The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill by Mark Bittner - Book Report/Review Example

? Order 539906 Topic: Focus on three or four of the most important parrots in the book, The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill by Mark Bittner The reasons for Mark Bittner’s (2005,p.4) bond with wildlife, that of parrots specifically, can be gauged by the beautiful and touching description he makes about some of them: “Sometimes they’d perch on the power lines, and for no apparent reason, scream like lunatics. They also like to hang upside down. Occasionally, I’d see two of them dangling side by side and shrieking hysterically while trying to bite each other in the face.” Such activities of the parrots must be a feast to the eyes of the beholder. Throughout the book we get to know how the parrots are desirous of making willing friendship with Mark, the man who cared about their welfare. About the attempt of one of the parrots trying to make friendship with him, he writes, “One of them, determined to get my attention, flaps his wings furiously, causing the thin branch he’s perched on to bounce up and down.”(p.1) The friendship blossoms and takes a new turn where service of the parrots becomes the way of life for Mark. He had cultivated such deep love for them, he owned up the responsibility of taking care of 4 parrots, which had problems with their body. He converted one of the rooms of the house, as the bird-hospital, boarding and lodging free for the four of the cherry-headed creatures whom Mark treated like winged angles. Mark seems to be nature-lover and wonders at the free life of the galaxy of parrots that he happens to watch every day. He feels incredible about the subtle arrangement of Nature for the protection of the parrots from the enemies as most of the bird-specie is part of the nature-ordained food-chain. He writes, “The bird’s (parrot) feathers and tree’s leaves were similar enough in color that when the birds perched on their inner branches, they were almost perfectly camouflaged.”(p.5) Some of the parrots that needed special attention and for which Mark was committed, were Cherry-Headed Conures Mingus, Andiyson(pet name Andi), Ginsberg, and Yosemite, that otherwise lived noisily in the midst of the Oasis pecan orchard. Mark discovered the beauty of his life in the living style of that unruly flock of wild parrots in the hills of San Francisco. They must have had the inner vision to gauge the latent tender feeling he had for them as they began to camp on his head, shoulders and arms without any fear. Four of the birds suffered from various ailments/physical deformities, and this was the test to the philanthropy of Mark. Ginsberg and other three suffered from Pigeon Paramyxovirus. The disease crippled them, resulting in neurological damage. Mark made separate arrangement for them. Mingus had a crippled leg and could not keep pace with the hectic activities and merriment of the parrot flock. The combination of the parrots and Mark was great and pre-destined! He lived amongst the parrots as if he lived amongst the benevolent groups of human beings. He lived like a hermit and won the trust of the parrots. Mark’s life was like the summing up of several shattered career dreams; he failed to find success anywhere, until his destiny brought him to meeting with his parrots. Then a documentary filmmaker arrived to capture the parrot-phenomenon on film, and his story took a surprising turn on all counts. Fortune smiled on him. He describes the conditions during the difficult period of life thus, with a mixture of satire and poignancy: “I fasted a lot that spring—sometimes for spiritual reasons, sometimes because I didn’t have any money. In order to eat, I’d been slowly selling off my possessions, but I was running out of things that anybody wanted to buy. Free food made me happier than anything else in the world.”(p.8) The parrots, nature’s special beautiful agents, brought new meaning to the life of Mark, connected him to the economic boom that was happening all over America, and showed the real spiritual path that he was in pursuit. He found the internal bliss in their company. He made sincere and extraordinary efforts to save the lives of the sick parrots. The birds were lucky to find a sensitive and compassionate individual, who indeed, became one among their flock! On his part, Mark understood a great deal about the social dynamics of the parrots. Marks’ is a success story, not the way he wanted it perhaps, but the way destiny had chosen to shape his career! It is the victory for his spiritual aptitude and when the wise people say that every spiritual concept must stand the test of practicability, watch and study how Mark shaped his life! The real meaning for life is in the struggle! He has a great understanding of life and has the capacity to measure the depth of the ocean with a sand particle! So profound are his metaphors! Before he came into contact with the parrots, Mark’s life was cynical in every sense of the term. People hated him for his poverty. Police officers threatened him that he would land himself in jail, if he spent one more night in the alley, without being sheltered. A simple request for