The Crucible Essays (923 words) - Salem Witch Trials, The Crucible

The Crucible Essays (923 words) - Salem Witch Trials, The Crucible The Crucible The Crucible composed by Arthur Miller is a play that happens in the sixteen nineties during the well known however disastrous witch preliminaries. The whole network is in commotion yet certain characters are moreover battling interior clashes of their own. Mill operator utilizes three characters who show this interior fight obviously. For example, Mary Warren who entire character flips around, John Proctor who thinks about between the significance of his family and his own name and Reverend Sound who fights with himself wether to do his activity necessities or then again do what he knows is correct. Mary Warren is a young lady who is constrained with this internal strife all through this play. At the start of the play she is seen to be a bashful young lady who will never express her real thoughts as demonstrated when Proctor sends her home and she reacts with I'm simply returning home (21). As the play proceeds and as she is affected by Abigail, Mary starts to break this self prompted form and does what she needs. Mary Warren, alongside numerous different young ladies becomes involved with the promotion of getting all the consideration and practicing power by means of starting and unyieldingly proceeding these witch preliminaries. At long last John Proctor, the realist, shows that when individuals like Rebecca Nurse and Elizabeth Delegate who are the saintliest of individuals are blamed for being witches, something must not be right. Mary Warren has a troublesome choice to make. She has understood that her entire lifestyle has been founded on foul play. Nonetheless, how might she remove herself from Abigail and her companions, also her new sentiments of certainty. Mary chooses to revolt against Abigail and the others for their bogus allegations and said that she attempted to kill me various times(57). However as she does this gallant demonstration of defeating her old reality, Abigail imagines that Mary is additionally a witch utilizing the poppets against her(73). Mary is currently confronted with one more difficult inward clash: to do what she knows is correct and likely kick the bucket for it, or to come back to her old ways. Mary surrenders to Abigails spellbinding and blames John Delegate of compelling her to lie. Plainly the fight which Mary confronted from the earliest starting point was huge. John Proctor a rancher and town average citizen also is confronted with an internal unrest. He has submitted infidelity and had definitely no expectations of participating in the witch preliminaries except if hello there pregnant spouse were to likewise get included. After his significant other got included and in the end was set free because of the way that she was pregnant feels that he can't acknowledge this. Delegate is a decent and respectable man and as a result of this he accepts from the outset he can't be hanged and bite the dust a saint when he has this sin sprouting over him each waking second . John later says to Elizabeth that My trustworthiness is destitute, Elizabeth; I am nothing but bad man. Nothing's ruined by giving them this falsehood that were not spoiled long before(136) and rather admit then bite the dust for something he level out didn't do. Notwithstanding, as John admits, he can not permit Danforth to make it authoritatively reported. As Danforth asks him for what reason John answers with a cry on the grounds that it is my name. Since I can't have another in my life . . . How may I live without my name? Have given you my spirit; leave me my name(143). John feels firmly about having a decent name what's more, not biting the dust with a terrible one. Delegate weighs the two sides of his inside clash and understands that he should not commit another error. He along these lines, recommends himself to death, not for the wellbeing of his own, however Or maybe for the others. As John bites the dust Liz sobs saying He have his integrity now. God prohibit I take it away(145). Another inner clash is obvious in Reverend Hale who starts these issues. From the outset Reverend Hale makes certain about his conviction that there are witches and feels that he is completing the wants of G-D himself. However as the play proceeds onward and Hale sees all these legitimate and great individuals being condemned and executed he

Social Construction of Gender Essay -- Gender Socialization Sex Essays

Social Construction of Gender      Today’s society assumes a significant job in the development of sexual orientation. Sexual orientation is a kind of issue that has brought up numerous issues throughout the years in characterizing and discussing if both male and female are equivalent. Today sex is built in four distinct manners. The first way sexual orientation is characterized is by the family where a youngster is raised. Second is the general public where a youngster connects; makes companions and adversaries. The third is our educational system and our leading group of training. Also, the to wrap things up is our own reluctant. Every one of the over four different ways have a one of a kind method of trim and helping an individual characterize his/her sex.      Lets take the first in context. The family is a significant factor in characterizing our sex. Our sex begins to characterize when we are conceived. On the off chance that a kid is conceived in a family, the relatives would purchase toys like beast trucks, race vehicles, activity legend also, toys that motivate a male conduct. As restrict to if a young lady is conceived, the relatives would purchase dolls, and adorable dresses, and stuffed bears. They would rouse her to carry on delicate and kind like a female ought to carry on. Guardians would permit their children to remain out late what's more, be minimal progressively liberal on them. What's more, they would not permit their little girl to remain our late and be somewhat exacting. Fathers would anticipate that their children should help him in the carport or any other undertaking around the house and mothers anticipate that their little girls should help them in kitchen. These qualities are not strange or our of conventional, this has been the custom for several ears and to the extent I can see it will in any case continue as before.      Society is a social factors that has numerous manners by which its form an individual and characterizes his/her sexual orientation. Society incorporates your companions, coaches, adversaries, and our collaborators and noteworthy others. On the off chance that you are a kid you typically hand around with folks, playing football, b-ball and different games. A kid is relied upon to have â€Å"Machoness† inside him when he grows up. In the event that you are a young lady, you would as a rule stick around young ladies, playing indoor games, watching cleansers, and going out on the town to shop each now and them. A society anticipate that a kid should be the strong figure in a family. A man who can gain the bread for the family and ladies to deal with kids and the house. Occupations out in our general public characterizes sexual orientation. Men are generally assembly line laborers, electri... ...losing loved ones generally male and female develop their own job in their life.  â â â â      The finish of this exposition is that there are four prime factors that develop sexual orientation job in today’s society. They incorporate our family, society, instructive frameworks and reluctant. There are other social items that impact the sexual orientation inside these four classifications. For instance the thought that ladies are truly and more vulnerable then men and that they are substantially more passionate then men are. I figure nobody ought to be decided on what there sex. The word â€Å"Gender† ought to be utilized less and less and people ought to be decided on their achievement and work rather then sexual orientation. Society have been characterizing what's more, developing sexual orientation for a long time. Be that as it may, in twentieth century we should all develop sexual orientation not as indicated by what one can do and so forth, yet what mental characteristics they have. We ought to characterize men as gallant and eager. Male sexual orientation ought to be characterize as father, child, and a pioneer, rather than somebody who are genuinely more grounded then ladies. Female sexual orientation ought to be characterize as moms, sister and other people who are mindful, cherishing and care taking, rather than frail people.

