Edward Abbey Deforestation

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Deforestation is an emerging environmental problem regarding forest depletion and clearing. Many people show great concern for our rainforest and deforestation in general. A lot of people do not agree with the concept of deforestation. Throughout the years many people have protested against deforestation. One person who advocates to end deforestation is Edward Abbey in his essay “Eco Defense” published in 1995. Edward Abbey was an author and environmentalist advocate born in Indiana and lived from 1927-1989 he earned his master 's degree at university of New Mexico. Forests are required for the wellness of the wild animals, human being and the environment. Deforestation is ruining that. Edward Abbey uses strong language and pathos to effectively …show more content…

For instance in the first paragraph Abby compares the robbery of a home to the destruction of forests.“ If a stranger batters your door down with an axe and threatens your family and yourself with a deadly weapon… he is committing… a crime”. Abbey successfully elicits anger in the readers to strengthen his argument against deforestation. For instance, abbey talks about using tactics and strategy “if someone was home while the person was destroying their house then the homeowner would have the rights bear arm and shoot at him” (Abbey). The types of tactics the author uses to stop the loggers are to put nails in the tree, which is basically saying that anyone can bear arms and protect their home if someone were to attack it. In “Eco-Defense” Abbey writes, “With bulldozer, earth mover, chainsaw and dynamite the international timber, mining, and beef industries are invading our public lands—property of all Americans—Bashing their way into our forests, mountains, and rangelands and looting them for everything they can get away with.”(Abbey). Again Abbey is provoking emotional side of readers to get them thinking. Abbey compares home to the wilderness in order to relate to the readers and evoke emotion from them. The uses of pathos persuades the readers in Abbey’s …show more content…

Abbey informs readers about corruption and also persuades his readers to take action. His tone in the essay is harsh Abbey says “We owe it nothing but the taxation it exports from us under threats of seizure of property, imprisonment, or in some cases already, when resisted, a violent death by gunfire”. Throughout the essay Abbey is informative and persuasive on the defense of “home” and is evoking emotions from the readers. He defines Eco-Defense as “Fighting back” or “sabotage”. Abbey then is persuading the readers to take action illegally by “Spiking trees” that are going to be cut down. Although it is a little extreme Abbey is effective in persuading the audience to take action. There is only one earth, The facts are clear it 's not long before rainforests are destroyed. That is why it is justified when the “Next time you enter a forest scheduled for chainsaw massacre carry a hammer and some nails to spike the trees”. Citizens need to take action on the preservation of the wilderness if we want it to

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