a glass of water was refused by the restaurant owner and they humiliated him, his own family did not offer him support---and finally the parrots trusted him and responded to his love! This man without suffixes of university degrees after his name, is today in high demand as a speaker! Mark discovered humanity outside the human race. Works Cited Bittner, Mark. The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill: A Love Story . . . with Wings; Three Rivers Press, New York. Reasons why I pick these parrots As an impartial observer of love between the parrots and Mark, if I say I picked up the three parrots, the descriptions of which are given below, on account of some extra love and consideration that I have for these parrots that would be injustice to the flock of parrots as a whole. Mark was alike a head of the family; the qualities and disposition of the members of the family differs in many dimensions. Yet one loves some children more, may be due to their physical deficiency, may be due to their being extra naughty,—the same is the case with these parrots. The birds had their quarrels and conflicts as you find in the human society. Mark was a great manager of their internal squabbles, and he was like an impartial Speaker of the Parliament and handled the issues admirably. Dogen: Mark writes, “Originally names Smith, Dogen was a female cherry head and my favorite bird in the flock. I found her intolerably feisty until I got to know her. She was the offspring of Guy and Doll and the sibling of Jones. Dogen was the survivor of the mysterious illness that used to strike the juveniles every spring and summer. She was named in honor of the Japanese Zen master Dogen.”(p.281)Dogen lived in close quarters with Mark. Mark is basically a spiritual aspirant, and even in parrot-watching/keeping, he experienced divinity. He had great reverence for Zen Master Dogen, the mention of whose name is in the book by Suzuki. Mark took fascination for this parrot and he had special love for it. When Dogen fell sick, Mark turned restless. He writes, “I felt a wave of pathos wash over me. Once her breathing had slowed down, Dogen crawled back into her box. To make peace, I offered her a sunflower seed, which she accepted.”(p.107) In another context, he explains how the parrots would not like to depend on anyone, when their health permits. Mark observes, “As the weeks passed, and Paco and Dogen’s endurance grew; they stopped coming inside to spend the night. We didn’t stop being friends, though.”(p.208) And when he lost Dogen forever, he explains his mental condition poignantly, “….some reason I felt like a bad omen to me. I got up my knees and started looking for Dogen, but I didn’t see her anywhere…” (p.230) Mark was totally a frustrated man with the loss of Dogen. Mandela: Mark writes, “A female cherry-headed colure, and the first bird to land on me. Playful and curious, she was one of the friendliest birds towards me in the flock. She was briefly in my care after a cat attacked her. Her parents were Sonny and Lucia, and her siblings were Chomsky and Stella. She was named after Nelson Mandela, before I knew she was female.”(p.283) Mandela was extremely friendly to Mark and he writes, “His siblings, Stella and Chomsky, always perched on the seed cup now, and from time to time, Mandela would walk down my arm to join them.”(p.92) When Mandela was attacked by a cat Mark had great concern for his life. He writes, “As attached, I was to Mandela, I had a strong stake in seeing him fly free again.”(p.74) Mandela was like a naughty child to Mark. “I like Mandela more, but he was biting me a lot.”(p.16) When Mandela was extremely sick, Mark’s mental agitation was astonishing—that a human being should love a bird to such an extent is incredible! He writes, “I intended to spend the entire day, if necessary, standing outside, waiting to see if Mandela was still alive.”(p.76) And finally he exclaims he perhaps cries in joy, “My God. It was Mandela! He’d made it.”(p.76) Bucky: Mark encouraged love affairs between his parrots and his observation on this count was astonishing, perhaps being a bachelor himself! He writes, “Bucky loved to preen Dogen and I kept wishing there was some way I could hand Connor over to Bucky.”(p.142) But in their love affair Mark felt that Connor interfered and he was confused who exactly Bucky wished to be associated with. He observes, “ Although Connor and Bucky seemed happy together, I still released Connor every few days so that he should know he was free to chose…”(p.148) Soon, the sensitive Mark observed that something was wrong with them. He writes, “Cracks were beginning to form in their relationship. The problem was Bucky’s chronic possessiveness.” (p.165) And the relation reaches to the expected conclusion as it happens in broken love affairs of human beings. Mark concludes, “…assault, so I reached in and pulled Connor out. I didn’t fully understand why, but it was clear that Bucky and Connor’s relationship was finished. I carried Connor out to the balcony and set him free. “(p.170) The book is a great sociological study about the life of the parrot-society and their problems compare well with the issues facing the humankind. Read More