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Essays on British and American writers using nature
Ecocriticism takes an earth-centered approach to literary studies
Literature through the lens of environment in ecocritism
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Authors have a good way of influencing people and their beliefs with the stories that they write. Many articles that I have read many article’s that have talked about the environment and the authors had a great way of trying to direct their reader's opinion. Have you heard of ecocriticism? Ecocriticism is the study of literature and the environment from an interdisciplinary point of view, where literature scholars analyze texts that illustrate environmental concerns and examine the various ways literature treats the subject of nature. Furthermore, there are three main ways that authors use to persuade their readers, such as the harm that people can cause, showing the good in what people can do, and telling a story about what could potentially …show more content…
Gene Stratton Porter wrote a book titled, “The Moths of The Limberlost,” and in it she wrote about moths and how they affected the environment. She uses these examples to show the beauty that nature had. “When my cameras were placed before the home of a pair of birds, the bushes parted to admit light, and clinging to them I found a creature, often having the bird's sweep of wing, of colour pale green with decorations of lavender and yellow or running the gamut from palest tans darkest browns, with markings, of pink or dozens of other irresistible combinations of colour, the feathered folk found a competitor that often outdistanced them in my affections, for I am captivated easily by colour, and beauty of form.” Gene Stratton Porter (1912) uses the tactic of telling stories about the good things that moths are and how much beauty they have towards the environment. Without the moths, the Limberlost would be plain and lifeless. “Repeatedly, I have gone through the entire life process, from mating newly emerged moths, the egg period, caterpillar life, with its complicated moults and changes, the spinning of the cocoons, the miraculous winter sleep, to the spring appearance; and with my cameras recorded each stage of development. Then on platinum paper, printed so lightly from these negatives as to give only an exact reproduction of forms, and with water colour medium copied each mark, line and colour gradation in most cases from the living moth at its prime. Never was the study of birds so interesting.” (Gene Statton Porter, 1912) Another tactic that she possess is that she gives facts and information, and she has stories that she has experienced herself to show truth to let the reader know that what she is saying is
The novel In The Times of the Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez, consists of a frame narrative told by the only Mirabal sister to survive the reign of Trujillo, Dede Mirabal. This story takes place in the Dominican Republic all the way back in 1938, leading up to the “present” time in 1994. At this time in the Dominican Republic, the country is being ruled by a man named Trujillo, and he is making their homeland an unsafe and horrible place. The Mirabal sisters’ participation in the political movement against Trujillo led to their murder on November 25, 1960. Their action was symbolized as a threat to Trujillo dictatorship, which eventually led to their death.The conclusion that can be taken to assume that the Mirabal sisters were murdered is Minerva
ImageText BoxImageOne of the biggest threats to the environment of Ontario is the Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar dispar). The species itself is native to Europe and Asia. How this affects us is by weakening trees across Ontario and North America. The first time the gypsy moth was found in Ontario was 1969. The gypsy moth can be found in southern Canada (Ontario), New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and British Columbia. It is known to weaken trees and the caterpillar form live in trees and during most outbreaks its caterpillar feces would fall from the trees to the ground or even on top of humans. The average Gypsy Caterpillar can grow 5-6 centimeters long. With five pairs of blue spots and six pairs of bright red dots on their back. The female moth are white and can fly on the other hand, the male moth are brown and can also fly. The female have a 5cm wing span but male have a 2.5cm wing span. The gypsy moth usually lives in open forests and other forests and take up at least 20% of the space. The Gypsy moth are about 4cm long, tan coloured and can be located on tree trunks, furniture, and buildings. (OFAH Invading Species Awareness Program, 2012)
“Forests are the worlds air-conditioning system the lungs of the planet and we are now on the verge of switching it off.”-Prince Charles. The study of literature and the environment from an interdisciplinary point of view, where literature scholars write about environmental concerns and use various ways literature subjects to put forth that movement. One of the ways authors get the point across is the quote “scare tactics” which the author negatively writes what is happening in nature. Like the famous Rachel Carson book The Silent spring. A good example of the storytelling outlook on nature is Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax, because using his younger target market to exerate what could happen if society continues with mistreating the world the readers live in. The last way the authors grips the market is by the old Gene Stratton Porter way. She told the world how she viewed natured and everyone was thrilled to a women that passionate about taking pictures of the moths that by reading the book the reader becomes more loving of the nature around you. My question is does ecocristism actually work? Do people think differently of nature when you read one these 3 books?
