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Journal 2000 |
By:
Jean G.
Reviewed by Claire D.
At
first glance, one may think that Jean Giono's book The Man Who Planted Trees
is nothing more than a children's book as it is short, complete with fairly
large print and filled with pictures. However, after reading this inspiring
story, one realizes that the message inside is far too subtle for most children
to pick up on. Giono's use of simplistic plot and language serve as a disguise
for the indirect underlying message that "in spite of everything, humanity
is admirable," (39). Humanity has the power to make changes in our world,
yet in order to make changes we all need to find this power deep within ourselves.
Giono starts his tale with an unnamed narrator who goes off hiking
into a less-traveled ancient region in the Alps. This narrator notices how dry
and deserted the region is: "found myself in the midst of unparalleled
desolation," (8). After a number of hours of walking this man encounters
a shepherd named Elzeard Bouffier who takes him into his home. Bouffier lives
alone and speaks little, "but one felt that he was sure of himself, and
confident in his assurance," (10). The narrator soon witnesses the shepherd
inspecting acorns and is intrigued by Bouffier's careful and complete inspection
of the acorns. The shepherd chooses the best hundred acorns and explains to
the narrator how he been planting trees in this land for the past three years.
He has planted one hun- dred thousand acorns so far, and ten thousand of these
have lived and grown successfully.
The narrator soon leaves this barren land, and when he returns
ten years later, he is astonished by the rapid growth of the hundred acorns
that had been planted ten years back. The narrator feels enlightened as he thinks
to himself: "When you remembered that all this had sprung from the hands
and soul of this one man, you understand that men could be as effectual as God
in other realms than that of destruction," (25). The narrator witnesses
even more change in this land that once used to imitate a wasteland. Water reappears
in the springs and "willows, rushes, meadows, gardens, and flowers,"
(26) also begin to appear. No one else seems to know what caused this seemingly
natural forest, and neither the narrator nor Elzeard Bouffier, who still continues
plant- ing thousands of trees, give them any answers. For who "could have
dreamed of such perseverance in a magnificent generosity?" (26).
Over the next fIfteen-plus years the land changes from a desert
of"ruins and desolation," (33) to a magnificent forest "glowing
with health and prosperity," (37). Everything has changed including the
air, the sounds and scents of the land and even a water fountain has been built.
People have begun to live once again in this countryside, bringing along "youth,
motion, and the spirit of adventure.. .More than ten thousand people owe their
happiness to
Elzeard Bouffier," (38).
Giono's tale of one man "armed only with his own physical
and moral resources" (39) shows how it is possible for man to make a difference
in our environment. This one man caused the creation of a beautiful forest from
a desert wasteland. Elzeard Bouffier is an inspiring character who fmds true
happiness in planting trees. He does not plant them for any other reason than
that it makes him happy to see these magnificent trees springing up in once
barren lands. If one man can maneuver a land such as Elzeard Bouffier has done,
than there is no reason why humanity as a whole cannot accomplish this same
sort of task. We have the power within ourselves to make changes - maybe it
is time we come together and use this power successfully for good purposes.
By:Christopher
J.
Reviewed By:Robert B.
The
book Earthly Goods tells of man's search for medicine in the world's
primordial rainforests. It details the lives of ethnobotanists who have discovered
cures for diseases, only to see them lost to mines and farms. Overall, it serves
as a warning, reminding us that with each plant that dies or tribe that vanishes,
a cure may be lost forever.
A large portion of this book is devoted to various plants that
have benefited mankind, ranging from Sangre de Drago (blood of the dragon used
to heal cuts and lesions) to Curae (plant used as an anesthetic during chest
or abdominal surgery to relax the muscles). However, the book is not just a
treatise on the medical use of plants; it also discusses the political and economic
aspects of ethnobotany.
Earthly Goods describes the rise of the use of plants in
medicine, their replacement by synthetic compounds, and their rise to prominence
again as chemical and artificial leads are exhausted. This reinforces the idea
that humanity depends on bio-diversity. Even synthetic medicines have their
roots in natural chemical compounds. It also discusses how plants are discovered
and tested for their medicinal worth. Some companies send explorers into the
rainforest and have them send out hundreds of plant samples, resulting in a
massive backlog of plant matter waiting to be tested. Others have representatives
interview native tribes, discovering and collecting the herbs and plants the
shaman uses to cure illnesses.
