Leiningen Versus the Ants tells the tale of a wiry old planter, Leiningen, and his fight to protect his plantation and workers against an army of millions of deadly Brazilian ants. The protagonist, a man of strong constitution and a brilliantly sharp mind, demonstrates remarkable tenacity when placed up against his foe. Throughout the story, he shows traits that enable his resolution of the conflict, including stubbornness, intelligence, courage, and physical strength. Leiningen’s stubbornness is shown almost as soon as his character is introduced. When an unnamed Brazilian official comes to warn him of the danger ahead, he calmly announces that “...even a herd of saurians couldn’t drive me from this plantation of mine.” This attitude proves …show more content…
useful to him in the long run, as the battle between him and the ants drags on for several days. And as the situation grows more and more intense, his steely determination becomes increasingly clear to the reader. “...in its place was a cold and violent purpose. He would send these vermin back to the hell where they belonged, somehow, anyhow.” However, his persistence isn’t shown to its full capacity until the climax of his story. Leiningen, having dealt his final blow to the ants, staggers his way back to his men and safety, covered from head to toe with the deadly insects. Nearly overcome, he falls. “Then all at once he saw… the pampas stag. He couldn’t die like that! And something outside him seemed to drag him to his feet… He began to stagger forward again.” His persistence and refusal to be defeated is the driving force behind his success. Without it, he would have likely been overcome by the ants before the fight had even begun. Coupled with his intellect, Leiningen’s determination makes him a force to be reckoned with. Leiningen’s sheer brain power is emphasized as one of his main strengths throughout the story.
“...I use my intelligence, old man. With me, the brain isn’t a second blind gut.” The reader is informed that he “...had met and defeated drought, flood, plague and all other ‘acts of God’ which had come against him,” while his neighbors “made little or no resistance.” It would seem that Leiningen had proved himself capable of facing mother nature on numerous occasions, living by his motto “The human brain needs only to become fully aware of its powers to conquer even the elements.” Thus, “...he was sure he would prove more than a match for the ‘irresistible’ ants.” Leiningen’s wits are again demonstrated in the complete and entire trust that his workers place on him. As stated in the story, many of them were natives who knew the danger that the ants foretold. But, “...so great was the Indians’ trust in Leiningen, in Leiningen’s word, and in Leiningen’s wisdom, that they received his curt tidings… with the calmness with which they were given… The ants were indeed mighty, but not as mighty as the boss. Let them come!” And as if that were not enough, Leiningen’s brainpower is put to practice as soon as the enemy arrives. We see that he has set up not one, but two lines of defense. Both his ditch of water and his “wall of petrol” prove to be damaging to the army of ants, although they overcome both blockades by sheer number. Even though his plans appear to have failed, they are an …show more content…
example of his brilliant strategic planning. Nevertheless, the most impressive example of Leiningen’s intuition occurs when he is put under pressure. With both lines of defence gone, he finds himself and his men in a dire situation. Where most people would have panicked, he keeps his cool and forms a plan. “It might be possible to dam the great river completely, so that its waters would fill not only the water ditch but overflow into the entire gigantic ‘saucer’ of land in which lay the plantation.” However, Leiningen’s intellect alone wouldn’t be enough to carry out this drastic plan. In order for it to work, Leiningen needed courage. Fortunately, courage was another trait that he had in abundance.
