Introduction
The current society is very concerned about the natural environment. Nature is under threat from various factors that affect it in one way or the other. The world is increasingly being globalized. Scientists are coming up with new strategies of approaching various issues within the society. Every aspect of life has been made easier. Communication has been enhanced through the invention of the telephones, the mass media, and the social media.
Transport is also enhanced. All these inventions come at a cost. The cost of the inventions is the environment degradation. Most of the technological inventions have great negative impact on the environment. The manufacturing firms emit great amount of poisonous gases at their plants that poses great danger to the environment (Boschman 78). The wastes from the machines and other gadgets made for use by human being poses even greater challenge to the nature.
This is has necessitated a lot of research from scholars who are concerned with the rate at which the environment is degraded. In literature, scholars have made an effort to fight for the environment. The scholars have used their literary weapons to defend the environment from pollution emanating from various manufacturing plants and various other sources.
They have made effort to put to focus, the magnitude of environmental degradation from various human activities. This is the focus of this book. Authors have come to realize the fact that the society is under constant threat of environmental disaster due to activities of humankind. The authors have realized that there is need to get a solution to the deteriorating environmental conditions. They note that the solution that is much sought for is in the hands of the society members.
Discussion
The Norton Anthology American Literature Seventh Edition Volume A is a collection of books that address various themes. The books come with various themes all expressing different concerns. An analysis of the themes presented in this book starts from the cover page.
The cover page of this book shows a beautiful neighborhood with beautiful vegetation. It shows a beautiful co-existence between man and nature. The woman is enjoying the shade of the tree while reading a book. The theme presented in this page is the beauty of nature presented to humankind when well protected.
The relationship between man and nature is symbiotic. It is a give and take relationship (Bendixen 121). When environment is given proper care by human being, it will offer a very attractive environment to the people. The girl under the tree is a demonstration of this. She is very much at peace with the environment around her. The house is just a few meters away, but she prefers to do her reading under a tree.
The author is clearly giving the tree a preference over the house. Under a normal circumstance, it would be expected that such a person would prefer reading within the house. This is because of the comfort that the furniture and the shade of the roof offer. However, the woman has considered it wise to use the tree. This demonstrates that the tree offers more comfort than the house.
The first story talks about the beginning of the world, and the flood that followed. The story tries to connect different theories that exist about the creation of humankind. The story brings various themes about the society.
One of the strongest themes that come out strongly in this first story is that nature is under the control of human being. According to this story, when the world was created, it was handed over to man to take care of it. He was given the authority to take care of the environment and all that existed in it. However, this was under the instruction that man had to use it with wisdom.
The flood that followed symbolized the punishment that would befall humankind if it fails to protect the environment as was expected. The flood consumed all but one family. The family had cared for the instruction given by the supreme God. The same consequence that people faced then when they failed to follow the commandments given is the same the current populace will face by failing to protect nature. The girl under the tree is enjoying the benefits of a protected environment.
The story of the flood is a clear demonstration of the wrath of nature. Nature can make a very good servant. When one goes to the river for water, or cuts a tree to make a piece of furniture, the process is very enjoyable (Ferraro 32). One would feel in full control. However, when water takes over power from man, in form of a flood as demonstrated in this story, then lives will be lost. People will suffer, and the magnitude can be so severe it may end the entire humanity.
The second story talks about Christopher Columbus, the great sailor that toured various continents in the world. The stories are given in the form of letters. In his letter to Luis deSantagel, this sailor talks about his first voyage. This letter is a description of the adventures at the sea.
The letter brings out how nature is while on the high seas. Nature is not just on land alone. It extends. It captures various others on the high seas, each with its role. While fish is a surety of good sustaining meal while at the high seas, sharks and snakes pose serious threat to the lives of people in the high seas.
The precaution that one needs to take while on land because of the dangers of nature is the same precaution one should take while on the high seas because of the same reason. In the letter to Ferdinand and Isabella, the author tries to explain the beauty of nature when left to take care of itself.
