barrier of detachment to prevent people from feeling guilty. Another complication identified to this way of thinking of language is that it could possibly offend religious people. This is because a large number of commonly practiced religions typically follow the teachings that humans were created above all else. This allows a bit of brainstorming for the reasoning behind this in tribal relation to language. Kimmerer suggests that the Bible was written prior to people having a philosophical view of the social implications of language. They were not yet aware of the issue of human’s relationship with nature.
What Kimmerer leaves the reader believing is that words matter. It is not to be taken at surface level — that works can hurt people — but vocabulary importance on a subconscious level. If we make small changes now and are more intentional with vocabulary choices, we will unveil another layer of interconnectedness with our world, and more positive things could arise from that- not just for humans but also for the planet. Above all, Kimmerer’s article encourages its readers to rethink the way they view nature and to focus more on its “beingness.”
Teaching Resources
Mentality and Thought
Language shapes our perception of reality. Consider that in some languages, spatial awareness is oriented differently. In others, there is no use of past, present or future tenses. Some languages contain vocabulary words that can not be translated to another language. The way people view and identify colors is different, partially determined by native language.
These are all subtle differences that impact humans’ perceptions on how the world is viewed. This Ted Talk is very interesting and helps us understand the surprising nuances in one’s native language.
What else can you and your students brianstorm as being contributing factors or differences from language to language, that affect our perception and create our reality?
The exit in sexist
Mills, Sara. “Minding Your Language: Implementing Gender-Free Language Policies.” Critical Survey, vol. 4, no. 2, 1992, pp. 183–190. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41555650. Accessed 1 Aug. 2021.
Laugesen, Amanda. “Changing ‘Man Made Language’: Sexist Language and Feminist Linguistic Activism in Australia.” Everyday Revolutions: Remaking Gender, Sexuality and Culture in 1970s Australia, edited by Michelle Arrow and Angela Woollacott, ANU Press, Acton ACT, Australia, 2019, pp. 241–260. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvq4c17c.16. Accessed 1 Aug. 2021.
Kimmerer discusses how parts of speech are labeled by their gender, being either masculine or feminine. Woman is Mother Nature- the dainty and delicate creature that reins over the children of Earth. In much of literature, Kimmerer points out, the “soft” elements of nature are often labeled as feminine. While she specifically relates gender in language with her own personal experiences with her tribal language, this similar idea can be applied to many other languages with gender pronouns. There are many ways language is sexist and this society is in need of some “verbal hygiene” (Laugesen 241).
“Minding Your Language: Implementing Gender-Free Language Policies” explains how feminist linguistic activists claim that one way to progress in society’s conception of women is to change the involuntary, everyday use of the English language. Mills claims that language is sexist in a variety of manors, to name a few: chairman (instead of chairperson), postman (as opposed to postie), or words like doctor that when speaking about a doctor who is a female, needs to be clarified as “lady doctor.” These innuendos are often subtle, highly likely to go unnoticed regardless of the conversational setting and are probably overlooked by most people when spoken due to the masculine default in common vocabulary, sayings and law. If asked to explain why Anglophones use them, however, the explanation would allude to a place of anthropocentric and patriarchal origins, where “man” (literally) is at the center.
While these may be unintentional uses of sexist language, it becomes a problem when subconsciously, women feel inferior. Likewise, in the school setting, it’s problematic when the young female students feel limited, as if they would not belong in a certain field or occupation strictly because of the social standards of gender roles.
Mills continues by suggesting solutions and points out implications to the variety of efforts to alter our language use. For example, companies can implement language standards in the company handbooks, pamphlets and within the workplace, expecting that at meetings, employees abide by the given guidelines. This may include mandating gender neutralization; it’s the idea that as a society, we should avoid using words and labels for certain duties that separate the sexes. This avoids discrimination and eliminates gender roles.
In the second article cited, Laugesen provides the example of Australia. Australia legally made aligning policies in 1984 under the Sex Discrimination Act. “Changing ‘Man Made Language’: Sexist Language and Feminist Linguistic Activism in Australia.” talks about the success and impacts the country has had since put into place. This article also discusses the contrary and potential difficulties that come with implementing such policies. Focusing so much on the details of how people speak would become tedious and irritating to many. Taking the example of an employment setting, it would not be practical to constantly interrupt colleagues.