Once these plants arrive in the labs, they are broken .down into
chemical compounds, and each of them tested against certain diseases. The problem
with this system is that these compounds are only tested against larger health
problems, such as cancer and AIDS. Often times, companies neglect to test the
compound to see what other medicinal qualities it might have. Despite the inefficiency
of the system, some truly amazing discoveries have been made.
The idea of intellectual property rights is also discussed Many
medicinal plants grow in economically poor countries and in areas inhabited
by native tribes. Often, pharmaceutical companies will simply go in and take
the plants they need giving nothing back to the people. To change this exploitation,
several countries have decided to protect their plant diversity and make it
known that it is not permissible to come and take large quantities of plants
without due compensation.
Overall, Earthly Goods is a well-written book, which clearly
outline the advantage of preserving the rainforest, and thus preserving the
benefits man can derive from it. One can easily follow the author's reasoning,
and he provides many examples to support his arguments. The book makes the true
value if the rainforest in relation to man very clear forcing one to see the
disastrous consequence if we destroy this great medicinal resource.
By:Dian
F.
Reviewed By: Callie
G., Kristen H., Bethan J., Scott M., Annie Shah and Compiled by Erika T.
Gorillas
in the Mist, written by Dian Fossey, is a series of pages revealing her
encounters with gorillas in Africa. She is a warrior in every sense of the word.
For many years; Fossey had wished to go on a safari to study mountain gorillas;
She was greatly inspired by the work of Jane Goodali and learned from her extensive
research on the chimpanzees. Fossey lived amongst the gorillas and recalled
many accounts of danger she encountered. Not just anyone would drop whatever
he was doing to go and live amongst the gorillas. Throughout her travels and
many years of research, Fossey protected the mountain gorillas from poachers,
disease, and loss of habitat. She started a number of programs to further their
protection. In Rwanda in 1967, she founded the Karisoke Research Center that
focuses on gorilla conservation and research. In 1978, due to fundraising, poacher
patrols were set in Rwanda for the very first time. Fossey met her untimely
death when she was brutally murdered by an anonymous attacker in her cabin in
Rwanda.
The powerful depiction of the gentle mountain gorillas of the
Vinmga Mountains was spellbinding. The way in which these amazing creatures
interact with each other and display human characteristics is absolutely fascinating.
Even more thought provoking is the concept that Dian Fossey chose to live among
these creatures, observing and working to protect them. We may owe her the very
existence of gorillas today. But, her success lies in the fact that she opened
eyes to the plight of animals, not just gorillas.
Dian Fossey showed that mountain gorillas are "friendly giants."
She showed how they were victims. Poachers caught them in traps and even destroyed
whole families just to take one baby. Fossey does not hold back any punches
in this book. She tells it how it is. It was not all just fun and games in Africa
with these gorillas; it was hard work. She was trying to protect them; keep
them alive. Who knows what the gorilla population would be like today had it
not been for her hard work and love for these animals.
By:
Donelle M.
Reviewed By: Claire D. and Annie S.
Compiled By: Andrew U.
Tales of a Shaman's Annrentice, written by Mark Plotkin, is the
account of Plotkin's experiences with shamans in the rainforests in South America.
Plotkin spent nearly ten years living in South America and continues to visit
the ex- otic rainforests. This story gives the reader an in depth look into
the lives of the shamans and the environment they live in.
Plotkin is one of the world's leading ethnobotanists, and he used
his knowledge in the filed to the best of his abilities. In this book, he has
documented the ethnobotany of Northeast Amazon Indian tribes and won the confidence
of the Shamans whose traditional healing methods are now sparking intense scrutiny
from the Western medical estab- lishment. Plotkin races against time before
the rainforests' fragile ecosystems succumb to over-development. Plotkin educates
about the uses of the rainforest plants, the intrica- cies of traditional Indian
culture, and the catastrophic changes that were destroying the Indian villages
almost before his eyes. Plotkin is not grim how he views what is going on in
the rainforest, but he notes how unfair it is that a western drug company will
make billions of dollars off an idea that they took from the Indians who get
absolutely nothing, but rather than just complaining, he has some practical
ideas for getting enough money back to the Indians so that they can use it to
preserve their culture.
