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Article Summary by Emily K.
Arnold begins his essay by briefly describing Darwin’s theory of evolution, and argues that Darwin’s work influenced the work of many others, and led these others to the idea of “nature writing.” Arnold backs up this belief saying that, although Darwin’s writing is considered “science writing,” it can also be considered “nature writing” because Darwin claims nature to be the origin of human descent. Arnold continues this thought by going into greater depth and analyzing the different types of writing, and claiming that science writing and nature writing are one in the same.
Arnold begins to explore the deeper meaning of “nature writing” and says that Darwin’s “Origin” is the foundation of this genre. Arnold uses the example of Patrick Murphy’s definition of nature writing to support his claim that nature-writing texts from the twentieth century follow the example set by Darwin’s work. However, Arnold states that he disagrees only with the part of the Murphy’s definition that limits the sphere of “nature writing” to fall within non-fictional credentials. Arnold then continues his essay by discussing three pieces of work that he believes to follow the scheme of Darwin’s beliefs. His first literary example is Aldo Leopold’s, “A Sand County Almanac.” He explains that Leopold holds a Darwinian belief in his argument that the U.S. Forest Service Policy’s efforts to preserve wilderness areas for the sake of animal habitats is related to “biotic interrelations.” Arnold goes into further detail of how Leopold believes human technology to be harmful to the environment, and that this is a negative thing because land is “not merely soil [but]… a fountain of energy flowing through a circuit of soils, plants, and animals” (Arnold 15). Arnold also quotes Leopold, saying, that “species relations exist in a precarious balance that must not be upset by human cultural practices” (Arnold 15).
The second piece of work discussed by Arnold is David Quammen’s “The song of the Dodo,” where Arnold connects Quammen’s belief to a Darwinian theory in his argument that, within regional ecological systems, there should exist a diverse assortment of animals. This belief of Quammen’s can also be related to Darwin’s theory by the way in which Quammen takes an evolutionary perspective to a contemporary situation, by saying that, “ultimately, human survival depends upon the profusely diversified ecosystem that can only exist in large contiguous territories” (Arnold 16).
The last piece of work connected by Arnold, is Barry Lopez’s “Arctic Dreams.” In this example, both Lopez and Darwin state that they are awe struck by the wonder of nature, the extensive number of organisms that exist in nature, and by the “unseen laws that govern their natural processes” (Arnold 15). Arnold continues to explain this theory by going into detail of how Darwin gained his sense of awe through his research on evolution throughout geological time, while Lopez came across this similar wonderment through relating things which he found through the “short human history in the Arctic” (Arnold 19). This “awe,” which they shared over nature, led them to “minimize human importance” and enhance their Ecocentric view of the world.
In summary of his article, Arnold recaps the influence that Darwin’s work had, and continues to have, upon its readers, and mentions how Darwin’s work facilitated the enlightenment of many other literary works. Arnold also reveals that, he believes, a link, which connects nature writing and science writing, is the mystery involved in in the two; weather it be the mystery related to discovering human identity, or the desire to decrease ignorance. This essay is concluded by Arnold reinstating how nature writing is “an endless form most wonderful and most beautiful that has been, and is being, evolved” (Arnold 22), and how it can only be achieved through human experience and though interaction with nature.