As both of these articles would agree, it can not be expected that language will change by itself overnight, but its speakers can serve as the catalysts for this innovation. At minimum, provoking conversation about the topic will call attention to the ongoing debate. We hold this responsibility on an individual level. Because so many people speak without even considering these forever-used vocabulary words, bringing more awareness to the way we speak is the beginning to break sexist language.
Language and Nature
Reo, Nicholas J., et al. “Environmental Change and Sustainability of Indigenous. Languages In Northern Alaska.” Arctic, vol. 72, no. 3, 2019, pp. 215–228. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/26822408. Accessed 4 Aug. 2021.
Aligning with Kimmerer’s views of the power indigenous languages hold, Reo discusses the connections between indigenous groups and their decline in relationship with nature and identity throughout Alaska. Due to language shifts and climate change, many of the heritage languages of Alaska are not sustaining and this statistic is predicted to only decline with time. A heritage language is a language (often of minority) that is learned by children at home, which is not the predominant language of the country they are residing. (“Heritage Language.”). Through a series of ethnographic interviews in 2018, the following conclusions were drawn.
The preservation of the identity of indigenous communities in Alaska is very important to its people, language being a major aspect of their identity. While language use and competencies are tending to decrease with each generation, there are Language Nest programs in schools and adult learning programs that exist, as well as mentor-apprentice organizations that connect adolescents with older mentors of their community who will practice the heritage language with them on a regular basis. While this is a step in the right direction, these programs aren’t enough.
In 1998, Alaska officially adopted English, the progressive language, as the state’s official language. After receiving major backlash from the decision, the state declared English along with 20 other heritage languages as part of Alaska’s many official languages. Nonetheless, English has had a predominant presence in the state and there seems to be a pattern. When English was adopted, the state also accepted many social, cultural and environmental changes as well.
The issues in bilingualism are especially evident in school-aged children, who seem to live in two conflicting cultures with different expectations. For example, at home, they may speak Yup’ik with their grandparents and parents. The children may find themselves independent from their family because of communal pressures for parents to work and spend more time away from the house. While at school, the education system has similar values to that of the United States mainland. Another example of this is how sometimes, there is just not a great translation. It’s more accurate to express how one must respect an elder in Iñupiaq, while in English, these expressions don’t exist. As Roe states, “The knowledge encoded in heritage languages from the observations of ancestors has been built up over thousands of years, and losing access to these languages could mean losing links to that knowledge and ways of viewing and understanding the surrounding environment.” (224). Not only are the languages dying as generations are not as adequately learning and carrying on their linguistic skills, but the traditions surrounding their culture and practices are becoming more and more scarce due to environmental changes.
The effects of climate change have caused their resources (especially ice) and traditional activities to become sparse. In a language like Iñupiaq, they have many specific words to explain different types of ice, as well as traditional activities involving land-use, all surrounding their values of group activity and language. Many of their hunting practices and traditional food sources are disappearing because of climate change. Another issue that has arose because of climate change is the safety of the hunters seeking wild-game. In consequence, their traditions are fading and creating a shift in language use.
While English may pose a threat to the indigenous communities of Alaska, their resilience, positive attitudes and persistence are helping to stand up for their roots and preserve their culture, traditions and environment.
Language has the ability to enhance our harmonious lives in balance with nature. Yoga is an art in which its most basic practices derive from the principles of blending movement with nature, and connects the human body with language and its innate surroundings. Many of the poses are based on animal positions and elements of nature, their name’s origin coming from Sanskrit. Since the universal vocabulary of yoga can be difficult to memorize, yoga instructors will often incorporate the English translations of the poses into their practice. The language is what bridges us humans with the peace and embrace of nature in a unique way. Please see my photos below, exemplifying a variety of different yoga poses.
Second language acquisition gives its speakers the ability to live between two different mindsets. If you speak a foreign language, how has learning this language changed how you see or view communication in comparison to the way you communicate in your native language?