An Examination of “Intimate Revenge” in Seamus Heaney’s “Punishment” - Literature Essay Samples

The poem â€Å"Punishment† by Seamus Heaney was written in 1975 as a part of the anthology North. It is a part of Heaney’s bog series, in which he describes the Irish bogland, and the different artifacts and remains that have been found within the Northern European bogs. In these poems, the bog imagery is metaphoric of Heaney’s Irish homeland, specifically Northern Ireland. Written during the bloodiest year of the Irish Troubles, â€Å"Punishment† delves deeper into this metaphor to examine relations during the time period. In â€Å"Punishment,† the poetic persona observes the body of a bog woman, the Windeby Girl. She has a noose around her neck, and as he looks at her corpse he imagines the context in which she was hanged. Throughout this first section of the poem, Heaney creates a very empathetic tone through the persona’s description of the woman and the circumstances surrounding her death. Toward the end of the poem, the persona admits t hat some part of him does not regret her execution, and almost condones it. In â€Å"Punishment,† Heaney uses contrasting images of the bog woman and metaphor of the Irish Troubles to create tension and explore the internal conflict between empathy and revenge. Heaney begins to develop an empathetic tone from the very first beginning of â€Å"Punishment.† The first three lines read: â€Å"I can feel the tug / of the halter at the nape / of her neck.† Immediately, the word tug pulls the reader into the persona’s experience. Heaney’s wonderful use of enjambment in this first stanza also leads to the creation of rousing interest. These features work together to draw the reader into the story of the bog woman simply from the initial image of her. Heaney continues to establish empathy through the persona’s continued imagery. The persona uses very vivid visual analogies to draw attention to the young age and unfortunate situation of the bog girl. In lines 7-8, the wind â€Å"shakes the frail rigging / of her ribs.† The word frail highlights her weakness and vulnerability. The persona can see her ribs. She is completely exposed. In this, Heaney establishes physical infirmity. Until the fourth stanza, the reader has no perception of age. In line 14, the persona calls her a â€Å"barked sapling.† A sapling is a young, weak tree. Barking is a practice in which a row of bark is stripped from a tree, inevitably killing it. Combined, these two simple terms create an incredibly evocative image of nature slaughtered by man. They suggest to the reader that this girl’s death is an act against nature and is inherently wrong. The persona continues to describe her in this manner, until line 20. Perhaps one of the most puzzling lines in â€Å"Punishment,† it refers to the noose around her neck. The persona compares it to â€Å"a ring / to store / the memories of love† (20-22). A noose generally brings about a negative connotation. However in this context, it is presented with a somewhat ironic and nostalgic tone. At its most basic purpose, the metaphor is alluding to the revelation in the next line. Yet, at a deeper level, the line could represent the persona’s understanding and justification of the bog girl’s crime. This appreciation is further exemplified by the persona’s personal connection to the girl. Heaney’s use of apostrophe creates an especially strong sense of empathy in â€Å"Punishment.† The persona directly addresses the exhibited woman as a â€Å"little adulteress† (23). Once again, the persona draws attention literally to her youth and paltry size through the use of little. However, this is also a term of endearment, as one would call his or her own child, further codifying the connection the persona feels with the bog woman. In this line, the reader is informed for the first time of the reason for the girl’s death. She committed a crime and she suffered the punishment. In the subsequent lines, the images transition from frailty in death to beauty in life. The persona describes her â€Å"tar-black face† as once being â€Å"beautiful† (27). This stark contrast highlights the tension of her life and death and demonstrates the empathy the persona feels for the girl. The final definitive sympathy the reader observes is in line 28, as the persona addresses the girl as â€Å"my poor scapegoat.† The possessive adjective my demonstrates the empathy the persona experiences, and the line as a whole shows a great display of sympathy. The implication of the word scapegoat is that she was punished so that others would not be. She is an example, even though the persona recognizes the unfairness of her situation. In the next stanzas, the persona begins to reveal his personal cowardice and sin. The most poignantly ashamed lines come directly after vehemently expressed empathy. The persona directly addresses the bog girl for the final time: â€Å"I almost love you / but would have cast, I know, / the stones of silence† (29-31). The images that have been developing empathy and endearment from the first line suddenly dissolve as the persona’s sympathy is proven insufficient. Despite his convictions, he does not feel strongly enough to speak out against his peers and save her. If he does, he cannot bring himself to do so for the simplest reason. Some part of him understands why she is killed, and agrees with the punishment. In the poem, the persona compares the punishment of the bog girl to the punishment of Catholic girls during the Irish Troubles. During this time, cruel punishments for seemingly minor offenses were not uncommon. The Troubles were a conflict between Irish Catholics and British Protestants. In this poem, Heaney specifically references the penalty for fraternization between these two groups. If a Catholic girl was discovered associating with a British soldier, she was â€Å"cauled in tar,† and shamed publicly (39). This is comparative to a hanging for adultery as public degradation. She is made an example, just as the bog girl is made an example. The metaphor extends not only to the literal â€Å"punishment,† but also to the emotional conflict the persona experiences. He is the â€Å"artful voyeur† of a murdered girl (32). This demonstrates a sense of guilt as he witnesses the atrocity in front of him, yet he only watches. Equally, he has â€Å"stood dumb† as he has watched his own people being punished by his own people (37). He â€Å"would connive in civilized outrage,† yet do nothing to stop the act. It is through these contradictions that the persona’s internal conflict is revealed. The persona can â€Å"understand the exact / and tribal, intimate revenge,† yet also feel boundless empathy for those punished (43-44). It is through this conflict that Heaney looks at relations during the Irish Troubles. As a prominent figure in the Catholic minority, Seamus Heaney was often called upon to make political statements in his poetry. â€Å"Punishment† exemplifies betrayal, not between the two sides, but within one. It is not degrading the Protestants, nor is it a rallying cry for the Catholics. Instead, Heaney examines revenge, empathy, and betrayal at their core. Throughout the majority of the poem, the images of the bog woman create a great feeling of empathy. Yet, it is also understood that the persona would have done nothing to save her. She executed an â€Å"intimate† betrayal, and thus deserved an â€Å"intimate revenge† (44). The allusion to Catholics during the Troubles presents an especially personal connection for Heaney. In the intense emotion of innermost betrayal, moral convictions may be set aside for the satisfaction of revenge. â€Å"Punishment† examines the ethical dilemma faced both by Catholics during the Troubles and by any person in a situ ation of war, either personal or intercontinental. The resolution Heaney reaches is uncomfortable. The persona stands in silence and accepts the violence, despite empathy for the victim. The readers discomfort comes in the understanding of why he does so. It is the question of love over hate, of peace over war, one each person must answer individually. Though Heaney rarely added fuel to the political fire of the Irish Troubles, perhaps through this poem he is asking whether this struggle is worth the pain it created.

Erectile Dysfunction Causes, Effects, And A Focus On...

Erectile Dysfunction: Causes, Effects, and a Focus on Treatments â€Å"Sex.† The media portrays sex to be easy, problem-less, and enjoyable all the time. Although this may be the case for some, for others, sex can be a serious struggle. Research shows that sexual dysfunction is common with 43% of women and 31% of men (DiMeo, 2006). In addition, around 10% of men aged 40 to 70 years old have complete erectile dysfunction, yet very few seek medical help (O’Leary, Barada, Costabile, 1996). Sexual dysfunction refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual or couple from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual activity. The sexual response cycle has four phases: excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution. Sexual function is a very important part of one’s sexuality. Sex may be only one component of one’s life but it can affect many other facets of life, including confidence, identity, life satisfaction, and health. In addition, sexual dysfunction is frequently associ ated with a number of systemic illnesses and surgical treatments, thus it is important to address sexual dysfunctions. Sexual dysfunction is a topic that many people are hesitant and embarrassed to discuss (Barnes, 1991). Fortunately, most cases of sexual dysfunction are treatable, which is why it is important for people to share their concerns with their partner(s) and doctor(s). The three most common sexual dysfunctions for men are low desire (libido),Show MoreRelatedErectile Dysfunction And The Elderly Population1757 Words   |  8 PagesErectile Dysfunction, according to the American Sexual Health Association, is the inability to maintain an erection that is suitable for intercourse. It is a condition that can affect men of any age. Even though erectile dysfunction can affect men of all ages, it is most prevalent in the elderly population. 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For example, pharmaceutical apply against erectile dysfunction (ED) in patients

Developing Multicultural Counseling Competence A Systems...

Thread: Hays and Erford (2014), in describing the U.S. Class Structure (p. 165, chapter 7), mention these: upper, upper middle, lower middle, working, and lower. Narrow this. While considering concomitant issues related to classism, discuss the unique counseling challenges associated with each group. Support your assertions. Submit your thread by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Thursday of Module/Week 2. Submit your replies by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Sunday of Module/Week 2. Hays, D. G., Erford, B. T. (2014). Developing multicultural counseling competence: A systems approach (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Pearson. In counseling there are many factors to consider. The United States is one of the wealthiest nations in the world. The main problem is the distribution of the wealth is not always so equal. This discussion board will look at the distinct counseling challenges uncovered while with dealing with people in to upper, middle, working, and lower socio economic group in the United States. 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Modernism vs Postmodernism Essay Example For Students

