encounters with archdruid analysis
TRANSCRIPT
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Encounters with the
Archdruid John McPhee
Presented by: Emily Krodel
September 20, 2005
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JOHN A. McPHEE• Born in 1931• Educated at Princeton &
Cambridge•
Began writing forTime
magazine, New Yorker • 29 books• 1977 received Award in
Literature from AmericanAcademy of Arts andLetters
• 1999 Pulitzer Prize forAnnals of the Former World
– “It‟s pretty nice.”
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MORE McPHEE• Widely considered pioneer of
the genre of literary non-fiction (New Journalism)
• Subjects are eclectic, reflectinghis personal interests… aircraft,
arc of tennis balls, canoes,farmers‟ markets, MS River,geology, Alaskan wilderness,oranges
• Married twice – Yolanda!; 4daughters
• Distinguished nonfiction writinginstructor at Princeton – stillteaches at 74
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EVEN MORE McPHEE• Despite a voluminous
production, as a person heremains elusive
• Modest – nothing morethan an “old journalist”
• Loves rivers and theoutdoors – probably leanstoward conservationist
side, but depicts bothsides equally well• Curious – practices the art
of “immersion”
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Encounters with
the Archdruid
• McPhee‟s 7th book, published in 1971
•
Won the National Book Award - categoryof science
• Personalities of both sides of the Americanenvironmentalist movement
• Depicts the complexities of ecological issues
• Profiles famous conservationist DavidBrower
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• Composed of 3 distinct sections– Cascades with Charles Park… mineral engineer
– Hilton Head/Cumberland Island with Charles
Fraser… resort developer – Colorado River with Floyd Dominy… dam builder
• Common character in each is David Brower(and John McPhee)
• Spend time in the outdoors, “discussing”philosophies and environmental practices
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ENVIRONMENTALIST
MOVEMENT• first became active in U.S. politics after
Earth Day in 1970.– Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act– EPA: Environmental Protection Agency– Wastes, toxic substances, pesticides,
endangered animals• Most activism directed towards
conservation and prevention/elimination ofpollution• As population and industry increase,
conflicts with libertarians and corporateinterests
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DAVID BROWER• 1912-2000
• The Archdruid himself– “druids” – slang term for
environmentalists who will sacrificepeople to save trees
•
Most notable conservationist of alltime• Born in Berkely
– Isolated childhood– Nicknamed “toothless boob” – Mother blind, led her around–
Family camping trips• Dropped out of college to become
a mountaineer• WWII, mountain division• Married Anne Hus in 1941
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BROWER• Single handedly saved many belovedplaces in U.S. – deserves respect• Knowledgeable and committed• Concerned with long-term effects
of human change to the earth• But stubborn with simplistic
arguments, figures can be skewed– Reservoirs will fill with silt, but not for
a long time– Italy dam disaster – didn‟t really break
•Lives in a house – hypocritical?
• Sometimes doesn‟t consider veryreal human needs– Water for people in the desert
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SIERRA CLUB• Sierra Club
– Executive director ‟52-‟69 – Membership 7,000 to 70,000– Books – exquisite collection of photographs–
His cup– Was ousted from office, 10 to 5: too radical, spent too
much money, too selfish, not in tune with the Clubanymore, and immigration viewpoints.
• Also in 1969, founded Friends of the Earth–
Kicked out of this too– Largest environmental group in the world
• Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize 3 times – ‟78,‟79, „98
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THE SERMON• “The U.S. has 6% of the world‟s population and
uses 60% of the world‟s resources. When onecounty gets more than its share, it builds tensions.War is waged over resources.”
• “We have to drop our standard of living, so thatpeople a thousand years from now can have anystandard of living at all.” (gas, oil)
• “Roughly 90% of the earth has felt man‟s handalready. That‟s the limit. We should go backover the 90 and not touch the remaining 10%.”
• “When rampant growth happens in an individual, wecall it cancer.”
• “Conservationists have to win again and again andagain. The enemy only has to win once.”
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GLACIER PEAK WILDERNESS/CASCADE RANGE
• Washington
• Wilderness Act 1964 – Congress set aside certain
regions as “permanentwilderness”. No nationalpark, no machines, nolumbering– Mining exception
• Copper lode .5mi square
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CHARLES PARK… • Geologist, mineral engineer• “Minerals are where you find
them. The quantities are finite.So you go and get them whereverthey are located.”
• Hunted for copper, silver, gold• Doesn‟t like Sierra Club – accuses
of being preservationists, notconservationists. Says you can‟t
avoid change.• “My idea of conservation is
complete use of resources, withas little waste as possible, forthe benefit of all the people.”