Consider the fact that language is constantly evolving. How do you see the way we speak changing in a positive or negative sense and what implications could arise from this, specifically regarding the topic of gender neutralization?
What is your opinion on the stance Kimmerer takes on language and the way we feel about nature? Do you agree with the author that we, as society, need to alter the way we think and speak in order to have a more equivalent identity with our surroundings?
This image displays one of the many different book covers used for the novel, “Frankenstein.” This novel was written in 1817 by the author, Mary Shelley. This image shows a representation of what Victor Frankenstein’s creature looked like.
Credit to: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/series/DT1/puffin-classics
Core Text:
Shelley, Mary W. Frankenstein. New York: New York Post, 2004. Print.
Summary:
“Frankenstein” begins with letters written by a character, Robert Walton. In these letters, he wrote to his sister about a mission he had been on overseas. While overseas, Walton meets the creature created by Victor Frankenstein. The novel then jumps to the life of Victor Frankenstein, and his life in Geneva. Victor attended the university of Ingolstadt where he became passionate about discovering the secret of life. Through this fascination, Victor starts a project which took him months to complete. Through using old body parts and science knowledge, Victor brings to life a creature of his own. He quickly realizes this creature he created was not what he expected. Fasting forwarding throughout the book, Victor hears about the death of his brother who he believes was killed by his creature. As the novel continues, Victor takes a trip to the mountains to ease his grief where he later encounters his creature again. The creature admits to murdering William, but he tells Victor that he did so out of anger because he was left alone with no help about how the world works. After more deaths of characters that took place, Victor was determined that he was going to kill his creature that he created. While on his voyage, Victor meets Walton who was the one writing him letters in the beginning of the novel. Victor then dies of sickness and when Walter enters the room of where his body was laying, he sees the creature standing over him. The creature then says that since his creator has died, he can as well. So, he then sets off into the icy waters and dies.
This image displays a map of the real-life places that inspired Mary Shelley’s novel, “Frankenstein.” Most of the novel takes place in Switzerland where Shelley stayed when writing “Frankenstein.” Throughout the novel, Victor Frankenstein visits Germany, France, England, and Scotland.
Garrison, Alysia. “What ‘Frankenstein’ Can Tell Us About Climate Change.” Wbur, 4 May 2016, wbur.org/cognoscenti/2016/05/04/politics-literature-2016-election-alysia-garrison. Accessed 4 Aug. 2021. The year 1816 was known as the “Year without a summer” due to the features in natures that were seen throughout the world such as dark skies, record snowfalls, frozen rivers, and dead crops. Part of the inspiration for the novel, “Frankenstein,” by Mary Shelley was climate change and how this affected the environment as well as the world. We can see this same type of weather that was displayed during this time period in when the novel was written which is how we can relate this text to the topic of climate change. As this article describes the weather and environmental features that were displayed, it states, “The world was void, The populous and the powerful was a lump, seasonless, herbless, treeless, manless, a lump of death.”
Laurence, Rebecca. “Why Frankenstein is the story that defines our fears.” The BBC, BBC, 13 June 2018, www.bbc.com/culture/article/20180611-why-frankenstein-is-the-story-that-defined-our-fears. Accessed 4 Aug. 2021.“Frankenstein,” also known as “The Modern Prometheus,” tells the story of a young philosophy student who is determined to bring a creature alive, although when he completes this task he quickly regrets his creation. This novel falls into the genre category of both science and gothic fiction as we learn about the dangers of playing God as well as abandonment and rejection of a human creature. As this 2018 article states, “The novel has been used as an argument both for and against slavery and revolution, vivisection and the Empire, and as a dialogue between history and progress, religion and atheism.