Modernism vs Postmodernism Essay This question highlights one of the themes central to the account of modem art offered in this course: the tension between the theoretical perspectives of, on the one hand, Modernist criticism and, on the other, an approach focused on the relationship of the art of any given period to its social, political and historical context. The two quotations given above may be interpreted as representing these polarities. It would be an oversimplification to suggest that to accept a Modernist account of modem art must imply rejection of a socio-historical view, or vice-versa the discussion between TJ Clark and Michael Fried about Pollock TV21 suggests that there is room for negotiation, if not for compromise. It is, however, arguable that a definition of postmodernism should take into consideration both the close interrelationship between Modernist criticism and mid-twentieth century abstract art, which together constituted the dominant hegemony in art from the late 1940s to the early 1960s and hence the artistic context against which postmodernism in the visual arts evolved, and the social, historical and political context within which art characterised as postmodern has developed. It seems reasonable, therefore, to start by attempting to clarify the critical positions represented by Greenberg and Burgin. Greenberg, in Modernist Painting 1961 and other writings, sets the development of modem art, specifically painting, in the context of the ideas of the Enlightenment philosopher Kant, who used logic to establish the limits of logic Art in Theory p. 755. Kant thereby established a precedent for using the techniques of a particular medium to define and refine that medium, a process referred to by Greenberg as self-criticism. This implies that painting, rather than using art to conceal art ibid by creating illusionistic space and depth, should rather use art to call attention to art ibid, that is, to emphasise the unique characteristics of the medium; the flat surface, the shape of the support, the properties of pigment ibid. Greenberg states that such a process would render art pure, that is, autonomous, free of any extraneous elements deriving from other arts, such as theatricality or narrative. The impact of a painting should thus derive from those technical aspects characteristic of painting, such as colour, form and composition. An example of the sort of painting Greenberg was advocating at the time may clarify this. Morris Louiss painting Alpha-Phi pl. D10 is exactly contemporary with the publication of Modernist Painting. It consists of bold, ragged, diagonal streaks of pure colour against an off-white ground; Louiss use of acrylic paints, which soak into the canvas, means that the colours appear integrated with the ground and hence do not disrupt the flatness of the picture plane. Its effect depends upon the arrangement of colours and the large scale of the painting which makes it occupy so much of ones visual field that it loses its character as a discrete tactile object and thereby become that much more purely a picture, a strictly visual entity Greenberg, Louis and Noland, p. 28. It is apparently devoid of references to anything other than the intrinsic qualities of forms and colours. Louiss painting, and the contemporary work of Kenneth Noland e. g. Bloom, pl 141 and Jules Olitski e. g. Twice Disarmed pl. D11 were seen by Greenberg as being how paintings should look if they are to continue the intelligible continuity of taste and tradition Art in Theory p. 760 and offer the viewer a sufficient degree of aesthetic power Modernism in Dispute p. 173 in the 1960s. Burgin, however, sees Greenbergs approach and hence, by implication, paintings such as Alpha-Phi, as the terminal point of historical trajectory. It is arguable that paintings such as those of Louis represent a point beyond which art could not be further refined, and must therefore be reassessed or stagnate. Furthermore, in the context of the major social and political upheavals of the late 1960s and thereafter, such work might appear increasingly irrelevant. From Burgins viewpoint, Greenbergs privileging of aesthetic and technical issues marginalises those types of art which can be validated by reference to their relationship with their historical context, to the way in which they represent their times. Thus Dada would be of little importance in a Greenbergian art history, but significant in the context of a history which opens onto history and which deals with representations. Art History Survey Class Syllabus EssayHis use of commodities as art is also interesting in relation to the commodification of Abstract Expressionist paintings, which were advocated as a sound financial investment in the early 1950s. The variety of work produced by Koons raises an issue not explicitly mentioned by Burgin, the eclecticism often associated with postmodernism. This, and its occasionally ephemeral nature as in the case of Puppy, made of flowers relates more closely to Jamesons sense of the postmodern as involving superficiality and deathlessness Art in Theory, p. 077. There are other issues relevant to postmodernism to which Burgin does not directly refer, such as: a critical approach to the exhibitions and museums system, which has lead to alternative ways of presenting works of art; a tendency to pastiche or parody of earlier works of art; and, in some instances, the necessity of active involvement by the viewer. While Burgins statement does not emphasise these point s, they are illustrated by his own work. What does Possession mean to you pl. 189 uses a glossy advertising-style photograph which is placed in the context of a caption about the ownership of wealth to put a different, socio-political perspective on the image, calling into question issues of gender dominance and property ownership and thus critiquing social norms. It was exhibited not as a single artwork in a gallery, but in a set of 500 copies posted in the streets of the centre of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The replication of the image and its display on the streets can be seen as critical both of the idea of the importance of orginality and of the exhibitions and museums system. A decoupling of art from the established methods of presenting it to the public seems to be characteristic of postmodernism, and is also exemplified by developments such as the Land Art of Richard Long and Robert Smithson, and the public projections of Krystof Wodiczko. These images, for instance his projection of hands holding prison bars onto a courthouse pl. D71, function, like Burgins poster, as socio-political commentary and also share with it the ephemeral quality mentioned in relation to Koons. Work by Burgin such as Any moment previous to the present moment pl. 169, which consists of text from which the viewer/reader has to construct his/her own image, highlights both Burgins view of the importance of concepts in postmodernist art, and the tendency within postmodernist art to invite the viewer to sustained active participation in the work of art. This is in direct opposition to the passive contemplation advocated by Modernist critics such as Fried who, in Art and Objecthood, claims that good art should be instantaneously present. This idea of the importance of presentness is contradicted by the title of Burgins article, The absence of presence. Taking Burgins statement as a point of departure, it is possible to connect postmodern ideas to a diverse range of works of art, which are in turn associated with a series of contemporary concepts and concerns. While Burgin provides a means of distinguishing postmodernism from Modernism in art, there remains the problem of how to, or indeed whether, one ought to distinguish qualitatively between different postmodernist works. If social relevance is a characteristic of postmodernism, then degree or accuracy of social relevance may be used as an evaluative tool; however, as Harrison and Wood have pointed out see Modernism in Dispute, p. 240 radically critical work may become marginalised and lose its ability to challenge. Furthermore, if the main impact of a work depends on its contemporary relevance, it is likely to lose conceptual value with the passage of time; Haackes The Safety Net pl. D24 borrows its meaning from contemporary politics rather than conforming with Greenbergs idea of art as self-defining, and is hence now arguably of historic rather than artistic interest. The aesthetic of Greenbergian Modernism may never recover a dominant position within art history but, as Harrison and Wood have suggested, the contingency of the historical is only half the point of art.

Enjoyment of Working A Necessity Essay Example

Enjoyment of Working: A Necessity Essay There was a time when work was a factor that greatly contributed to the happiness and fulfillment of a person in his life.   Such was a time when great working relationships among people in the working place – whether it is a cozy corporate office or a noisy industrial plant – instilled in them the enthusiasm to look forward to each working day.   On top of the camaraderie among the workers, the purpose and daily meaning that they found in their work more than compensated for their unattractive payroll figures.  Ã‚     An article at New York Times written by Adam Cohen says, â€Å"The 1970’s were a slower age, and much of the workers’ pleasure in their jobs is related to the less demanding time clock.† (Internet)   Indeed, working during those years meant living life and enjoying each day, whether it is a working day or one’s day off from work.Working during those years afforded workers time for things that give them reasons to smil e while at work.   Cohen cited as examples how stewardess are required to spend time talking with the plane passengers and how a hospital worker can squeeze in his working schedule a visit to a patient who has nobody to visit him or to keep him company even just for a short while.   Having time for these small things makes people appreciate other people and appreciate life as a whole.   Workers during the earlier years also were proud of what they did and the roles they played in the course of doing their jobs.   Indeed, many would dismiss as insignificant the work of waitresses, bookbinders and gravediggers.   And yet, there are people in such jobs who see the significance of what they do and who, then, find meaning in attending to their tasks in their working places – tasks that they performed in their own unique styles. Their relatively small salaries notwithstanding, workers before appreciated the work given them and their jobs largely contributed to their self- knowledge and their sense of importance.The 21st century, though, brought in the â€Å"new ruthless economy†, (Cohen, Internet) which transformed workers into human machines who did their jobs and duties in exchange for their pay.   Cohen wrote, â€Å"High tech and new management styles put workers on what the author Simon Head calls ‘digital assembly lines’ with little room for creativity or independent thought.   As much as 4 percent of the work force is now employed in call centers, reading canned scripts and being supervised with methods known as ‘management by stress’.†Ã‚   (Cohen, Internet)   Jobs that have become available during the past years have significantly lessened the opportunities for employees to be creative and sociable people.   These days, everybody has become so busy at work; the pacing of transactions and movements has likewise become stressful.Thus, there came the years when the economy flourished and things have become hectic at work all over the nation.   The importance of personal relationships was set aside and almost everything then had to be translated to figures.   The decisions of management became foremost based on the bottom figures – whether each new issue represents profit or loss, additional income or expense – and even people were reduced into numbers and statistics.   A poem entitled, â€Å"The Unknown Citizen† ends as follows:   â€Å"Was he free?   Was he happy?   The question is absurd:   Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard.†Ã‚   (Auden, Internet)  Ã‚   The poem describes how persons can be treated as nothing but an addition to prevailing numbers representing various concerns of the society and how each person can leave no imprint of his life on earth except the contributions he made to the statistics prevailing during his lifetime.   It talks of life being bereft of relationships, passion, meaning and fulfi llment.   It actually projects life as being lived as though in a fish bowl – so limited and unexciting. The poem also projects people as mindless beings doing things in a mechanical manner characteristic of plain existence – people might as well be all robots.  Ã‚   Indeed, the present might resemble this sad picture painted by the poem, but things can be done so the needed changes would take effect.Looking at the prevailing trends and the empty, meaningless life that more and more people are living while they are in their workplaces, the question that next comes up is how America can reverse the ongoing drift and help see to the plight of the unhappily employed and unsatisfied members of the work force.   