The Collapse: Richard Van Camp’s “On the Wings of this Prayer” and Paolo Bacigalupi’s “The People of Sand and Slag”
Richard Van Camp’s “On the Wings of this Prayer” and Paolo Bacigalupi’s “The People of Sand and Slag” both describe a future utterly inhospitable to the humans of today, where the focus lies on the main source which allowed these conditions to take place: mankind. These short stories focus on evolution, artificial or natural, and the effect it has on humanity. Both authors utilize similar aspects of literature in order to carry out similar messages which lend themselves to each other’s arguments. Through the use of dialogue guiding the reader’s thoughts and anecdotes of the past, the authors are able to portray their message that
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The conversations in “On the Wings of this Prayer” are one-sided, breaking through the fourth wall and directly addressing the reader. The main character goes on to specifically ask that the “Tar Sands” be stopped, for that is what causes “cancer to our Mother,” the Earth, as it unleashes the Wheetagos (Van Camp 16). Swiftly, the short story deliberately lays blame on the Oil Sands industry, labelling it as the root of an evil world full of pollution and merciless, evil Wheetagos. Therefore, Van Camp uses the short story to spread his message that if climate change is not brought to a halt through the dismantling of the Oil Sands, Earth is likely to fare a fate where humans quickly die out. The author not only lays blame but urges the readers to take action as well, as he lets them know that “[they] can change the future” (17). As a result, the problems that the natural world faces are all directly due to humanity; either humanity takes responsibility for its actions and repairs the damages or the natural world will rebel and cleanse itself of the human disease through the use of hideous, merciless creatures—Wheetagos. Breaking the fourth wall is readily used in this short story in order to send the message that humanity plays a major role in climate change …show more content…
The dog they rescued is a particularly prominent topic, a vestige of the past civilizations. In defiance of the treacherous environment, the dog managed to survive, a feat that even Lisa, the most cold-blooded of the three main characters, could not help but be “impressed by” (Bacigalupi 61). Therefore, the dog is a symbol of hope for the reader, an animal that is in the extreme, completely out of its element, and yet capable of surviving. As a result, nature’s idea of itself is astoundingly resilient, keeping certain species alive as an attempt to return to the normal state of the world. Even after horrendous trauma the natural world is still capable of a stalwart attempt at reclaiming itself. Accordingly, it is never too late to start fixing the damages and help nature’s cause, before allowing it to escalate to such a degree where the oceans are black with pollution and there is no room left for the humans of today. Chen could not help but notice that the dog is different than them in more than just a physiological nature; “there’s something there” and it’s not a characteristic that either them or the bio-jobs are capable of (64). Subsequently, the dog has something that the evolved humans are missing, compassion. In consequence, the author portrays the idea that the dog
Henry was an extremely lonely nine-year-old boy whose greatest wish was to get a dog. His parents were busy with their work most of the time and it seemed that Henry did not have any friends, perhaps because they moved so often. A dog would have provided Henry with unconditional love - something in short supply around his house - and would have been the perfect companion. The problem was, his parents did not want dog, which would have been another obligation and something else to take care of. As emotionally detached as his parents were, something else to take care of was just not desirable.
A Prayer for Owen Meany, a novel by John Irving, is a touching and morbid novel riddled with death and uncertainty. It’s overall story, however, about two young boys growing up in the 1950’s, is a story where relationships are tested and also strengthened because of a peculiar child, Owen Meany. Even after the death of Owen Meany himself, the relationship between the two is as strong as ever because after death Owen continues to protect Johnny and let him know he’s not going to leave him. While alive Owen protected Johnny by making it so he could not get drafted into the Vietnam War by cutting off his index finger, effectively making it so the he cannot shoot a gun. Owen however, went along with the war and enlisted himself into it by the ROTC
A wolf pack is, at its foundation, simply a family, with the parents (alphas) guiding the activities of the group. Hence, it is easy to believe that dogs are able to bond with human families, especially when the alphas are already parents. The parents view the dog as one of their children, one who remains dependent and will never leave or criticize them (Rogers 1), and in the same manner, the dog views the human parents as if they were his actual parents and as a result, loves and trusts them with his life gladly following them, not once questioning their decisions or actions. For these reasons, humans have found release in the company of dogs because dogs do not judge. By way of example, Sigmund Freud was notably a bad singer and as a result, never sang in public, however he often hummed an aria while petting his dog (Rogers 2). In the presence of dogs, our need to self-censor our words and actions vanishes (Rogers 2). Ultimately, dogs and human beings are able to form such strong emotional bonds through love and
He saw that dog grow into what he raised him to and yet he got rid of him because he had to. How more human a person is to throw his or her own dog away. It must of hurt him so much since he saw his puppy grow into the dog he raised. I once owned a puppy as well, I adopted a puppy, a Chihuahua from the animal shelter. When I brought him home my mother, whom I live with was very upset because she does not like dogs. Moreover she does not like dogs inside of the house. She is not allergic to them nor anyone in my family she just simply did not want the dog inside nor out side of the house. I was very upset because she asked me to get rid of it. I my self did not have the heart to do so and neither did I plan on getting rid of a little innocent dog who had no place else to go. One day as I come home from school I noticed that Pete, my dog was not outside in the driveway waiting for me. Which was strange, so I came inside the house and notice that he did not bark as I came inside and to my surprise my mother got rid of him. She gave it to a friend who has a passion for animals as well. The example I gave reminds me of Turgenev and Marx. Turgenev representing myself, and Marx representing my mother in my
Kurt Vonnegut’s Galapagos tells the tale of shipwrecked humans stranded on an island called Saint Rosalia in the Galapagos archipelago. Meanwhile, in the other parts of the world, a virus wipes away humanity. The castaways, supposedly the only human beings to not have contracted the virus eventually evolve into furry beings resembling seals which took million years. The narrator, Leon Trout is a ghost that silently observed and documented the human evolution. The narrator often interjects with a contrast between the humans of today to the primitive aquatic version of humans of a million years later. This interjection along with the characterization provides the readers with a satirical albeit somewhat cynical view of the human intelligence.
