StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Rachel Carson's Silent Spring - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
Rachel Carson's Silent Spring Celebrated as the cornerstone of new environmentalism, Silent Spring (1962) by Rachel Carson marked the launch of the environmental movement in the contemporary world. Reading the book within its historical context, one is introduced to the effects of industrialization, the development of U.S…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER93% of users find it useful
Rachel Carsons Silent Spring
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Rachel Carson's Silent Spring"

Rachel Carson's Silent Spring Celebrated as the cornerstone of new environmentalism, Silent Spring (1962) by Rachel Carson marked the launch of the environmental movement in the contemporary world. Reading the book within its historical context, one is introduced to the effects of industrialization, the development of U.S. conservation and environmental policies, and Carson’s revolutionary work in this regard. Significantly, the book reminds the readers about the environmental and human dangers of unsystematic use of pesticides, the relevance of spurring radical changes in the laws affecting air, land, and water in the modern world.

In an ‘Introduction’ to the work, Linda Lear wrote: “Carson’s writing initiated a transformation in the relationship between humans and the natural world and stirred an awakening of public environmental consciousness… Carson’s thesis that we were subjecting ourselves to slow poisoning by the misuse of chemical pesticides that polluted the environment…contained the kernel of social revolution.” (Lear, x) Therefore, it is essential to recognize that Carson, as one of the greatest nature writers in the modern world, inspired and motivated a generation of environmental activists.

This paper makes a reflective exploration of how Silent Spring fits into the larger story of conservation and environmentalism in America and how it changed public opinion about pesticide use and environmentalism in general. In a profound investigation of the major arguments of Rachel Carson in Silent Spring, it becomes evident that the author is mainly concerned about a revolution in the relationship between humans and the natural world. Significantly, the author emphasizes the thesis that uncontrolled and unexamined use of pesticides ultimately harms the nature by killing animals, birds, and, more perilously, human beings.

The author’s arguments concerning conservation and environmentalism become evident in the title of the work itself which refers to a spring season without songs of birds and dynamicity of the nature due to the harmful effects of pesticide abuse. In fact, the author effectively recounts the fable of America’s tomorrow when the “farmers spoke of much illness among their families… There was a strange stillness… The few birds seen anywhere were moribund; they trembled violently and could not fly.

It was a spring without voices.” (Carson, 2) Therefore, Carson convincingly portrays the destructive effects of pesticide abuse in the contemporary America using compelling images and plausible narrative. According to the author, the contamination of air, earth, rivers, and sea with dangerous and lethal materials is the most alarming of all man’s assaults. It is fundamental to recognize that the book Silent Spring perfectly fits into the larger story of conservation and environmentalism in America by underlying the inevitability of conservation and environmental policies.

It brings out the dangerous effects of industrialization and pesticide abuse in order to bring about a new public opinion about pesticide use and environmentalism in general. Significantly, Carson makes a link between pesticide abuse and human’s vulnerability to the dangerous chemicals, and between the sudden rise and prodigious growth of industry and the suffering of the animate and inanimate world. By highlighting the two broad fronts in which the environment is affected today, the author establishes the need for conservation and environmental policies.

As Carson maintains, a process of genetic selection which produces the insects developing strains resistant to chemicals is dangerous to the environment. Along with this, “our chemical attack is weakening the defenses inherent in the environment itself, defenses designed to keep the various species in check.” (Carson, 246) It is fundamental to realize that the book Silent Spring absolutely creates a new outlook among general public towards the entire issue of pesticide use and industrialization.

It is through her advocacy of nature and environmental ethics that Rachel Carson, founder of contemporary environmental movement, emphasizes the need for change in environmental policies today. Works Cited Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2002. P 2. Lear, Linda. “Introduction.” Silent Spring. Rachel Carson. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2002. P x.

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Rachel Carson's Silent Spring Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/other/1416000-rachel-carson-s-silent-spring
(Rachel Carson'S Silent Spring Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words)
https://studentshare.org/other/1416000-rachel-carson-s-silent-spring.
“Rachel Carson'S Silent Spring Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/other/1416000-rachel-carson-s-silent-spring.
  • Cited: 1 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Rachel Carson's Silent Spring

Rachel Carson and the Enviromental Movement

Immediately, Carson researched DDT and other chemicals toxic effects and this became the basis of her next book silent spring (1962) (Mahoney, 2009).... silent spring was initially published in serialized magazine form, later it was released in the form of a book (Clapp, 2000).... Other primary events that justified carson's claims was banning of cranberry product sale for three years (1957-59) as high levels of toxic chemicals known to cause cancer in rats was discovered...
4 Pages (1000 words) Research Paper

Silent Spring - the Voice of a Conscience

silent spring – the voice of a Conscience Mankind always considers itself as the most superior species in the earth.... This is the question put forward by the novel silent spring written by Rachel Carson.... silent spring's influence paved way for a nationwide ban against DDT.... Without silent spring we would have still continued our poor pesticide policy reign without any room for betterment or re-consideration.... She wrote three best sellers prior to silent spring, "The Sea around Us", "Under the Sea - Wind" and “The Edge of the Sea"....
8 Pages (2000 words) Research Paper

Silent Spring - Rachel Carson

silent spring - Rachel Carson One can see that human encroachment on nature affects the existence of living things on the earth.... hellip; Within this context, Rachel Carson's work named as silent spring can be considered as a case study on the harmful effects of DDT on living things in general.... Thesis statement: Rachel Carson's work silent spring exposes the unfavorable relationship between the government and chemical industry by creating awareness among the mass on the negative effect of pesticides on the living world....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Environmental Education and Environmental Policies

These attitudes were brought into greater focus by the 1962 publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, a critical review of the devastating effects that man and technology can have on the environment (Haskin).... In essence, "Environmental education did not spring forth fully formed from any one discipline, but rather as a product of a co-evolutionary process within science, public awareness of environmental issues, and educational ideas" (Haskin)....
8 Pages (2000 words) Report

Contribution of rachel carson about elixirs of death

The chapter “Elixirs of Death” in her book silent spring warranted total… At least it had the scientific community quickly spring on their feet to take another look at DDT that till then was touted as elixir of life. When silent spring was published in 1962 the use of DDT was widespread and it brought cheers to Malaria was a big killer and millions died of it.... Actually, DDT was one of the subjects Rachel touched upon in her book silent spring....
4 Pages (1000 words) Research Paper

In what ways do you think it was significant that Carson was female

"silent spring", the best-seller of Carson, is a criticism on the claim by the chemical… This book was an eye-opener as it surveyed the dangerous effects of pesticide use on living organisms.... The book also proposes a biotic approach as an alternative to pesticides which is a natural and safer solution to Carsons "silent spring" also had a great impact on the later twentieth century American society that it led to a sweeping environmental movement all over the world against the using of science and technology  to dominate the Mother Nature....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

silent spring”, as the name suggests, was a symbolic description of how the DDT chemical had silently built up and slowly killing and affecting reproduction in the birds of the air as well as the predators of birds alike.... This research will begin with the statement that in retrospect to the book 'silent Springs', Carson sends a clear signal to the American and international society of the dubious and underhand means with which the local governments were using to control the insects and also as pesticides....
3 Pages (750 words) Book Report/Review

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

This book review "silent spring by Rachel Carson" presents Rachel Carson, an American marine biologist, an environmental conservationist, and a writer.... She was born in 1907, 27th May, and her place of birth was near Springdale, Pennsylvania.... hellip; She attended Springdale's small school during her tenth grade....
8 Pages (2000 words) Book Report/Review
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us