This book is unlike any book. Plotkin would tell about a particular
adventure or find, and then when he men- tioned a plant, animal, or custom of
great importance, he would go off and explain about what he had just mentioned,
and then would return to the story. Plotkin found plants to treat hay fever,
headache, wasp sting, ell shocks, rashes, animal bites, skin irritations worms,
insects laying eggs on humans, ear aches, fear and nervousness, heart problems,
pois- ing and various sexual and genital problems. The Indians were able to
find many uses for plants. In one instance, they. constructed backpacks out
of the stems and vines of a fruit they had found. Each backpack held about seventy
pounds.
Also included in this book are interesting facts about everyday
food that we eat and their origin. For instance, chocolate originated for the
Indians, derived from a plant called cacao. The irony of this fact is that the
Indians of the Amazon do not use the seeds of the cacao plant for anything,
while we use them to make chocolate.
Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice also contained some funny situations
that Plotkin experienced. One of the funni- est stories is the one in which
Plotkin is pleased and thinks that the elder is saying, "Welcome, Welcome,"
but later learns . that the real translation is, "Spider Monkey, Spider
Mon- key," referring to the hair on Plotkin's chest.
This book was ver rewarding to read. It is nice to read something
without cutthroat lawyers and money seeking Americans. Plotkin has obviously
discovered this well-hidden secret, and is very generous to share it with all
his readers.
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of Page
By:Jonathan H.
This
book was extremely popular both within the classroom and with the general public,
especially after the release of the film last year. The book tells the story
of the families who lived near the W.R. Grace and the Riley Tannery in Wobum,
Massachusetts. These two companies, through carelessness, contaminated public
wells G and H with TCE and other hazardous waste that resulted in a cluster
of childhood leukemia and other serious health disorders during the 1960s and
70s.
TCE, or trichloroethylene, is a potent chemical used in the tanning
process to waterproof hides. It is thought that this chemical combination, popular
in the 50s and 60s, affects between 9 and 34 percent of tap water in the United
States. Because of its molecular consistency, TCE can also become vapors in
a bathroom, etc. can result in an individual breathing TCE in much higher concentrations.
The city of Wobum constructed municipal well G along the east
floodplain of the Aberjona River in 1964, and created well H in 1967. These
two wells provided water from shallow sand and gravel deposits in the plain.
Residents in the area complained of "putrid, ill-smelling, and foul water"
coming from the taps. The local people complained, the wells were shut down,
and then the town engineer opened them again; nothing was achieved. After several
local children died of leukemia, the residents of Wobum who were affected by
the contaminated water hired Ian Schlichtmann to file a class action against
W.R. Grace and Beatrice Foods, and owners of the Riley Tannery. During the trial,
which went on for months, the true colors of those involved began to show.
The book really revealed the corruptness of the American Judiciary
System. Judge Skinner is seen as a very corrupt man with a grudge against Schlichtmann
that is so strong, it affects the way he presides over the case. For someone
who is supposed to be an unbiased observer, he certainly was prejudiced against
Schlichtmann and let Facher get away with anything, including the responsibility
for the deaths of innocent children and polluting huge amounts of land and water.
Facher and Jacobs both lied under oath, stating that they did not withhold evidence;
when in fact, they did. The book accurately shows how large corporations are
willing to take the risk of being caught polluting than to spend the time and
money to bring their plants, equipment, and services up to modem standards.
Often times, it is cheaper and easier to pay the polluter fines than to transform
an entire working factory or work site.
A Civil Action is proof that the difference between right and
wrong can become very shaded in the eyes of the law, especially when large corporations
with large amounts of money are involved. It is sad to think that the pollution
of the environment is not taken seriously until someone is seriously injured
or even killed. The laws of our nation were created to protect everyone and
everything, regardless of the prestige or wealth. The corporations involved
obviously and vagrantly broke these laws, and it is sad that so much pain and
grief had to be endured before even the smallest amount of justice was done.