In the old days, there were workers who were dissatisfied only with the financial aspect of their jobs.   They were the teachers and other enthusiasts of their respective fields who would not trade their posts for any other but would be happier if they would be paid more for doing the things they did.   These days, the dissatisfaction is caused by both the inadequate compensation scheme in place and the general lack of enjoyment and happiness that people find in attending to their duties at work.   It is sad that millions â€Å"live in the shadow of prosperity, in the twilight between poverty and well-being.†Ã‚   (Shipler, Internet)   These are citizens for whom the American Dream is out of reach despite their willingness to work hard.   They live by the day, and they dare not look at their future which is totally unplanned for in terms of good health and financial security.   Many members of the American society belong to this caste.   They have meager means; thus, even minor setbacks like accidents can cause their entire life to be so badly affected.   The jobs they get are those so-called â€Å"dead-end† jobs, which hardly offer benefits or opportunities.   And so they take jobs simply because they cann ot afford to not take them – not taking the unattractive jobs available would mean not having food to eat and not being able to provide for their families.   They have become victims of necessity; in order to provide the basic needs of themselves and their families, they have embraced their careers without much thought of their personal satisfaction and dreams.Shipler has further written, â€Å"As a culture, the United States is not quite sure about the causes of poverty, and is therefore uncertain about the solutions.†Ã‚   In his book, Shipler has proposed that on top of the current assistance programs of the government that badly need some boost, some other steps in the right direction should as well be applied.   The society will have to do its part, while the government is hoped to implement procedures that will make life better for its constituents such as the adoption of an improved wage structure adopted, the creation of more vocational programs (in both the public and private sectors), the development of a fairer way to distribute school funding, and the sound implementation of a basic national health care plan (Shipler, Internet).Shipler does not believe that the government alone, nor any other single variable, can solve the problem.   Instead, other things will be to be as well put in place, beginning with the political will necessary for the creation of a relief system â€Å"that recognizes both the society’s obligation through government and business, and the individual’s obligation through labor and family† (Shipler, Internet).While these plans are in place and will take time to be realized, there are changes that can begin to happen now.   One big change would be in the way members of the working force of the nation generally view their jobs and what they think of the roles they play in the lives of other people.   â€Å"Work should be fun.†Ã‚   (Bakke, Internet)   Each workplace should be a h aven where â€Å"every person, from custodian to CEO, has the power to use his or her God-given talents free of needless corporate bureaucracy. A joy-filled workplace gives people the freedom to use their talents and skills for the benefit of society, without being crushed or controlled by autocratic supervisors. We defined fun to mean rewarding, exciting, creative and successful.†Ã‚   (Bakke, Internet)   Thus, Bakke hopes to lead the working people of today to regain the enthusiasm and love that people in the old days had for their work.   Despite the developments in the industrialized nation, Bakke attempts to make people see how much happier they would be by becoming like the workers during the later part of the 19th century.The machineries in place, the technologies handy and some practices have changed a lot, but some things much not change.   Even now, people still can see work as a fun thing to do.   It only requires a change in perspective and in one’s approach to work.  Ã‚   Similarly, some authors believe that if people would bring a playful attitude to their jobs and would think of work as a game, they will achieve more and find the same work more enjoyable.   There are specific ideas about â€Å"scheduling games at work, giving employees unexpected rewards, and treating employees better than customers.Even more useful, though, might be the general tips for stress reduction.   As an example of the rules given, people will have to learn to react to problems as water reacts:   it flows.   â€Å"If it gets blocked, it flows around the problem, but also gradually wears it down.   If it is dammed, it eventually finds a way over, under or though the problem.   So when all else fails, watch water flow.†   Ã‚  (Weinstein, Internet)   Some books advise that workers should learn to take themselves less seriously so as to more easily see the lighter side of things.   â€Å"Work works best when it’s regu larly infused with fun.   That makes people look forward to work – the way the aforementioned dog looks forward to jogging with its human pal – rather than dreading it.†Ã‚   (Weinstein, Internet)To start right, young people who are about to graduate and to get onboard the respective companies they have chosen should be provided ample of guidance and advice that will enable them to prepare better for the big leap that they are about to take.   Author Roberts has written:If you’re getting ready to graduate, the prospect of going out into the real world   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   and starting work can be daunting†¦Ã‚   The good news is that there are many   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   opportunities for graduates (and not just in conventional ‘jobs’); tried and tested   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ways of identifying what type of work you will enjoy; and proven strategies to   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   increase your chances of getting it.   The more you understand about the world of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   graduate employment, career choice and job hunting, the better prepared you will   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   be to carve out an individual and personal career for yourself, a career that you   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   will enjoy.   (Internet)Indeed, looking at the sad picture of the working class of today would make young people resolve to not end up like one of the disgruntled employees of various companies that they could see all around.   Problems of the society will be solved, and workers can do their part by solving their own issues regarding how they see their work and how they see themselves as engaged in such work.   Happiness and fun at work can be achieved; it is all a matter of seeing things differently and choosing not to be engulfed by the bureaucratic, impersonal and hectic systems of the companies today.Knowing that one must love and enjoy his work is the first step to take.Works CitedAuden, Wystan Hugh.   â€Å"The Unknown Citizen.†Ã‚   9 August 2008 http://www.cs.rice.edu/~ssiyer/minstrels/poems/386.html.Bakke, Dennis W. Joy at Work:   A Revolutionary Approach to Fun on the Job.   Seattle, WA:   PVG.   9 August 2008. http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0976268604/ref=sib_dp_ptu#reader-link.Cohen, Adam.   â€Å"Editorial Observer; What Studs Terkel’s ‘Working’ Says About W orker Malaise Today.†Ã‚   New York Times.   31 May 2004.   9 August 2008. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D01E2D71F3EF932A05756C0A9629C8B63Roberts, Leila.   After You Graduate:   Finding and Getting Work You Will Enjoy.   New York:   McGraw Hill Education, 2006. 9 August 2008.   http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/reader/0335217931/ref=sib_rdr_ex?ie=UTF8p=S00Bj=0#reader page.Shipler, David K. The Working Poor:   Invisible in America.   Vintage Publishing, 2005. 9 August 2008.   http://www.amazon.com/Working-Poor-Invisible-America/dp/0375408908.Weinstein, Matt W.   Work Like Your Dog:   Fifty Ways to Work Less, Play More and Earn More.   Random House Children’s Publishing, 1999.   9 August 2008.   http://www.amazon.com/Work-Like-Your-Dog_Fifty/dp/0375502416.For Further Reading and ResearchKozol, Jonathan.   Amazing Grace:   Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation.   New York:   Crown Publishers, Inc., 1995.   This b ook details the poverty that some castes in the New York society live in.   It depicts the disparity between the lives of the rich and the poor of the society.

Silent Spring Rachel Carson Essay Example

Silent Spring Rachel Carson Essay Example Silent Spring Rachel Carson Paper Silent Spring Rachel Carson Paper spring begins without the once-familiar sound of birdsong. Birds are disappearing from communities that once enjoyed seeing multitudes of migrating birds. Spraying against such things as Dutch elm disease and fire ants has destroyed birds by the thousands. Spraying for Dutch elm disease began in the 1950s, with the immediate and devastating result of the death of the robins and other birds that lived and nested in the elms. The birds were eating their usual diet of earthworms. The earthworms had, as usual, dined on the mulch of elm leaves that fell each autumn and the DDT used against the elm disease that would not wash off of the leaves. The DDT collected in the earthworms in high concentrations, so that when the robins ate the worms, the birds were killed. Robins that escaped death became sterile, so that they could not produce healthy young. Large numbers of deaths have occurred for 90 species of birds as a result of DDT spraying of elm trees. Mammals also feed on earthworms and may be affected, and thus also the owls which feed on the mammals. Owls and hawks have been found in convulsions or dead. Treetop birds have also died as a result of the elm spraying. The loss of so many kinds of birds is devastating, not only for people who love to see them, but for the more practical reason that the birds had previously provided natural insect control. The insects come back from the spray attacks, but the birds do not and then the insects are more numerous than before. Meanwhile, in areas of the country where natural controls of the elm disease have been undertaken, many more elms have been saved, without any destruction of bird and insect life. Another bird that has suffered extensive population reduction is the eagle. Several studies suggest that this is largely due to pollution of the eagles environment by DDT and other chemicals, which causes sterility and other devastating consequences. Studies on robins in areas previously sprayed with DDT have confirmed that DDT remains in the birds at least one generation after the spraying. Studies on the eagles Chapter 8 And No Birds Sing 27 suggest that contamination of fish, their main food, is killing them and preventing them from successfully reproducing healthy young. In England, the treatment of seeds with chemicals has resulted in widespread bird deaths. The seed-eating birds, which survived long enough to be eaten by foxes, then became poison to their predators, which also died terrible deaths. In the U. S. , the same problem has occurred with chemically treated rice; pheasants and waterfowl have been killed by eating the DDT-treated rice. In some cases, birds deemed pests are being targeted with chemicals directly, so that the bird losses because of chemicals include both accidental and intentional killings. Workers applying malathion have barely escaped death after becoming extremely ill. All these examples have resulted from the inattention of millions of people on whose behalf those in power have authorized these mass killings and poisonings. Chapter 8 And No Birds Sing Analysis Carson continues to raise the stakes as she piles on the evidence against the use of chemicals. Here she returns to the theme suggested by the books title, emphasizing the sudden silencing of so