Desert Solitaire: Chapters 12-15

Is Nature Being Hidden from Us?

A few pages into the chapter titled “Down the River,” Abbey discusses his views on how and why the government controls people’s association with the outdoors. Abbey states: “(My feelings are) a mixture of revulsion and delight, as we float away on the river, leaving behind for a while all that we most heartily and joyfully detest. That’s what the first taste of the wild does to a man, after having been too long penned up in the city. No wonder the Authorities are so anxious to smother the wilderness under asphalt and reservoirs. They know what they’re doing; their lives depend on it, and all their rotten institutions.”

Reread the above quote by Edward Abbey, and then read it again. In order to get a complete understanding of Abbey’s thought process, go back to the beginning pages of the chapter to examine the context of the quote. Abbey uses many rhetorical devices within this quote. Why do you think Abbey capitalized the word Authorities? Within the context of the sentence, that word should not be capitalized. Another example of an odd rhetorical device is Abbey’s description of his feelings of floating away from society as both repulsive and delightful. These words contrast one another, so how can they be used to describe the same thing? Abbey uses the pronouns “they” and “their” many times in this quote and the surrounding pages. Who are these pronouns describing? Why doesn’t Abbey just say the person’s or group’s name? If he did, would it change your opinion of his feelings?

Finally, do you share Abbey’s feelings? Are there any other quotes or textual examples from this section of Desert Solitaire that support your opinion?

Your responses should be approximately 50-words in length. Be sure to use textual evidence when appropriate. Going over the suggested word count or under that word count is acceptable as long as your response is detailed and direct. Be sure to read the “Scoring Rubric” before posting your response. Also, review your responses for correctness before posting.

Respond often and in a timely manner. It is okay to post a response and then check back days later to see if anyone has responded to you or asked you a question. You will be able to (and expected to) respond to this post throughout the course of the summer.

Simply click on "Comments" below to post your comment. Be sure to type your full name by clicking on the "Name/URL" option or login to your Google account and post your comment.