Staring quite literally in the face of death, Leiningen remained calm and never once lost sight of his goal. In fact, the story informs the reader that he “...ate his supper with considerable appetite and went to bed. His slumbers were in no ways disturbed by the memory of the waiting, live, twenty square miles.” Indeed, near the beginning of the fight he even shows enjoyment at the excitement of it, feeling remorse at the thought that it would soon be over. “He had got quite a thrill out of the fight ─a pity it was already over.” Even though the ‘thrill’ lasted considerably longer than he would have liked it to, this admirable courage never wavered. Unluckily for him, the situation around him deteriorated rapidly. In fact, Leiningen’s grim prospects are compared to that of the unfortunate Macbeth’s. But, “Unlike the fey Scot, however, he did not lose his nerve; no witches had prophesied his doom, and if they had he would have slept just as soundly.” Even the idea of plunging directly into the swarm of ants seemed not to waver him in the slightest; instead he calmly told his men what to do and ran directly into the jaws of the
enemy. However, Leiningen’s courage, intelligence, and determination all wouldn’t have stood his final attack had it not been for his strength. Unlike the other three traits listed, Leiningen’s physical strength is not immediately obvious until the climax of the story. “A distance of nearly two miles lay between the ranch house and the weir–two miles of ants. Those two peons had managed only a fifth of that distance at the cost of their lives.” Leiningen’s peons were doubtlessly hired for physical labor. Thus, it is impossible that any one of them was out of shape. If they, with all their natural ability, were not able to make it one-fifth of the way there, it is incredible that Leiningen was able to accomplish what they could not with considerable speed, as is referenced in the next page. “Leiningen ran. He ran in long, equal strides… He dodged all trees and shrubs; except for the split seconds his soles touched the ground, the ants should have no opportunity to alight on him.” This impressive burst of athleticism is doesn’t waver when Leiningen reaches the weir “He started the wheel …the swarm covered his face. Leiningen strained like a madman…” Not only does this demonstrate Leiningen’s speed and strength, but it also shows an impressive amount of endurance. He was able to survive the two miles to the weir and then returned back alive, something that no other man could have done. This quality only adds to the admirable picture this story paints of Leiningen. Leiningen’s stubbornness, intelligence, courage, and strength are all key factors in enabling his resolution of the conflict. First, his stubbornness is shown at the introduction of his character and continues to be a factor throughout the rest of the story, as is demonstrated by his refusal to leave his plantation and his determination to defeat the ants. Second, his intelligence is displayed in his ability to think quickly and clearly under pressure, and is referenced numerous times during a direct characterization by the author. Third, his courage is evident in his willingness to put himself at a very high risk to save his workers and his plantation. Lastly, his physical strength is revealed in the climax, as he runs through two miles of ants to get to the weir. These qualities are what makes his defense possible, and they contribute heavily to the hero-like persona that gives life to Leiningen Versus the Ants.
Mary Cowhey’s Black Ants and Buddhists, explains how to implement a Multicultural Education into the primary grades. Her pedagogy encourages educators to take a step back from curriculum demands, and a step toward teaching children to think critically in the “organic happenings of life in the classroom” (Charney). This book is written in a memoir-like fashion to convey what a classroom looks like when students are encouraged to speak their mind, engage with their community, and learn through rich experiences.
The inspiring documentary film, E.O. Wilson—Of Ants and Men, showcases biologist Edward Osborne Wilson’s passion for preserving the biodiversity of our natural world. E.O. Wilson not only values the fascinating creatures (particularly ants) that he comes across during his research and in his daily life, but he also takes action and participates in the Gorongosa Restoration Project at Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique, Africa. The destruction of Gorongosa demonstrates the call for us—Homo sapiens—to realize how critical it is to concern ourselves with protecting the very ecosystems that have molded us into the complex species that we are; according to E.O. Wilson, “We adapted over millions of years to wild environments…We really need them” (CITE?). The better effort we make to understand that we are a part of this large, interdependent ecological community, the better equipped we become in not only being
Dave Matthews’ use of imagery throughout “Ants Marching” provides the reader with a sound understanding and interpretation of his overall message. To apply this rhetorical strategy, he incorporates several extended metaphors to life with which one can connect and acknowledge. The reader can identify an example of this tactic when Matthews opens with a quote stating, “He wakes up in the morning / Does his teeth, bite to eat, and he is rolling / Never changes a thing / The week ends, the week begins” (Matthews). On a surface level, this quote discusses a common occurrence for the protagonist of this song; however, on a more profound level, this text addresses Matthews’ leading intent: people need to take the chances they still have and escape
The deaths of Laertes and Hamlet in the final act are a juxtaposition of their respective characters. Throughout the play we are reminded of Hamlet’s egocentricism, but it is not until this final scene that we can reach this conclusion unequivocally.
