Nature's Image

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Nature's Image

Over the years, the theme of nature has developed positive connotations that have influenced society and the media's view of it. In order to appeal to society, advertisements continually use the settings and qualities of nature. Nature has been represented as good and people have had a longing desire to be a part of it. Nature is what people want it to be. People give it its characteristics and qualities. As Oscar Wilde states, "Nature is no great mother who has borne us. She is our creation (Oates 465)," points out again, that Nature has not created society, but in fact society has created it.

A calendar of 2006 uses presents nature as its theme. A pristine representation of nature, in its serenity, accompanies the month of July. This month depicts a small waterfall running through the deep woods in vast greenery amongst the rocks and trees. The reference domain of the picture is passive, beautiful, quiet, natural, and pure. The image in the calendar gives the people that have it in their home or office a chance to escape the materialistic and busy life to a clean, calm, and peaceful setting. Today our cultureís basis is one of a very materialistic and economic standing. This calendar photograph allows one to visit a nostalgic, untouched place that does not exist in todayís culture. This pastoral image tries to romanticize nature and its attributes.

An SUV ad, the second ad that uses nature as its background to appeal the to person, is for a Nissan Xterra. Masculine characteristics of nature such as strong and powerful are portrayed in the ad. The Nissan Xterra is driving through the wilderness with nothing in its way to stop it, giving the consumer a feeling of accomplishment. It makes people feel that w...

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...eî, or appealing nature is based on the cultural and historical environment we belong to. ìFakeî or ìrealî, using pictures of nature in advertising proves to be a very powerful way to persuade consumers, sell a product, and pass on the idea that nature is good and people should strive to become a part of it.

Work Citied

Cronon, William. "Epilogue". Nature's Metropolis. Norton, 1991. 384-385.

Jones, Edward J. ed. ìCouch for Sell Advertisement.î Menís Health Magazine Feb 2000: 38-39.

Merchant, Carolyn. "Nature as Female". The Death of Nature. Harper and Row, 1980. 1-14.

Redclift, Michael, Ted Benton, Ed. "Sociology and the Environment." Social Theory and the Global Environment. London: Routledge, 1994. 55.

Oates, Joyce C. "Against Nature." Writing Nature Ed. Carolyn Ross. New York:

St Martin's Press, 1995. 458-468.

Calender Picture. July 2000.

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