Wysession, Michael. “Frankenstein Meets Climate Change: Monsters of Our Own Making.” The Common Reader, Common Reader, 26 Oct. 2018, commonreader.wustl.edu/c/frankenstein-meets-climate-change-monsters-of-our-own-making/. Accessed 4 Aug. 2021.The topic of climate change plays a huge role in Mary Shelley’s novel, “Frankenstein,” 18 year old, Mary Godwin took a vacation to Geneva with her soon to be husband and their friends. The group of writers decided to have a competition to see who could write the best horror story, which is when Mary wrote “Frankenstein.” The dark and gloomy weather they experienced while on their trip was a huge inspiration to her novel. During that time, a huge volcano had erupted which was the cause of the bad weather. Due to the eruption, climate changes occurred globally due to over 100 million tons of sulfate aerosols that were ejected. The article states, “The 1816 summer in New England was cold and severe, with widespread crop failures and snows in July and August, leading to the well-known label of “the year without a summer.” This was the inspiration for Mary Shelley to write “Frankenstein.”
Literary Analysis and Devices:
Genre:
The novel, “Frankenstein,” falls into the category of a few genres such as science fiction and gothic fiction. This novel can be considered gothic fiction due to its features of mystery, secrecy, and unsettling psychology as it tells the story of the monster created by Victor Frankenstein. Science fiction is seen as a genre in this novel, because it brings to life the idea of ways that science and technology can be progressed when used in different applications.
Literary Analysis:
The meteorological change that took place in the year of 1816, also known as “the year without a summer” influenced the novel, “Frankenstein,” by Mary Shelley. This period in time was full of dark skies, record snowfalls, rivers that were frozen, and dead crops. These features in nature can be seen throughout reading this novel. Shelley also used descriptive imagery alluding to this time period which stated, it was a “wet, ungenial summer” filled with “incessant rain.” Part of the inspiration in this novel came from the issue within nature, known as climate change. The impeccable weather that took place during this period in time, caused a 3-year meteorological catastrophe. This harsh weather, such as thunder, lightning, rain, and ice caps is seen throughout reading “Frankenstein.” Not only does this paint an image of scenery in the text, but it also creates a foreground of environmental problems as well as issues that arise in social, political, and economic conditions. As we read in the novel, Victor Frankenstein creates a monster whose birthday can resemble the early period in time that Paul Crutzen, a Dutch chemist, named the Anthropocene, also known as the geological age, where human activity became the leader of climate change. This brought to life the idea of the monster’s body which was able to be used as a simple source for many wrong endeavors seen in the environment such as, toxic sludge, costal erosion, land mines, chemical runoff, and extreme weather. This science fiction novel was inspired through the period in time where a disrupt environment took place through the change in global weather patterns, known as climate change.
During the time period, “A year without a summer,” the features in nature were very distinct. This image displays a scene from the novel showing gloomy weather through the dark skies that creates a stormy feel. As you can see above, the ships are turning on their sides creating a wicked, dark scene that is understood through reading the novel, “Frankenstein.”
Personification– Victor Frankenstein’s creature is an example of personification. His creature was made up of inanimate object and body parts that were once dead which shows personification by giving something that is nonhuman the characteristics of a real human.
Simile– “No one can conceive the variety of feelings which bore me onwards, like a hurricane, in the first enthusiasm of success…” (Chapter 4, page 44). This sentence used by Mary Shelley exhibits the use of a simile through comparing feelings to a hurricane with using the word “like.”
Imagery: Mary Shelley added a lot of imagery throughout her novel to allow her audience to imagine what Victor Frankenstein’s creature looked like. She described this creature as having thin yellow skin that exposed the internal parts of the monster, as well as describing the once lustrous black hair that now made this monster look scarier. Imagery allows readers to deepen their understanding of the literature they are reading. Mary Shelley allows her message she is portraying in her novel to make sense to her reader through using imagery.
Discussion Questions:
If you were in the shoes of Victor Frankenstein, after creating his creature, what would you have done differently? Would you have chosen to abandon the creature like Victor, or would you have chosen to take it in as your own?
Imagine you were given the chance to create any type of creature through the use of science and the environment around you. What would this creature look like? Would this creature have any special powers or ability to do things? How would you go about creating this creature?
After reading the novel Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, what do you think it means to be a monster? As you read throughout the novel, Victor Frankenstein created a monster who was released into the world. Victor did not like his creation and chose to abandon him. Why do you think he would have chosen to abandon his own creation? Do you think Victor Frankenstein is the true monster in the novel, or do you agree with Victor that his creation is the monster? Explain.