many birds. She introduces the idea that biodiversity is not only more interesting to look at but truly vital to life; part of the problem with the elm trees is that entire communities have been filled with nothing but elms, leading to mass devastation when a disease specific to those trees has invaded. She also briefly touches on some examples she will return to later in the book, such as fire ants. The theme of individual culpability by silent assent is underscored again at both the beginning and end of this chapter. Chapter 8 And No Birds Sing 28 Chapter 9 Rivers of Death Chapter 9 Rivers of Death Summary For many thousands of years, salmon have returned from the Atlantic each year and traveled up the rivers in which they were born to spawn and perpetuate their kind. In 1953 in the Miramichi River of New Brunswick, the salmon migration happened as usual. By spring 1954, these tiny fish, along with their older relatives of the previous years hatchings, were suddenly besieged by the Canadian governments widespread spraying program, which was meant to combat the spruce budworm. Along with all the insects and most of the birds in the millions of sprayed acres, the entire 1954 hatch of salmon died; five-sixths of the 1953 hatch died; and one-third of the 1952 hatch died. The budworm populations, on the other hand, continued to thrive. Repeated sprayings took place, despite evidence that spraying does not effectively combat budworm. Other places have also killed fish in their attempts to control forest insects. DDT may cause blindness in fish. Even if the fish survive the spraying, the virtual elimination of the insects that they feed on may kill them, or the fish may die some time after the spraying when they draw upon their fat stores for energy and release the DDT stored in their bodies. Efforts to coordinate sprayings to reduce fish mortality have been largely ineffective. Natural parasites can be much more effective at controlling budworm, and fish will not be killed. It is impossible that with such widespread application of chemicals to the land, no chemicals will make their way into waterways. Destruction of fish and fish habitats are great losses in themselves, but they are also a loss to the millions of Americans who enjoy sport fishing. Commercial fisheries will also be affected because poisoned fish are not a source of food, and reduced numbers of fish reduce the fishermens income and the amount of fish available as food. Numerous examples of fish kills across the U. S. are given. Many attempts to control fire ants have resulted in massive fish kills. Insecticides used against insects that feed on cotton have killed many fish in the South because of heavy rains following heavy application of Chapter 9 Rivers of Death 29 chemicals to the cotton fields. Farm ponds are particularly susceptible to poisoning because of their proximity to chemically treated fields. In some parts of the world, fish from farm ponds are a vital source of food for humans. Where large spills of chemicals have migrated into streams and rivers, the deadly effects have occurred hundreds of miles away because the water has carried the chemicals downstream and into the sea. Creatures other than fish have been killed in devastating numbers; one example is the fiddler crab, which plays a vital role as a source of food to numerous other creatures, as well as a scavenger, mud aerator, and source of bait for fishermen. Some chemicals can kill animals such as shrimp at nearly undetectable levels, even half of one part per billion. The ultimate effects of the pollution of virtually all of our waterways with chemicals, some of which are unknown because they are formed by the interaction of different substances, are unknown and unpredictable. If even a small fraction of the money spent developing increasingly toxic chemicals would be diverted to research on natural methods of environmental control, perhaps our waterways could be saved. Chapter 9 Rivers of Death Analysis As she did with the birds in the previous chapter, Carson uses numerous examples of fishery devastation to build her case. The examples are shocking and convincing. The reader is left to wonder how his drinking water and favorite swimming or boating location can possibly be safe, considering the havoc wreaked on the poor fish. Carson is piling on the devastating facts as she mounts a thorough attack against any further use of deadly chemicals upon the environment. Once again, she calls on her readers, the public, to educate themselves and demand action and conscience from the authorities who are poisoning the environment. She repeats her theme of alternatives to deadly chemicals. Chapter 9 Rivers of Death 30 Chapter 10 Indiscriminately from the Skies Chapter 10 Indiscriminately from the Skies Summary Carson recalls the World War II origin of widespread spraying of chemicals as a result of the new organic insecticides and a surplus of airplanes. Before the war, such chemicals had been handled with extreme caution, and now they were dropped from the sky, in many cases without warning to the people living below. This chapter details two examples of spraying campaigns that had widespread and devastating consequences. The first example is that of the gypsy moth. Despite successful natural controls of the moth in the northeast, a program of eradication of the moth by chemical spraying was begun in 1956. The program began with the spraying of nearly 1,000,000 acres. Despite complaints and strong opposition, the next years praying included 3,000,000 acres. Many of the areas sprayed were residential, despite the fact that the gypsy moth is strictly a forest insect. People and animals were sprayed directly. Milk from cows in and near sprayed areas was contaminated. Garden produce was ruined. Many lawsuits were pursued, and some were won by those whose produce, land, and livestock had been contaminated. The number of acres sprayed was severely reduced by 1961, but evidence showed that the gypsy moth had not been affected at all. In the South, a program was launched against fire ants. Despite the fact that the fire ant posed no real problem to anyone, other than as a minor annoyance, a massive program of eradication was begun, preceded by a program of government-disseminated information about the killer fire ant. Some 20 million acres were to be sprayed. The claims made by the U. S. government about the fire ant were later entirely discredited. The fire ant does not destroy crops; in fact, it is known to eat insects that do destroy crops. The fire ants mounds actually serve to aerate soil, Chapter 10 Indiscriminately from the Skies 31 nd despite government claims at the time, fire ants do not kill people or birds. Despite numerous protests from environmental experts, conservationists, and entomologists, the spraying program was begun in 1958. In many areas sprayed, almost every form of life was killed. Carson gives numerous specific examples from different areas where the spraying was done. Farm animals stopped producing healthy young. The prescribed precautions i ssued by the government are by no means adequate to protect people and animals from contamination by the deadly chemicals. The government ignored existing findings which showed the chemical used to be deadly. Heptachlor, one of the chemicals used, changes form once it enters the environment or an animal to become heptachlor epoxide, which is even more deadly than its original form. The states in the sprayed area began protesting the continuation of the program. In many areas, there are more fire ants than before the spraying began. Florida has abandoned broad eradication in favor of local control. Local control, which is 90 to 95 percent effective, costs $. 23 to $1. 00 per acre; the mass spraying costs about $3. 0 per acre, is terribly destructive, and does little to combat the fire ants. Chapter 10 Indiscriminately from the Skies Analysis Here Carson uses two of the most egregious examples of out-of-control government spraying to show the far-reaching consequences of such programs. In both cases, the pest in question was not controlled even after massive chemical attacks, whereas countless other creatu res were killed or sickened. This chapter concentrates on building up highly specific evidence and ends with a reminder that methods other than spraying millions of acres at a time are more effective and much more cost-effective. Carson leaves the moral conclusions to her readers this time instead letting the gruesome and appalling facts speak for themselves. Chapter 10 Indiscriminately from the Skies 32 Chapter 11 Beyond the Dreams of the Borgias Chapter 11 Beyond the Dreams of the Borgias Summary This chapter is titled Mass spraying is not the only source of chemical contamination of our world. Indeed, most peoples chemical exposure comes little by little, day by day, rather than all at once as a result of mass spraying. Most people have no idea what dangerous chemicals they are encountering in their daily lives. The insecticide aisle at the store is presented as innocuously as the rows of pickles and laundry detergents, and many poisons are even sold in glass containers which, if dropped, could expose people to highly toxic levels of deadly chemicals. Package warnings are printed in tiny type and have been found to be largely ignored by consumers. Household poisons include products such as insect sprays, insecticide-impregnated shelf paper, insect-repelling body lotions, insect-killing floor wax, bug-killing clothing applications, and electronic devices that emit odorless poisons into the air. Gardening poisons are available for every imaginable purpose, with increasingly easy-to-use devices available to apply the poisons to lawn and garden. One survey indicated that fewer than 15 percent of consumers were aware of the warnings printed on chemical packaging. Most consumers see only the pictures on the packages, which portray happy families romping on their chemically treated lawns. Chemical residues in food are another source of gradual buildup of lethal chemicals in human body tissues. Only the most remote locations (such as near the Arctic Circle) remain immune to chemical contamination. Because almost all foods contain some level of such chemicals as DDT, human exposure is enormous in the aggregate. Meats and foods derived from animal fats contain the largest amounts of these chemicals because the substances are fat-soluble. Fruits and vegetables are also contaminated, and washing does not remove the chemicals. Cooking does not destroy them. Chapter 11 Beyond the Dreams of the Borgias 33 The government establishes legal limits for chemical contamination, but these limits are meaningless; the safe residues in or on all the foods we eat quickly add up to unsafe levels as we eat the foods and the chemicals are stored in our bodies. Also, there is little enforcement, so the allowable levels are frequently exceeded, either intentionally, ignorantly, or accidentally. Only interstate commerce is regulated, and most states laws about chemical contamination are grossly inadequate so food grown and sold within a state may be highly contaminated. The total exposure of each person to the most dangerous chemicals cannot be measured, so safe levels in individual foods are truly meaningless. Also, some chemicals are released for general use before their effects are known. With government oversight severely limited, even going to a zero tolerance policy is meaningless because the force of inspectors is far too small. Public education and awareness must be increased, and less-toxic chemicals must be used in place of the highly toxic and deadly chemicals. Non-chemical methods of insect and weed control must be explored and put into wide use. Until that time, human beings live as if guests of the Borgias. Chapter 11 Beyond the Dreams of the Borgias Analysis Carsons two references to the Borgias a medieval Italian family whose members were known for their murdering, poisoning ways serve as thematic bookends for this chapter. Carson extends her previous call to action to consumers by providing evidence of the extreme ignorance with which most people use deadly chemicals. Having accumulated the disturbing facts about chemical contamination of the environment in previous chapters, here Carson