The beautiful plantations are spectacular, despite the fact that no one is taking care of them. It poses a challenge to the humanity. Nature is able to take care of itself. In the first story of this book, it was demonstrated that humankind was assigned the duty of taking care of the environment. It is paradoxical therefore, that nature can protect itself better than the protection offered by humankind (Brown 21). To be specific, nature is under threat from the very being that should be protecting it.
The story about the Coast of Pearl and the Island of Trinidad is another demonstration of the beauty of nature. The coastal regions form the best tourists’ attraction in every corner of the world. The coastal region in this story is no difference. When people visit the coastal regions for leisure, their driving force is always to get the best satisfaction that nature has to offer. This story clearly demonstrates that nature is beauty.
In the coastal regions, various forces make the environment spectacular. The breeze from the sea, especially during the afternoon hours is very soothing. The waves at the sea brought about by the movement of wind are spectacular (Baym 21). A visit at this coastal region generates maximum satisfaction. The Island of Trinidad is natural scenery that comes with a lot of satisfaction to the visitors. However, this nature can be very devastating.
This story demonstrates that nature is like a double-edged sword. It has the capacity to offer maximum pleasure to humanity. When individuals visit the beach during their leisure time, they are assured of a beautiful time at the high seas. However, when the storm finds one in the high seas, then life of such an individual can perish within a very short while. Such is nature, always having two sides, and ready to give either, depending on whether it is the master or the servant.
The story by Thomas Harriot and John Smith talks about Virginia as the new found land. This book’s main theme is the nature of people, and the relationship between human being and the environment. In this case, environment means all other living and non-living things on earth besides human being.
Human being, as a natural creation relates with the environment in two main ways. This first way is how the environment affects human being. Various environmental conditions will always affect human being in different ways. For instance, nature brings with it four seasons, especially in Europe and the US. During winter, the behavior of the natural environment will dictate the way human being will behave.
The environment will dictate the type of clothing, and even the food eaten during such conditions. The second way in which man and environment relate is when man affects the environment. Man does various activities that have direct impact on environment. They may be characterized as pro-environmental or anti-environmental activities (Boschman 78). Based on the characteristic of the action, the impact on the environment can be very attractive, or very devastating.
The above selected stories try to explain the origin of man and the relationship between man and nature. This book is very broad, and talks about other categories of stories, such as the trickster tales. All these stories revolve around nature and its relationship with human being.
Conclusion
The works of scientific researchers on the environment have come to overshadow the effort made by fiction writers about nature. Social scientists and natural scientist have conducted extensive research on various elements of nature and the relationship it has with humanity. Although this move is good, the effort of the fairy tale writers in defending nature should not be forgotten. The book ‘The North Anthology American Literature Seventh Edition Volume A’ is a clear demonstration f this.
This book clearly demonstrates what nature is, to human being. It is a deliberate attempt to bring nature alive to the readers. The cover page of this book is the best demonstration of what the entire book is all about, in simple graphics. The young girl under the tree is reading under a very peaceful environment brought about by the beauty of nature. Because the neighborhood has cared for the environment, the environment is giving it its best.
Works Cited
Baym, Nina. Norton Anthology of American Literature: Beginnings to 1820. Oxford: Bound, 2007. Print.
Bendixen, Alfred. A Companion to the American Short Story. Oxford: Blackwell, 2007. Print.
Boschman, Robert. In the Way of Nature: Ecology and Westward Expansion in the Poetry of Anne Bradstreet, Elizabeth Bishop and Amy Clampitt. New York: McFarland, 2009. Print.
Bross, Kristina. Early Native Literacies in New England: A Documentary and Critical Anthology. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 2008. Print.
Brown, Peter. A Companion to Medieval English Literature and Culture: C.1350 – C.1500. Chicester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009. Print.
Ferraro, Thomas. Ethnic Passages: Literary Immigrants in Twentieth-Century America. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1993. Print.