This is the story of a man who could not make up his mind. "O wicked spite that ever I was born to set it right," Is a quote from Hamlet Even agreeing that he wished he did a lot of things way differently. Hamlet dies in the play because Laertes stabs him with the poisoned sword. Laertes stabs him because they are having
The production of new ideas spark momentum for thought, the fabrication of machinery paves the way for innovations, and the expansion of human connection has led to new forms of participation. Historically, eras have been defined by the highlights of its period: the Stone Age allowed the development of tools while the Gold Age refined methods already produced to be more efficient in their purposes. If these are the things that define these eras, what has defined the twenty first century? In the later parts of the twentieth century, new technology like computer software ignited the world in a way never seen before. People all around the world were given access to connect with one another through the click of a button, and from there, the possibilities
“Like most misery, it started with apparent happiness” (84). In the beginning, we are introduced to the narrator by the name of Death. He informs the readers that he has many stories, but only remembers the ones that interest him. The tale of Liesel Meminger is one such tale, as he was always fascinated by her will to live through the most horrible instances. It should be duly noted however, that this story does not have a happy ending. Death makes this clear before we even have a chance to get our hopes up. He tells us that everyone dies; the amount of time that they last is truly the only difference. After this sordid fact is in place, he mentions just Liesel first attracted his attention.
Macbeth’s capacity for suffering also leads him to be a tragic hero. Before the murder of Duncan, Macbeth has a personal moment of truth and thinks about what he is going to do. He imagines the dagger in his hand and thinks about the nightmares he will be invaded with. Macbeth is so obsessed with murder; he begins seeing things, and must be quiet and not wake anyone, for he would give himself away.
shift in mental thoughts. Laertes is taking his last breaths after Hamlet stabs him and Laertes
Leiningen makes several hard decisions in this short story. Every decision he makes is a reflection on his character. His workers on the plantation trust his decisions. Leiningen was faced with a choice to leave or stay on his plantation
In the last line of this poem, the narrator enters a state of complete detachment, almost as if indifference is the only way to cope with the boy’s death. Nothing can be built on nothing. The living have lives to lead, things to still “build on.” Macbeth did thesame. He turned to his pressing affairs after mourning his wife’s death for only a short moment. He knew that there was nothing that he could do to change what had already been done. In Macbeth’s soliloquy, he says that “life...struts and frets his hour upon the stage,” but this young boy had far less than his allotted hour. The boy’s death was a prime example of how death is completely unexpected. No one likes death, especially when it takes the life of an innocent child. Death cannot be predicted, and this poem proves the fact that it can strike at any time to any one.
‘We know why he killed it…The answer is very simple, Mr. Morgan. You killed it because you are a human being.’” (Fast 154) Fitzgerald, one of the characters from The Large Ant, clearly states that there is no given reason that Morgan, the narrator, killed the creature because he was human. This would imply that human beings have something with in them that make humans to act in this manner. Morgan later states “‘I saw it,’ I answered slowly, ‘and somehow I knew that I must kill it. I didn’t think or decide. I just grabbed the iron and hit it.’” (Fast 155) The narrator even claims to be oblivious to his actions even though he killed the creature. The narrator had subconsciously reacted in the moment, such as a human is to breathing, you do not think about breathing. It is a subconscious action, as was his decision to kill the creature. Basic human instincts invoked the murder of the
Throughout [good] literature, a vast array of environmental conflicts can be found. Let us take a look at “Leiningen Versus the Ants,” by Carl Stephenson. In this story, environmental conflicts are exceedingly prevalent. In fact, the entire story is built upon the “act of God” that Leiningen faces. A twenty square mile army of ants threatens Leiningen’s plantation and his life. The ants prove to be a formidable opponent, even for a man of such cunning as Leiningen. They represent the power and unpredictability of nature—a perfect example of an environmental conflict.
The state of sublime emotion into which we are elevated by those images of night and horror which Macbeth is made to utter, that solemn prelude with which he entertains the time till the bell shall strike which is to call him to murder Duncan, - when we no longer read it in a book, when we have given up that vantage-ground of abstraction which reading possesses over seing, and come to see a man in his bodily shape before our eyes actually preparing to commit a muder, if the acting be true and impressive as I have witnessed it in Mr. K's performance of that part, the painful anxiety about the act, the natural longing to prevent it while it yet seems unperpetrated, the too close pressing semblance of reality,give a pain and an uneasiness [.
Ants, Little but Mighty. What is an ant? Ants are insects, they have six legs and each leg has three joints. Ants legs are very strong.