oncentrates on the most basic human need food and the enormous and largely unknown threat chemicals pose to our food supply. As if the silencing of birds and the widespread destruction of wildlife and ecosystems has not served as enough of a wakeup call, here Carson begins to build her case by concentrating on the direct effects of the deadliest chemicals on human beings. She again concludes by reiterating the need to eliminate the u se of deadly chemicals altogether in favor of more natural controls. Chapter 11 Beyond the Dreams of the Borgias 34 Chapter 12 The Human Price Chapter 12 The Human Price Summary This chapter is titled Public health problems used to be caused by diseases such as smallpox, cholera, and plague. Infectious disease has been largely controlled through improved living conditions, better sanitation, and miraculous drugs, but now we have caused a new kind of public health crisis by introducing dangerous radiation and chemicals into our environment in huge quantities. The results of our actions in bombarding our planet with these unpredictable substances are equally unpredictable. Previous chapters have shown how pesticides have already drastically affected the water, soil, and food, as well as many species of wildlife and livestock and how pesticides affect people in both the short term and long term. Long-term effects are easy to ignore as long as they are invisible, but they are there nonetheless. Our individual bodies have a kind of ecology, just as the larger environment does. The effects of tiny amounts of chemicals on this minute ecology can be enormous. One changed molecule can affect the entire body system. It may be impossible to tell what is cause and what is effect because there may be years between the two. Chemicals that store themselves in fat may affect many processes in the body, right down to cellular function. The human liver filters many of the poisons to which we are exposed; over time, the liver may become damaged by these poisons from which it protects the body and thus become less capable of performing its function. Hepatitis and cirrhosis are increasingly common. The nervous system is highly susceptible to damage by the chlorinated hydrocarbons and the organic phosphates. Individual sensitivity to the various toxic chemicals is extremely variable, making the establishment of safe levels meaningless. Human beings are exposed to many different substances, some of which interact with each other in unpredictable ways, sometimes increasing their toxicity enormously. Carson gives a number of specific examples of drastic effects of chemicals on individuals nervous systems. The temporary elimination of some insects will continue to result in horrific and permanent Chapter 12 The Human Price 35 physical trauma, as long as we choose to use chemicals that directly affect the human nervous system. Chapter 12 The Human Price Analysis Once again Carson uses the technique of accumulating greatly detailed examples to make her point. Here she cites a number of instances of the severe effects of chemical poisoning on individuals, many of whom were permanently disabled by their exposure to allegedly safe substances. She begins by drawing the comparison between the ecology of the outside world and that of our individual bodies and pointing out that the intricacy of the planets ecosystems is at least matched and likely exceeded by the minute and largely mysterious intricacy of our bodies. In previous chapters she has convincingly portrayed the eventual doom of the earths various environments as a result of widespread chemical use; here she extends the reach of destruction to our very selves, and again points the finger back at humans for being the agents of that doom. Chapter 12 The Human Price 36 Chapter 13 Through a Narrow Window Chapter 13 Through a Narrow Window Summary The narrow window referred to in the chapter title is the tiniest structure in the human body. Seen from far away, it reveals only a sliver of light nothing more, but viewed at extremely close range, the smallest molecule reveals a whole universe of relationships and understanding of the incredibly intricate structure of the entire world not merely the organism that houses that molecule. Only recently has research revealed the indispensable function of cells in producing the energy required for life to continue. Without functioning cells, even our organs are useless, for cellular oxidation is the basis of all life function. Many of the chemicals we apply indiscriminately to our environment act to disrupt the vital cellular function that keeps us alive. This field of study is so new that those who were medically trained prior to 1950 may not be able to realize its extreme importance and the terrible hazards involved with widespread use of chemicals. Every cell in the body is involved in producing energy. Our cells are tiny chemical factories, taking in carbohydrate fuel and converting it in a complex process of many tiny steps into energy. Only since the 1950s have mitochondria, the minute structures within cells that do so much of the work, been understood and appreciated for their extreme importance. Mitochondria contain enzymes that accomplish the work of energy production. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the form of energy produced at each stage of the mitochondrial process; its ability to transfer energy from one place to another within the body is the secret to physical life. It is the currency of the life process. Without ATP, life would cease; essentially, organisms would burn themselves out because energy would be burned but not transferred, halting the cycle that keeps living things going. Chapter 13 Through a Narrow Window 37 Radiation and a number of chemicals easily serve to disrupt the energy-transferring process. There are a number of ways these substances can adversely affect the enzymes involved in the cycle of oxidation. An increase in such disasters as congenital deformities and the cessation of fertilized egg cell division has been noted, and as of 1961 the Office of Vital Statistics was conducting studies based on the increase in malformations at birth. The reproductive systems of all creatures are adversely affected by DDT and other chemicals, so that this drastic disruption of the universal currency of energy affects the capacity of all living things including humans to reproduce successfully. The problem is not merely one of reduced reproduction, but of possibly severe damage to our very genes. Our genes carry thousands of years of adaptation and evolution to us, so that in theory each successive generation is more successful than its predecessor. Chemicals that act upon our genes can cause sudden mutations, producing new and undesirable changes in subsequent generations. Cell division is the basic process of life creation for everything from amoebae to humans, but mutations as a result of the sudden influx of chemicals into our environment threaten this process that builds upon millennia of gradual adaptation to infinitesimal change. At the cellular level, life cannot cope with the onslaught of chemicals. Our understanding of chromosomes is extremely new from the perspective of the millions of years life has taken to reach the present, and our understanding of the effect of chemicals on chromosomes barely exists. Nevertheless, we bombard our environment with these chemicals; and now we are seeing the drastic effects they have on the most fundamental processes of all life. A number of examples are given of drastic mutation because of chemical exposure. Various chromosomal abnormalities discovered in humans are examined. We are now filling our environment with chemicals that have the power to alter our chromosomes and so alter the path of our genetic heritage, which is the result of millions or even billions of years of evolution. Chemical makers are not required to test their products for their effects on genetics, so they do not at our peril and the peril of future generations. Chapter 13 Through a Narrow Window Analysis Chapter 13 Through a Narrow Window 38 Carson again uses the technique of moving from a micro view to a macro view. She begins this chapter by focusing on the tiniest pieces of life, the cells and mitochondria and enzymes that function to keep energy flowing and life going. She builds upon previous chapters emphasis on the drastic effects of chemicals on living things, now explaining the intricate processes of the cells and microscopic biological factories that enable us and all creatures to live. Having explained the complex and finely tuned process, she then explains the drastic effects radiation and chemicals have on the process. Then she builds further upon that foundation, explaining the ewly understood function of chromosomes and the potentially dire effects of chemicals upon these building blocks of life. She ends this chapter as she has ended previous chapters, with a call to action that points out how we are only killing ourselves with our indiscriminate use of chemicals, but she builds upon this, too, by pointing out that damaging our chromosomes hurts not only us but also generations to come. Our irresponsible actions affect not only our present and future, but the very existence of humanity in the long term. Chapter 13 Through a Narrow Window 39 Chapter 14 One in Every Four Chapter 14 One in Every Four Summary Cancer has existed for so long that we do not know when it was first recognized. There are naturally occurring substances that cause cancer, such as radiation and arsenic. Life adapted to these threats, which are relatively few, but human beings alone among the planets creatures have the ability to create carcinogens, which cause cancer. Soot is one carcinogen. The industrial era has brought many more. Because life, including human life, adapts to environmental changes extremely slowly, the carcinogens that man has created relatively recently in the span of history can have drastic effects on humans, as well as other creatures. Only since 1775 has the connection between external agents and the existence of cancer been recognized, and it was not until the latter part of the nineteenth century that various cancers were traced to exposure to certain chemicals. There has been a huge increase in the incidence of malignancy, and in our awareness of it, in fewer than 200 years. The American Cancer Society estimates that two out of three families will be stricken with cancer. Only 25 years ago, cancer in children was rare; now more American children die from cancer than from any other disease. Animal experiment evidence has shown that as many as six of the pesticides Carson has been discussing are carcinogens. Others are thought to produce leukemia in humans. Still others may be indirect causes of malignancy. Arsenic is one cancer-causing substance. It has entered water supplies as a result of gold nd silver mining and has caused regional outbreaks of numerous disorders, including malignant tumors. The widespread use of arsenic compounds as pesticides begs the question of when more such regional outbreaks of arsenic-related cancers and other diseases will occur. Not only humans but other animals, from sheep and deer all the way down to bees, have been known to develop arsenical diseases. Chapter 14 One in Every Four 40 A chemical widely used to kill mites an d ticks was eventually shown to cause cancer, but meanwhile, many thousands of people and other creatures were exposed to it. Several years elapsed before the Food and Drug Administration instituted a zero-tolerance policy on the chemical; before then, residues of this known carcinogen were allowable in food. DDT and other chemicals have been shown to cause cancer, yet these substances are still in use (in 1962). Some of these chemicals take many years to produce cancer, so that what may seem a safe level is really a level that will, eventually, rather than immediately, kill those exposed to it. Unlike most cancers, Leukemia is a cancer that develops quickly. Since modern pesticides began to be used, the occurrence of leukemia has been increasing. Other cancers also have been shown to be the result of chemical exposure. Several examples are given of individuals who developed leukemia after direct exposure to pesticides. The mysterious origins of