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vs. DAVID BROWER• “The Glacier Peak Wilderness is probably
the most beautiful piece of country we‟vegot. Mining copper there would be likehitting a pretty girl in the face with ashovel.”
• Mining would leave a path of destruction,waste dump… recommends recycling
• Ecosystem is delicate, disruption would besevere
• Wilderness is the bank for the geneticvariability of the earth.
• However, got excited when he foundcopper pebbles in a stream
• “Conservation is humanity caring for thefuture.”
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HILTON HEAD• Sea Pines Plantation
• Complete control
•
Buildings all blendinto environment
• Houses far from
ocean
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CUMBERLAND ISLAND• Hammond‟s map didn‟t include it –
deliberate omission• Population of 11• Wild horses and pigs, 14 ft
alligators, fertile soil, no bridge• Carnegies• Fraser obtained 3000 acres• Toured it with Brower and McPhee• Gave it up b/c of pressure from
druids•
Developed, popular tourist site now• JFK, Jr. and Carolyn Bessette
married there in ‟96
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CHARLES FRASER• Visionary – wanted to create
something beautiful… had idea forSea Pines Plantation at 21.
• Yale Law School• Locally, considered a major andabsolute nut• Considers himself a true
conservationist. Others more likepreservationists; calls them druids,
so Brower should be his #1 enemy• Cocky: “I‟m the golden boy of the
Golden Isles.” • Died in a boating explosion off coast
of Provo in Dec. 02
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vs. DAVID BROWER
• Makes his typical comments, but surprisinglysupportive
• Liked youthfulness of Fraser and prospect ofthe island being focused toward children – thought they would do better with the earth
• Was enjoying himself on new territory andlapsed into uncharacteristic passivity – wouldn‟teven call him a druid
• Even wanted to reverse his 90:10 philosophy!• “If it had to be developed, I‟m glad it was
developed by him.” • Eventually started talking about conserving the
marshes, went into the Sermon, Fraser ignoredhim
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FLOYD DOMINY•
Began job as a county agent duringthe Great Drought• Obsessed with irrigation and dams• Profound, lifelong belief in the
storage of water• Head of Dept. of Reclamation ‟59-
‟71. “Reclamation is the father ofputting water to work for man – irrigation, hydropower, flood
control, recreation.” • Responsible for many dams,
notably Glen Canyon Dam/LakePowell – Colorado River
• Wanted to flood the Grand Canyon• “Let‟s USE our environment.”
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CONSERVATIONISTSAND DAMS
• Analogy: outermost circle of Devil‟s world is amoat filled with DDT. Next to it, a moat of
burning gasoline. Then a ring of pinheads, eachcovered with a million people. Bulldozers andchainsaws lead into the absolute epicenter of Hellon earth, where stands a dam.
• Hold themselves in reasonable check before new oilspills, but go insane at even the THOUGHT of adam.
• Rivers are the ultimate metaphor of existence, anddams destroy rivers.
•
Threat to ecosystems and species (condors)
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vs. DAVID BROWER• Got along pretty well despite their
opposing views – joking insults• “I hate all dams, large and small.” • “You can‟t duplicate this experience –
this lake – anywhere else. But neithercan you enjoy the original experience.”
• Ends up saying that he‟s not in favor ofdams, but he‟s in favor of Dominy
•
And then, “Putting water in GlenCanyon was like urinating on the cryptof St. Peter‟s. I hope it neverhappens here (Grand Canyon).”
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COLORADO RIVER
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LAKE POWELL
• 600,000 people a year use this lake
now… used to just be a handful
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WHAT SHOULD WE DO?
• People are caught in the middle– Want to be conservationists, but alsoneed power and water
• Vote always about 50:50– Schoolchildren: houses on a beach?Mining copper? Building a dam in the CO
River?
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OPINIONS• Interesting, well-written, anddescriptive (similes, metaphors)
• Well-developed characters• Forces you to pick a side, but doesn‟tmake it “good vs. evil”
• Quite outdated–Prices ($25 for a book was an“investment”, Hilton Head condos)
– Baltimore Colts
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CONNECTIONS• Sierra Club
• “aesthetic” at least 8 times
• Personal ones – Hilton Head, esp.
• Review paper last week – Pacific salmon andriparian environments
• Ecology with Dr. Hochwender–
Presently talking about how riparianenvironments are negatively influenced by dams
• Sorry, no Gilgamesh ones
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REFERENCES• www.barnesandnoble.com/writers/writerdetails.asp?cid=982496
• www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McPhee
• www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_movement_in_the_United_ States
• www.johnmcphee.com
• www.odu.edu/ao/instadv/quest/workofjohnmcphee.html
• www.pulitzer.org/year/1999/general-non-fiction/bio
• www.goodbyemag.com/nov00/brower.html