In the fictional world, characterization is a common occurrence. On several occasions, writers use it to pass volumes of information. On the same note, they also carry lots of hidden information that requires commitment and deeper understanding for one to observe. Therefore, it is important to understand such moments and to try and pick up on them. This essay will take a look at these moments in certain essays while also providing examples and trying to explain how these moments acted as eye-openers and made it easier to comprehend and understand a third essay. The first essay that will be looked at will be Jane Goodall’s “In the Shadow of Man.” Generally, Jane is documenting her research on wild chimpanzees in a park in Tanzania. She talks about things she observed and how she interacted with them by describing their behavior and the kind of relationships she formed with them. The second essay that will be looked at is “Arctic Dreams” by Barry Lopez. In it, Barry mainly dives into the aspect of migration across various species and how various parts of the ecosystem make it easier for them to migrate successfully. He looks at the migration processes of various animals, such as whales and birds, among others. The study of the two essays will provide details that help understand hidden concepts from the third essay which will be “A Desert World” by Ann Zwinger. Zwinger’s essay is mainly a natural history that explores various ecosystems, such as deserts around the world. Zwinger’s focus is mainly on the relationships that occur between various organism and their environments. These examples will be addressed in the essay, and clear explanations will also be provided.
First of all, we take a look at the essay written by Jane Goodall, “In the Shadow of Man.” There are moments that point out the aspect of innovation. Goodall makes an observation that the Chimpanzees use twigs as tools for fishing termites. This aspect shows how the Chimpanzees have the capacity to be innovative. As it is commonly known that the use of tools and innovation are traits that are unique to human beings, it is highlighted in the essay that the chimpanzees are significantly adaptable, and they end up using the resources within their environment to satisfy their needs. Based on the idea above, it becomes easier to observe the same when looking at “A Desert World” by Ann Zwinger. An example is seen when Zwinger says that certain desert animals use rocks or sticks to create shelter or even dig for water. From that, it is clear that there is a scarcity of resources, and the organisms are forced to adapt in order for them to survive in the arid conditions. This kind of adaptive behavior is similar to the one observed in the chimpanzees. Still from the same essay, Goodall describes her observation on the social interaction levels of the Chimpanzees. She also describes those moments when they are conflicting and reconciling. That shows the dynamics within the primate communities. An example can be seen when she describes how authority is asserted by the dominant males, which they do by being aggressive and then later reconciling with the other members by showing peaceful gestures and grooming. By that, Goodall shows how important it is for social bonds to exist and how cooperation is vital for the survival of the Chimpanzees. When looking at “A Desert World,” after making the observations above, one can tell how the social organization and behavior of organisms may be significantly different from those of primates. However, conflict and cooperation moments among desert species can still be observed. An example from the essay is that due to the limited resources, certain desert plants may compete for these resources. On the other hand, Zwinger also points out the fact that some of these plants end up forming symbiotic relationships with other species. Finally, from Goodall’s interaction with the Chimpanzees, she documents the close bond that is observed between the mothers and their offspring. She talks about their nurturing behavior and how protective they are. When you look at the moment from “A Desert World,” where Zwinger describes how the desert foxes nurse their pups by providing them with items that are essential for their growth and development. The above example helps bring out the aspect of maternal care and a more profound aspect, which is dedication. The mothers are dedicated to protecting their young ones at whatever cost.
Secondly, we will take a look at “Arctic Dreams” by Barry Lopez. Although the author mainly focuses on the migration of various animals, such as birds, there are moments from the essay that help in understanding not-so-plain contexts that are addressed in “A Desert World” by Zwinger. For example, Lopez highlights the journey of Arctic terns through the sharp oscillations that characterize the Arctic and how their movement is important in creating a balance in the ecosystem. Their movement across these areas shows their level of resilience and perseverance. When going through “A Desert World” the black-throated sparrow is said to be surviving even without water. This instance stated above points out the role of arid environments as important in pointing out the ability of the animals to be resilient. Therefore, by that understanding, one can clearly see the importance of desert ecosystems and how they support the migration of various species. Lopez also discusses how impactful the loss of habitat is by highlighting the various challenges that the birds face due to human activities such as urbanization and deforestation. That shows how vulnerable the migrating animals are and the need to preserve these environments for them. Having the idea in mind, it is easier for one to understand the threats that desert ecosystems are subjected to once they read how Zwinger discusses these human activities. Equally, when Lopez describes how the animals make certain noises to alert each other of impending danger also shows the interrelationship between the various animals that are talked about in the essay.
In conclusion, as illustrated above, the detailed analysis and navigation of the essays provided, namely “In the Shadow of Man” by Jane Goodall, “Arctic Dreams” by Barry Lopez, and “A Desert World” by Ann Zwinger, there are various dynamics that have been looked into. Having privileged one source, which was “A Desert World,” the other two were used as inspiration so that various hidden observations could be made from the essay. The various observations made have been quite clear based on the examples provided. The aspects of innovation, motherly bonds, and social interaction levels from the second paragraph, the importance of creating a balance in the ecosystem, the impacts of human activities on these areas, and the importance of desert environments to the ecosystem from the third paragraph have all been observed from the essays. Therefore, it can be argued that the observations made above may require the intervention of a thinker and a writer as they are not plain ideas. It is also clear that during their writing, the above authors passed volumes of information through hidden contexts in their writing.
References
Barry Holstun Lopez. (2014). Arctic dreams: imagination and desire in a northern landscape. Vintage Classic.
Goodall, J., & Hugo Van Lawick. (2010). In the shadow of man. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
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