The Monkey Wrench Gang written by Edward Abbey in 1975 is one of his most noteworthy novels and deals with the issues relating to the use of sabotage tactics in protesting about environmental damages being inflicted in South West of America. The novel became very popular and created the idiom of monkey wrench in referring to the sabotage activities that damaged machines and led to violence in America in order to protect natural habitat and conserve forests and ecosystems. The book highlights the efforts of four characters; the river guide named Jack Mormon, a Vietnam War veteran named George Hayduke, a surgeon and his aide. Although all four do not always work together they represent an ostensible team that is committed to the prevention of the environment. They have a major objective in destroying the systems responsible for polluting and harming the eco systems. They sabotage bulldozers while they are not in use and attack trains in attempts to highlight the cause that they fight for, and in the process the law catches up with them. Their motives are aptly highlighted by the following narrative from the novel:
“The wilderness once offered men a plausible way of life….now it functions as a psychiatric refuge. Soon there will be no wilderness…Soon there will be no place to go. Then the madness becomes universal….and the universe goes mad.” (Abbey, 2000, pp. 63)
Abbey has used a third person account in the entire novel. This was perhaps necessary since it permitted the author to entirely delve into the thinking processes and characteristics of the characters. The emotions and actions in the novel could not have been effectively explained and the key relationships that are built in the novel would not have been possible without using the third person narratives.
The book has been admired for its description of the sophistication, down to earth humour and the precision with which a detailed account has been given of life away from densely populated areas. However from the perspective of the twenty first century, the team does not bear much resemblance to the depiction of the modern day environmentalists. They consume lot of red meat, possess fire arms, litter the countryside with rubbish and leftovers such as beer cans and left over food, and travel in luxury cars. The team of Abbey’s characters does not appear to portray any disapproval for liberalism and also harass and assault whites and Indians for indulging in consumerism. They appear to have little value for the Sierra Club which is a long standing environmental organization patronized by the masses for its efforts in preventing the environment.
The team of four views as enemies all those who favour the development of the American South West. They feel that the land has been desecrated, the air has been befouled and the sanctity of nature disturbed. Abbey is most disturbed about the revered goodness of the desert world being gradually destroyed by the developers. The monkey wrenchers are more focused on destroying the grand Glen Canyon Dam which is a massive structure that holds the waters of the gorgeous and rough Colorado River. One of the most remarkable scenes as narrated in the book is that of the character named Smith kneeling on top of the dam and praying for the dam to become the victim of an earthquake so that the plugged waters of the river can be freed.
Works Cited
Abbey Edward, The Monkey Wrench Gang, 2000, Harper Perennial Modern Classics.