cancerous cells are explored. Cancer appears in many different forms, and it is assumed that there are many different causes. One theory, the Warburg theory, is discussed involving damaged cells that survive through fermentation rather than respiration. This theory accounts for many of the huge differences among different species experiences with cancer, such as variable cancer growth rates. It also may explain why repeated small exposures to chemicals may be more dangerous than one single blast. The latter might kill cells completely, while the former may damage them only to the point that they become cancer-creating cells. The standards Warburg established show that most pesticides are perfect carcinogens because they interfere with the process of oxidation so vital to continued cell health. Another theory of cancer involves damaged chromosomes. Again, chemicals can easily damage chromosomes and so contribute to cancer creation and growth, or chemicals may cause mutations, which then foster cancer growth. Many chemical pesticides cause chromosome doubling, which can cause major physical problems, including cancer. Certain chemicals are drawn to bone marrow, and thus are very likely to cause leukemia in people exposed to them. Children who are growing quickly provide ideal environments in which malignant cells can multiply. Chapter 14 One in Every Four 41 Cancer may be caused by a chemical indirectly. Some chemicals affect sex hormones, which in turn adversely affect the ability of the liver to resolve hormonal imbalances. This can lead to an excess of certain hormones, which at elevated levels will cause cancer. Even exposure to very low amounts of the chemicals may affect the livers ability to keep hormones in balance. Human beings are exposed to multiple chemicals that cause cancer. These exposures are uncontrolled. Exposure to certain substances may happen in many different ways, each one of which alone may be insufficient to cause harm; but in the aggregate result in cancer. Other substances may cause no harm until a person is exposed to both of them, so that their effects are combined, or one chemical may increase the danger of another substance even something apparently innocuous, such as laundry soap. Cancer may be caused in a two-step process involving exposure to radiation and later to a chemical. Public water supplies are now frequently contaminated with detergents, which alone are not carcinogenic but can increase the susceptibility of certain body tissues to chemicals that cause cancer. We live in a sea of carcinogens, and some people approach this dire situation with the fatalistic view that we should concentrate on finding a cure for cancer because it is inevitable many people will develop the disease in our contaminated environment, but the better approach is twofold: cure as well as prevention. Just as we conquered many infectious diseases by improving sanitation and producing miraculous drugs, we must conquer cancer by finding a cure and eliminating the environmental poisons that cause cancer. Medical experts believe that even if a cure were found, the rate of new cancers would far outstrip the rate of cured cancer patients. The good news is that humans have the ability to remove carcinogens from the environment, in contrast to a rampant infectious disease that humans did not introduce into the world. By eliminating most of the carcinogens from our environment, we could greatly reduce the one in four statistic of cancer affliction. The search for a cancer cure must continue for the sake of those who have already been exposed, in some cases over decades, to dangerous chemicals likely to cause cancer. For those not yet affected and for those not yet born, we can help prevent cancer by removing the substances that so clearly cause it. Chapter 14 One in Every Four 42 Chapter 14 One in Every Four Analysis Having developed the theme of chemical destruction to living cells in the previous chapter, Carson here elaborates by discussing the proven link between chemical exposure and cancer. For many people in 1962, this connection would have been relatively new because extremely dangerous chemicals were still being sold for household use as though they were innocuous to all but the targeted insects or unwanted plants. Once again, Carson uses extensive scientific evidence, including figures and quotes from medical experts, to build her case. She explains how chemicals are understood to cause cancer in cells again, relatively new information at the time. The major point of this chapter is that many cases of cancer could be avoided simply by eliminating many of the man-made carcinogens from the environment. Carson is again pointing out the obvious solution, which also happens to be the best moral choice: humans must stop poisoning themselves and the generations of the future. Chapter 14 One in Every Four 43 Chapter 15 Nature Fights Back Chapter 15 Nature Fights Back Summary Despite our efforts to control insect populations by mass application of new chemicals, the insects keep coming back. Insects are genetically adapting to the chemicals we use they are becoming resistant, but even worse than that, our chemical attacks on insects have weakened entire ecosystems, so that the natural enemies of the targeted insects are destroyed, along with the targets. This creates an ideal environment for the unwanted insects to reinfest an environment where their unfettered reproduction will not be challenged. Humans have been ignoring the powerful forces at work in the balance of nature and arrogantly asserting their dominance, which actually shifts the balance against them. Humans have overlooked two critical facts: first, nature provides the best ways to control insects; and second, a chemically weakened environment opens the door to explosive insect repopulation. Insects are controlled by limitations on the amount of food available to them and by other insects often an ongoing struggle for survival that is completely invisible to most humans. Our lack of understanding has contributed to our arrogant and grossly overzealous application of chemicals to the problem of insect control. If we worked at understanding the balance of nature, we could use its secrets to control unwanted insects without doing harm to our environment and ourselves. Some insects hunt others; some insects are parasites to others; some feast on aphids by the hundreds. Many insects are our friends, yet we have killed them along with the unwanted insects by broadcasting lethal chemicals across thousands of acres of insect habitat. The balance of nature has already turned against us and will continue to do so as long as we continue to kill the good along with the bad. Chemical battles against spider mites, red-banded leaf rollers, codling moths, and cotton-feeding insects have resulted in explosions in their populations. Likewise, chemical attacks on insects such as the fire ant and the Japanese beetle (see Chapters Chapter 15 Nature Fights Back 44 10 and 17) resulted in sharp increases in the crop-destroying enemies of those insects: the sugarcane borer and the corn borer. Trying to eliminate one destructive insect in these cases resulted in a huge increase in an even more destructive insect. Ironically, the extremely destructive corn borer is easily controlled by the introduction of its natural insect enemies which cannot survive intense chemical attack. In the 1870s in California, a scale insect highly destructive to the citrus crop was controlled by the introduction of vedalia beetles, a parasite of the scale insect. Then in the 1940s, chemicals began to be used for insect control in the citrus orchards, wiping out the vedalia in many areas. The scale insect quickly reasserted itself, and many expensive crops were destroyed. Similar examples are given of cases involving disease-bearing insects, in which the insects natural enemies were destroyed by manmade chemicals applied indiscriminately. Chemical companies give enormous amounts of money to universities to support further chemical research, but hardly any money is given for research on natural, biological controls. Natural controls do not provide the chance of making a fortune, but they are the only way the planet will survive in balance. A program of natural controls in Nova Scotia has proven that expensive chemicals are not necessary. Human beings must give up their arrogance and learn to work with nature rather than battling against it. Chapter 15 Nature Fights Back Analysis Here Carson returns to the theme of natural insect control, building upon it by pointing out how poorly chemical control has worked. Indeed, in many cases chemical control has resulted in renewed and even greater outbreaks of unwanted insects. Carson continues using the technique of piling fact upon fact and example upon example to build her case. She continues to add examples of the arrogance and apparent stupidity of those who apply huge amounts of chemicals with disastrous results even in some cases after natural controls have been instituted and used with great success for many decades. The chapter ends on a positive note, with a glowing example of natural insect control that has the added advantage of being much cheaper Chapter 15 Nature Fights Back 45 than chemical control. She again sounds the warning that humans must stop poisoning the world and instead must learn to work with the amazingly intricate checks and balances provided by nature. Chapter 15 Nature Fights Back 6 Chapter 16 The Rumblings of an Avalanche Chapter 16 The Rumblings of an Avalanche Summary As humans continue to subject the entire environment to intensive chemical spraying, weaker insects are being killed off, and stronger insects are becoming resistant to the chemicals. Earlier, pre-DDT-era chemicals had become ineffective against some insects; Car son cites several instances. Post DDT, insects began to become resistant to chemicals more quickly. Now people interested in combating disease-carrying insects are realizing the seriousness of the situation because insects carrying deadly diseases grow to be immune to chemicals. This chapters title comes from a quotation by a scientist who says the rapidly growing list of insects that have developed resistance to chemicals may be the early rumblings of what may become an avalanche in strength. Resistance can develop very quickly. Many insects carry infectious diseases that are deadly to humans: mosquitoes (malaria, yellow fever), houseflies (dysentery and eye diseases), lice (typhus), fleas (plague), tsetse flies (sleeping sickness), ticks (fevers), and many more. The use of chemicals to control these insects is no longer working, and indeed may have destroyed the natural forces that could be put to use in combating these disease carriers. The insects persist in developing resistance to each successive new chemical. A number of examples are provided of insects repeatedly developing resistance to multiple chemicals. In many cases the diseases the insects carry have regained a foothold because of the failed chemical control of the insects. In some cases, application of the chemicals has actually increased the population of the chemical-resistant insects. Many cases of chemical-resistant insects have cropped up in the U. S. , including the salt-marsh mosquito, house mosquito, wood tick (vector of spotted fever), brown dog tick, and German cockroach. Agricultural pest insects have also begun to develop Chapter 16 The Rumblings of an Avalanche 47 resistance to chemicals intended to control or eradicate them. It is unrealistic to expect to stay one chemical step ahead of the insects forever, yet that seems to be the approach of many in the chemical industry and farming. The development of chemical resistance is a perfect illustration of natural selection. The weak insects are killed while the tough insects survive and propagate, creating more insects with the tough characteristics. Scientists do not really know how insects develop resistance. Some develop resistance within a few months, while others take up to 6 years. Some people ask whether humans could develop resistance, but this is completely unrealistic; human generations last about 33 years, while several insect generations come and go within a month or so. Humans simply dont have time to wait