Summary: The poem starts off with Sylvia taking her cow home. Sylvia comes across an ornithologist hunting birds to “preserve” the species. The hunter and Sylvia return to the farm as the hunter increases his charm. The ornithologist, or hunter, only cares about finding the bird. The company of Sylvia is just an added bonus. However, Sylvia is not a pushover when it comes to spilling the beans on the Heron’s whereabouts. No matter the offer the hunter provides, Sylvia keeps her lips shut. The two go searching for the heron’s nest and Sylvia starts falling for the hunter. This is quite the predicament since she hates hunting the birds. In the end, Sylvia never reveals where the Heron is hidden. Jewett lived in a village in Boston with quite the social and literary life. After travelling to many different cities, she would always enjoy coming back to her peaceful village. Sylvia and Jewett share the common factor of finding enjoyment in nature from time to time. The hunter is a handsome man who tries to persuade Sylvia that a social life is what she needs. He offers rewards and explains the richness of a social life compared to the shallows of farmland and nature. However, Sylvia would not benefit from this man because she was not ready for a social life, nor did she love the idea of taking a life from nature to enrich her life.
Analysis: The author uses literary devices throughout the entirety of the piece. Not just once or twice either. Each passage has its own way of discussing the story that allows for good analysis of the poem. Some of the literary devices you may spot in the poem include personification, imagery, and a few others. Word choice, diction, and imagery play a huge role in this poem. The way she describes the heron in particular contributes largely to the usage of these three literary devices. “A queer tall white bird with soft feathers and long thin legs” (Jewett, Paragraph 1). The hunter describes the heron as more of an awkward trophy that is rare meanwhile this is not at all how Sylvia sees the great bird. “a white spot of him like a single floating feather comes up from the dead hemlock and grows larger, and rises” ( Jewett, Paragraph 2). Sylvia sees the bird as life rising from the dead hemlock. She proceeds to notice its call for its mate and many other features about the bird that make nature itself outweigh the social life the hunter was offering. The way the heron is described by each person not only shows the protagonist and antagonist, but it also shows the two views of nature we as humans have. We can see nature as a grand show of colors, textures, animals, plants, and just life as it flourishes, or we can see it as an object meant for use, entertainment, and selfish purposes.
Annotated Bibliography:
Jewett, Sarah. “A White Heron & Other Stories.” Jewett Texts. https://www.enotes.com/topics/white-heron (accessed August 4, 2021).
The Jewett Texts is just the text we used to access this poem. Near the bottom of the text, information regarding previous publication can be acquired. Overall, this source is just meant for citation purposes if a quote is used or if the whole poem is wished to be read. Anytime I refer to a scene in the poem can be easily found on this link since the poem knowledge I have obtained was accessed from here.
This source has a lot of useful information on it. It contains subjects regarding the author, the plot, characters, etc. You can read up on Sarah Orne Jewett’s life in Boston, her accomplishments, or her work on “The White Heron”. The site also contains information on criticism of the text, the historical context, themes, and style of the text.
Sarah Orne JEWETT’S “a White Heron”. NEH. (n.d.). https://edsitement.neh.gov/student-activities/sarah-orne-jewetts-white-heron.
This site is more proof regarding the accuracy of the information being distributed. This site is published and authorized by the government so I would hope that the information is justified. The subjects discussed in the post are for grade levels kindergarten through 5th grade, but the deeper analysis is pulled from the other two sources. This post discusses each passage with its own analysis. Then there are questions along with each passage. Just remember that these are meant for elementary levels, but the information is incredible.
Questions:
Note that Jewett uses an abundance of diction throughout the poem. Are there any particular sections that can prove the true intentions of Sylvia to the reader before we witness her choice not to show the heron to the hunter?
As we follow the hunter and Sylvia through the forest, there are a few glimpses of appreciation for nature provided by Sylvia. Can you please explain why Sylvia climbing a tree is a good example of the previous statement?
As I have previously mentioned, the use of imagery largely contributes to the story. Are there any parts in which Sylvia’s character can be symbolized using imagery? What about the hunter? Or even the heron?