Early in the essay, she describes herself living alone with her two cats, and she, somehow, makes joke with them although it was not so sure how often she did that in a day. There we can see that she is solitary, yet has some sense of humor lies in herself. Revealing her living environment, that would signal the reader about the upcoming adventure of her with the moths. Some may question why Dillard chose Moths instead of other interesting bugs like a caterpillar or flies to relate to human life. Plus, she does not only explain how the moths dies, but also provides a vivid detail of them dying so that the reader to
Martinez, Elizabeth. “In The Time of the Butterflies.” The Progressive July 1995: 39+. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 2. 4 Dec 2013.
The environment has always been controversial topic. Global warming, fossil fuels, and climate change usually are the main topics, when talking about the environment. Many people feel strongly about the issues pertaining to the environment, while others seem not to care. Though some of the populace seems to not care about the environment, many people do not fully understand what is going on. Most of the population is not fully educated on the issues of the environment. While some people are, they are not sure what to do with what they know. If more people had knowledge and knew how to help, would they?
Viramontes, Helena. "The Moths." The Harper Anthology of Fiction. Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York: HarperCollins, 1991. 1239- 1242.
The short story “The Moths,” written by Helena Maria Viramontes, tells a story between a granddaughter and a grandmother who both share a symbolic connection between each other. The story is in a first person narrative, told by the author, and her experience taking care of her ill grandmother while facing gender and religious oppression in her own home. The author is very distant from her own family mainly because she does not meet the expectations that her parents have embedded for her. There is a motif of rebirth throughout the story told by the author by symbolizing the significance of the gray moths. The vivid imagery of moths in Helena Maria Viramontes’ short story “The Moths” symbolizes the connection between life and death.
Annie Dillard portrays her thoughts differently in her passage, incorporating a poetic sense that is carried through out the entire passage. Dillard describes the birds she is viewing as “transparent” and that they seem to be “whirling like smoke”. Already one could identify that Dillard’s passage has more of poetic feel over a scientific feel. This poetic feeling carries through the entire passage, displaying Dillard’s total awe of these birds. She also incorporates word choices such as “unravel” and that he birds seem to be “lengthening in curves” like a “loosened skein”. Dillard’s word choice implies that he is incorporating a theme of sewing. As she describes these birds she seems to be in awe and by using a comparison of sewing she is reaching deeper inside herself to create her emotions at the time.
As with most group projects, I started out with a basic understanding of the issue; essentially pollution and environmental changes humans make impact the environment in very bad ways. I grew up with a family who believes in intelligent design, young earth theory, and they all vehemently deny that anything humans do cause damage to the planet- everything reported in the news or by scientists are part of a larger “Liberal Democrat conspiracy.” Thus, my views had become largely hazy and even though I pride myself on being a Liberal, educated, intelligent young person, sometimes I was unsure what was actually true or what had been dramatized or exaggerated by scientists or the media to actually get people to pay attention. In addition, I also
Wordsworth and Hopkins both present the reader with a poem conveying the theme of nature. Nature in its variety be it from something as simple as streaked or multicolored skies, long fields and valleys, to things more complex like animals, are all gifts we take for granted. Some never realize the truth of what they are missing by keeping themselves indoors fixating on the loneliness and vacancy of their lives and not on what beauty currently surrounds them. Others tend to relate themselves more to the fact that these lovely gifts are from God and should be praised because of the way his gifts have uplifted our human spirit. Each writer gives us their own ideals as how to find and appreciate nature’s true gifts.
Even though they are very common bugs, the women investigate and make astute observations. Furthermore, Girten contends that seventeenth and eighteenth century women were often criticized and satirized for caring too much for little objects. Knowing this, Haywood plays on the idea when describing how the women of the Female Spectator’s society examine small insects. Girten states, “In the hands of Haywood, it becomes a tool of
The most obvious reason that the environment has moral significance is that damage to it affects humans. Supporters of a completely human-centered ethic claim that we should be concerned for the environment only as far as our actions would have a negative effect on other people. Nature has no intrinsic value; it is not good and desirable apart from its interaction with human beings. Destruction and pollution of the environment cannot be wrong unless it results in harm to other humans. This view has its roots in Western tradition, which declares that “human beings are the only morally important members of this world” (Singer p.268).
Although more people are aware of the impacts we have on our environment, there are still people that choose to ignore scientific evidence, or do not fully understand the consequences. Further education and research are critical components in an effort to become more sustainable. Fortunately, younger generations are learning about the need to address environmental issues so that changes can be made to ensure our way of life is sustainable.