The Orchid Thief - Assignment Example

The orchid thief Question Susan Orleans’s passion is indeed evident in her writings. Her interest develops systematically from reading a newspaper clipping to attending John Laroche’s courtroom hearing. This portrays her interest in the orchid case. Furthermore, she cultivates the passion by taking initiatives such as looking for Laroche and initiating a relationship. Question 2: John Laroche views orchid as a means of obtaining money. He stays in the business owing to its lucrative nature.

His lack of ethics evident when he steals orchids proves that he has more interest for the money than the orchids, unlike other orchid collectors in the book who do so for the love of the art. Question 3: Laroche is an immoral character. The existed to govern the use of the plants. However, he broke the law deliberately a feature that portrays his disregard for existing institutions.Question 4: The ever-changing orchids and the changing topography owing to structural developments are some of the evidence she provides for the transition.

Question 5: Orleans considers orchid collecting as a mortal occupation since a specie of orchid has a lifespan of seven years. A collector, therefore, benefits from such every new species for seven years only.Question 6: Orchids are colorful and sweet scented. They are sexual plants that reproduce through pollination. The pollen grains produced by the anthers get to the stigma and travel to the ovaries where they fertilize the ovules and produce seeds. Laroche did the same in laboratories thereby producing new varieties of the flowers.

Question 7: Some species of orchids that are not natives of Florida and cause problems to the local population include Cyrtopodium polyphyllum. Question 8: Mike Owen is Orleans’s guide at the Fakahatchee. Such is an integral contribution since he makes both Orleans and the audience understand the plot. He believes in preservation of the unique plants. Such is a realistic worldview that safeguards the longevity of orchids.Question 9: Laroche’s confidence arose from the lack of legislation to cover the theft of intellectual property.

Question 10: Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve just as the name suggests is a state park in Florida. The park has diverse flora and fauna including more than forty species of orchids such as the Dendrophylax lindenii, the ghost orchid, and the invasive Cyrtopodium polyphyllum among others.Question 11: I learnt that Ghost Orchid is a leafless epiphyte belonging to the Vandeae family. The monocot orchid consists of photosynthetic roots that hang on other trees, reduced stem and scaly leaves. The plant grows in swampy areas.

Question 12: I learnt that Seminoles are Native Americans from Florida. The group created its own identity owing to their strong sense of belonging. They claim ownership of the land. The belief makes them appreciates both the land and its flora and fauna.Question 13: while the story in the plot revolves around orchids with the ghost orchid serving as the source of motivation, the central character remains Fakahatchee Strand and Florida. Orleans investigates the flora of the beautiful state thereby unearthing an unethical practice in an otherwise legal trade.

The strand breeds both the flora and the crimes covered in the book.ReferenceOrlean, S. (1999). The orchid thief. Rockland, MA: Wheeler Pub.