In life, we have to let go of a certain thing to have a good future even if that certain thing is a dog that we loved and known our whole life. In the story of “When the Emperor was Divine” by Julie Otsuka, the the mother of the family killed their pet dog who was name White Dog. Did she kill White Dog because she is desperate? Worried they won’t be able to bring their dog to shelter? Unlimited amount of question raised in my head. But the reason why she kill White Dog is because she doesn't want to see him get hurt and she doesn’t trust anyone else to took care of him rather and her family.
...lity to face adversity for those they love. Animals have found their ways into the hearts of humanity and have settled in very deep. I had a pet that very recently passed away of whom lived with us for 17 years. There were countless time she had gotten out and I searched for hours in order to be reunited. Now that shes gone, I have lost my buddy that I would spend the mornings with. Mona was never our dog, she was our family. Pets are far more than just something people own, pets are members of the family.
Firstly, the story begins at a large estate at which Buck resides, owned by a wealthy judge, Judge Miller, in the Santa-Clara Valley. The gardener at the estate, Manuel, kidnaps Buck and sells him off to become a sled dog. Buck is sold to become a part of Charles and Hal’s team, two inexperienced sled drivers who are out for the sole purpose of making a profit. Instead of caring for their animals, the two owners mistreat the dogs, beating them and malnourishing them. This depicts the unfavorable form of relationship between man and dog, but in turn teaches Buck how to survive in the wilderness by scrapping for food and taking up for himself. This contrasts to Buck’s life at Miller’s estate. This idea of the differences of morality between civilization and the wilderness recurs frequently throughout the story and is one of the principal motifs in the story.
There has been much said about the relationship between humans and dogs. Some believe that dogs are a man’s best friend, while others believe that dogs are meant only to be used to perform a certain job. Even though some see dogs only as a tool, dogs have been known to help humans in times of despair and need. Whether it be a dog helping a disabled person, or searching for a human amongst a pile of rubble, dogs can be a key factor when it comes to the well being of humans. In enormous tragedies, such as September 11th, dogs were a key element in piecing back together the parts of America that the terrorists had destroyed when they administered the attacks. Dogs are able to bring unity and support in times of tragedy. While both the working dogs and firemen contributed to the restoration of 9/11, the dogs that helped in the aftermath of the attacks were needed for much more than locating trapped victims; they were needed for support, unity, and comfort as well.
Book Review of The Path of Prayer: Four Sermons on Prayer by St. Theophan the Recluse
feelings in the man and the dog, of a constant battle with this world of
Rae’s poem “One world down the drain” and Margaret Atwood’s narrative “Chicken Little goes too far” address the issue of “the sky is falling” or “[the] world [going] down the drain”, metaphoric ways of referring to global warming. Both pieces of writing discuss the negligence of human beings in the battle against global warming and CO2 that has caused it. There are many similarities between the two pieces of writing as they both express concern and criticism toward people’ denial to environmental complication. However, there are also a lot of differences amongst them. ‘Chicken Little goes too far” is written in a slightly humorous way in order to mock businesses of ruining the earth in their race for profit. The story also criticises the “stuck-up”
“Too Busy Not to Pray”, was an interesting and informational book. It was an eye-opening read for me. I’ve been an Adventist my entire life. I’ve grown up in the church and I’ve been taught from a young age the importance of prayer. I know how to pray. However, I don’t pray with the frequency and intensity that I should. The constant pressures of college and the busyness of everyday life seem to overshadow my relationship with God. I often put my studies and social life above my spiritual life.
Since animals, especially dogs, share similar emotions as people they to make great companions. Animals do show us how to love better, because their emotions are more pure than a human's. According to Mary Lou Randour, in "What Animals Can Teach Us About Spirituality", animals are spiritual companions to humans. She tells the story of a boy who, after murdering someone, receives a dog to care for as a form of therapy. The dog comforts him, and the teenager learns to love the animal over time. The boy's pet is "healing his soul" by teaching him how to love. Dogs give their masters unconditional love, never questioning the human's orders or disciplines. I thought the story of the dog appearing in the author's backyard as her dead grandfather was rather outlandish. All of Randour's examples of how animals influence our feelings were viable aside from the disappearing ghost dog.
“How to Be a Climate Hero” by Audrey Schulman is an article published by the Orion Magazine that portrays the importance of taking care of the climate. Schulman utilizes rhetorical devices and real life examples throughout the article to support her idea that the climate will affect us negatively if we continue harming the climate. Schulman does this while also trying to create an emotional base that will appeal to the readers. The author believes that taking a stand against climate change is what this world needs. Through Schulman’s use of different rhetorical techniques, such as analogies and tone, she is able to make an effective argument regarding climate change.