hundreds or thousands of years until they are able to develop resistance. We must change our approach to the use of chemicals for attempted insect control. Chapter 16 The Rumblings of an Avalanche Analysis This chapter serves as the denouement or crucial turning point in Carsons carefully crafted argument: not only do chemicals harm the environment and human beings, but ultimately they do not even work against the insects they are intended to destroy. As in earlier chapters, she augments her argument with layers and layers of frightening facts. She pounds home the conclusion that the only outcome to greater and greater application of chemicals is total decimation of the planets life, and she quotes a Dutch scientist as a sort of voice in the wilderness, proclaiming the desperately needed switch from chemical to natural means of insect control. The quotation asserts that humans arrogance and ignorance will be their downfall, and that what is needed is patient cooperation with the powers of nature. Chapter 16 The Rumblings of an Avalanche 48 Chapter 17 The Other Road Chapter 17 The Other Road Summary In our use of ever-increasing levels of dangerous chemicals in our environment, we have been traveling a road that seems easy but will end in disaster. The other road of this chapters title is the path of non-chemical control of unwanted insects and plants. Only by this other road, the one less traveled by, can we ensure our planets survival. It is up to us to assert our right not to be poisoned. A huge variety of alternatives to the dangerous chemicals used ineffectively against insects is available. Whether they are already in use or in laboratory development or exist so far only in the imaginations of scientists, they are biological solutions based on the whole of nature and its intricate network of so many different kinds of life. It is becoming increasingly clear that insecticides are more harmful to humans than to the insects we have sought to control with these chemicals. One alternative method of insect control is sterilization, in which sterilized males of the species are introduced into the environment. When the sterilized males mate with females, the life cycle is interrupted, and a whole generation of insects is eliminated. Populations of pest insects such as the screw-worm have been wiped out with the method of disseminating large numbers of sterilized males. A number of other species are being tested for susceptibility to control by sterilization, in hopes that populations of disease-carrying insects, such as the tsetse fly, may be greatly reduced, thus improving healthful living conditions for thousands of humans and livestock. Experiments are being conducted to test various methods of insect sterilization, some of which are chemical. We must exercise extreme caution, however, because widespread use of these new chemicals might put us in even deeper trouble that we are already in. Chapter 17 The Other Road 49 Other biological means of insect control being studied include methods that use insects own processes such as venoms, attractants, and repellants against them. Scientists are studying the chemical makeup of these substances, as well as of insect hormones. One success story is the creation of an artificial gypsy moth male-to-female lure; the fake lure is used to bait traps that capture the males for census work. Such a false lure might also be used to control the moths population. Another possible way to control some insects is through manipulation of their extreme sensitivity to certain sounds. Still other biological means of insect control have been around for many years. These involve manipulating the diseases and infections to which insects are susceptible. As mentioned in previous chapters, the hunter-and-prey relationship between certain kinds of insects can be used against the undesirable insects. Similarly, bacteria and viruses and other microscopic creatures can be used to attack particular insects. A number of tests are being conducted on various crop-destroying insects around the world. Such methods are safe for humans because insect diseases are highly specific to insects; they are completely different from diseases that affect people. Since 1888, about 100 species of insect predators and parasites have been introduced and established in the U. S. to combat unwanted (often accidentally imported) insects. Only California has a formal program in biological control of insects; unfortunately, such research does not receive the monetary support that continues to be lavished on chemical research programs. Forests offer an incredible opportunity to cooperate with nature in controlling unwanted insects. Canada and Europe have gone much further than the U. S. in developing real forest hygiene practices, especially the strong support of birds through nesting box programs and the like. In Germany and Italy, red ants have been used very successfully to protect reforested areas. Spiders are a huge part of the work of a pioneer in the field of natural forest protection, Dr. Heinz Ruppertshofen. Incredible insect control can be achieved by maintaining an adequate spider population. Canada has used small mammals for similar purposes. A single shrew can eat up to 800 sawfly cocoons in one day. Chapter 17 The Other Road 50 The key is to be imaginative, creative, and cooperative with natures inherent balances. The use of poisons has failed terribly and continues to fail despite ever-increasing efforts to find new and better poisons. We must stop trying to beat nature with the club of man-made poisons and learn to work within the intricate structure of the earth. If we do not, we will destroy the earth and ourselves. Chapter 17 The Other Road Analysis Carson ends her book with a strong, positive call to action. She provides a spark of hope by providing details about numerous efforts at natural insect control that in many cases have succeeded beyond expectation, even where chemical application has failed miserably. She emphasizes the miraculously interwoven relationships among the thousands of species on the planet and the hope that we humans can give up our arrogance and brutality before it is too late. In contrast with the nightmare-fairytale described in the first chapter, with its once upon a time tone that suddenly twists into a macabre reality, this chapter provides a hopeful but realistic possibility for the future if only we listen and demand change. Chapter 17 The Other Road 51 Key Figures The Chemical Industry Because Carson refrains from naming particular corporations, the pesticide makers assume the monolithic shape of an evil empire in Silent Spring. Yet Carson does not preach at the industry . Yes, it develops hundreds of new deadly toxins a year, and, through disinformation and pressure on government agencies, it promotes their widest possible use the book is very clear about these things. But Carson seems to view such activity as natural to the commercial enterprise and wastes no time calling on pesticide producers to reform themselves. The Government The government is the other great villain in Carsons story, and though one might think it is the chemical industry that bears primary responsibility for what has occurred, she is much more critical of public servants. Her thinking seems to be that more is to be expected of government. In succumbing to political pressure and helping pesticide makers promote their products, she argues, government has lost sight of its raison detre (reason for being), protecting the public interest. Carson holds that instead of echoing industry disinformation and spending taxpayers money on reckless pest eradication programs, agencies like the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration ought to impose stricter controls on the development, sale, and use of dangerous chemicals and to fund more research. Nature An overview of key figures in Silent Spring that did not mention nature would be quite incomplete. In terms of the amount of attention that is devoted to them, plant and animals are the most important characters in the book, surpassing humans by a wide Key Figures 52 argin, who are the focus of just a few chapters. Still, despite the almost infinite variety of life forms that Carson mentions, there emerges a single image of nature that has a crucial function in Carsons case against pesticides: nature as a fabric of life in which all things are connected, from the smallest of soil microbes to human beings and other large mammals. If readers accept such a v iew, they must also agree with Carson that the sledgehammer-like approach of current pest control introducing large amounts of extremely toxic chemicals into the environment to eradicate a few species of insects is indefensible. What poisons one part of the fabric of life poisons the whole. The Public Along with wildlife, the public is a major concern in Silent Spring. The image the book projects of this collective entity is that of a victim of the chemical industry, betrayed by irresponsible public officials and exposed to toxic pesticides at every turn. As the terrible side effects of pesticides become clearer, the public begins to ask questions, demand answers, and insist on greater responsiveness from government agencies. The Visionaries The heroes of Silent Spring come from several walks of life: scientists laboring patiently in an often tedious and seriously underfunded area of research to determine the precise scope of the pesticide threat; birders and other amateur naturalists, whose careful observation of wildlife in the field yields essential information about the problem; activists driven by a deep concern for their communities and the natural environment to challenge industry and government to behave more responsibly; and philosophers, writers, and other thinkers who help citizens understand the cultural sources not just of the pesticide problem but of the whole range of trouble that modern civilization has stirred up with technology . What all of these individuals share is an uncommon power discernment. Simply recognizing the broad impact of pesticides on Nature 53 the environment and health is a significant achievement. What makes Carsons visionaries even more remarkable is their having probed this tricky problem with great precision in the face of widespread disinformation and obstruction. The Visionaries 54 Themes The Science of Pesticides One of the great insights of Silent Spring is its grasp of the pesticide problem as a compound one. On one hand, there are the intrinsic dangers of these chemicals: their capacity to disrupt basic biological processes, their persistence in the environment, and so forth. But Carson knew that the manner in which a dangerous substance is also crucial. To understand how compounds like DDT and malathion have come to threaten life on a global scale, one has to examine what has been done with them. Each of the major themes of Silent Spring belongs then to one of two lines of argument; the first concerns the raw toxicity of pesticides, the second the recklessness with which they have been employed. Along with atomic fallout, the synthetic pesticides that came into wide use after World War II are the most dangerous substances man has ever created. The heart of the problem, science has shown, is the pesticides unique capacity for disrupting critical biological processes like metabolism and cell division. Acute exposure can cause catastrophic systemic problems paralysis, immune deficiency, sterility, etc. and small doses repeated over time can lead to grave illnesses like cancer. Carson attributes this radically disruptive potential to the distinctive molecular structure of synthetic pesticides. Part carbon, they mimic the substances that are crucial to life (enzymes, hormones, etc. ) and so gain entrance to sensitive physiological systems. Once inside these vital systems, the elements to which the carbon is bound (chlorine and other deadly materials) wreak havoc on the organism. Two other properties that increase the hazard of pesticides are, first, the slow rate at which they break down and become less toxic, and, second, their tendency to accumulate in fat tissue. It is these characteristics that make even low-level exposure to pesticides so dangerous. A dose that is too small to cause immediate harm