The Organic Machine Analysis

The historian Richard White states the Columbia River, located in the states of Washington and Oregon in the Northwest portion of the United States, as an Organic Machine made by arguments that the habitat established by the environment dictates the survival of mankind. It was previously assumed that mankind dictates the laws of its existence and that the environment is simply a small obstacle that can be overcome. Richard White proves former beliefs about the relationship between mankind and its environment or habitat untrue through the book The Organic Machine by showing the reader why the Columbia River is a perfect example of an organic machine, how organic machines affect lives and different civilizations, and how the alterations that mankind makes can effect the river as a whole.

Machines are expressed as different parts working together in harmony to accomplish some form of work. White is stating that for enormous periods of time “work and energy have linked humans and rivers” (White, 4). White claims that the Columbia has been sustaining life of humans and wildlife for “millennia” (White, 3). He relates the Columbia River to an organic machine when he talks about how the people only see the river as a toolbox, the river is just an object and whoever is using it only sees the river for what they need from it. White states that “Fisherman see habitat. Irrigators see water. Power managers, utility operators, and those who run aluminum factories see reservoirs necessary to turn turbines” (White, 110). White relates the definition of a machine to satisfy what he thinks humanity is using the Columbia for. With all of these different companies and industries using the Columbia’s resources for their own benefit, they were tearin...

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...could never fully satisfy the river or the ecosystem again (White, 48). White proves again how although the white people seemed to have control over the salmon and their industry, their successes would cease eventually. The river had the final say in dictating the terms of nature and the environment.

Through the course of the book, White confidently proves that in the end the Columbia River was always in charge and nature will always overcome mankind’s efforts. The book showed that the previous thought of mankind being the boss of the environment and that mankind dictates the terms is shown as untrue. The Organic Machine known as the Columbia River will restore its balance, different societies have tried to govern the river but the river ends up governing them, and human modifications might affect the river but nature and the environment will always see victory.