Successful, engaging nature writing such
as “High Tide in Tucson” must find a very precarious balance between
observation of the natural and observation of the unnatural. It must also avoid sounding condescending or
preachy. Kingsolver does this by
pointing out the human race’s missteps without unnecessary judgement. The reader, as a result, is interested rather
than insulted. We are not made to feel
like parasites or criminals, but like misguided members of a large ecological
family.
The hermit crab is used as the foremost
metaphor in the essay, portraying a natural being who has had an unnatural
situation thrust upon it. We see the
hermit crab vacillating between times of
disturbingly languid behavior and times of extreme busyness. Humorously linking the hermit crab’s
mysterious behavior to the often mysterious behavior of humans, Kingsolver says
that “Buster was manic-depressive” (267).
This kind of personification is sometimes frowned upon by animal
behaviorists and defined as anthropomorphism.
However, the great thing about creative non-fiction is that Kingsolver’s
job is not to accurately and scientifically represent animal behavior. Her job is to present the information in a
way that will strike a chord in her readers, that will flow out like
poetry. Though she presents scientific
facts and anecdotes, she is free to wrap them in a gauzy layer of metaphor and
figurative language. She is free to
anthropomorphize a hermit crab to her heart’s delight. She is allowed to use science as a
jumping-off point for her beautiful prose.
One of my favorite quotes in the essay is
this: “We carry around these big brains of ours like the crown jewels, but
mostly I find that millions of years of evolution have prepared me for one
thing only: to follow internal rhythms” (269).
Not only is this beautiful and truthful, but I think that it holds the
key to the heart of the entire essay. By
observing and analyzing both the environment and the creatures in it,
Kingsolver comes to the conclusion that the human race would benefit from
getting in touch with their natural instincts.
This is suggested as a remedy both for struggling individuals and the
entire human race.
Another element that makes the essay
successful is the introduction of fascinating but little-known facts. The information about the moon and tides was
both new to me and extremely relevant to her main idea about the need for
humans to reconnect with their instincts and natural desires. Though not everyone is going to find the same
things interesting, the same can be said of any statement or subject
matter.
I may be biased because I have read and
enjoyed nearly all of Barbara Kingsolver’s books and short stories, but I never
fail to be enchanted by her writing. She is a beautiful writer with a deep
talent for connecting the natural world with the unnatural world, consequently
creating a simultaneously philosophical and poetic essay with “High Tide in
Tucson”.
As a science major and someone who does animal research in evolutionary biology, I love that you mentioned that “personification is sometimes frowned upon by animal behaviorists and defined as anthropomorphism”. I’ve always struggled with that idea in the scientific field, and I think while yes, it loses objectivity, it also increases relatability, and thus understandability. I’ve wondered why we can’t anthropomorphize, if it helps us to grasp concepts and understand the subject (and in turn bring itself closer to it)! In fact, I think that’s one of the many reasons why science and its writing is so obscure and distant to many people, and often seen as uninteresting. That’s where I think creative writing can come in, and bring with it the anthromorphism and figurative language that helps make the technical topic not only understandable, but actually poetic and compelling.
ReplyDeleteI really do not like nature essays. They bore me to death. This essay did bore me too, but to a certain degree. I like how Kingsolver added personal bits of her life into the piece. It kept me interested in times that I got bored. Like the part where she had the intruders in the house and chased them out. Or the part where that man pulled a knife on her. Drama. I like drama. It keeps me engaged. I liked how you talked about the art of non-fiction and Kingsolver not necessarily having to accurately describe animal behavior. I like YOUR quote, "Her job is to present the information in a way that will strike a chord in her readers, that will flow out like poetry." That's what I see as Creative Non-Fiction.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree here with Rosa's discussion, as well as Dominique's and Victoria's comments here, about how important it is to "elevate" a subject matter often considered boring, obsolete, unrelated to "me". This is especially true for nature writers today, where--in a world of gadgets, social media, constant entertainment/inundation, but also a world of climate change & environmental concerns--the writer's duty is to bring these issues to light in an engaging, meaningful way. And this is, I think, why thinking about the "universals" (things that relate all of us, like the body, the inner mind, the personal, the familial, etc.) comes in handy when writing. These aspects of ourselves act as kinds of gateways to the subjects/themes/arguments we're trying to get across, and encourage the reader to trust us, step into our POV, and start to--in many ways--"see" things as we see them.
ReplyDeleteI'd also say this "elevating" is one of the most challenging parts of being a writer in general. Even for those of you who have dramatic, compelling experiences that will give you years of things to write about, let me tell you (from personal experience), if you write long enough, eventually that well will run dry. And at that point your job will become about making meaning from the ordinary, the everyday.
I'd also note that, as you can see from Kingsolver, it's important not just to study/read/write nonfiction, but to incorporate strategies/techniques from other genres (which, for readers who don't typically read nonfiction, will act as kinds of "gateways" as well)
ReplyDeleteThank you for all of your responses and insights! I like hearing from a fellow Kingsolver fan (Victoria) and someone who doesn't enjoy nature essays (Dominique). And of course, a professor. :)
ReplyDeleteVictoria: my experience with science is mostly my hobby/interest in animal behavior, which is why I had heard about the disdain some scientists have towards the use of anthropomorphism in animal behavior studies. I personally think that as long as it's not overused, it can go hand in hand with facts, especially in nature essays where there is more room for creativity than in a science journal.
Dominique: you bring up a really interesting point. I think that all writing needs drama. Drama can come in a lot of different forms and intensities, but now that I think about it, every successful (in my opinion) piece of writing contains drama. Drama makes the writing world go 'round.
I found this piece to be beautifully well written and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I found it to be more about the ability to create a home wherever life takes you and, at that level, adaptability. I loved the way Kingsolver juxtaposed her and her families life with that of the hermit-crab.The juxtaposition, along with Kingsolver's personification of the crab, allowed the audience to get closer and more involved in the piece by narrowing the gab we have to cross in order to relate to an animal on an emotional level. Everyone has experienced some form of displacement, such as Buster is dealing with, and like Buster, we typically search for connections to our old lives in order to smooth a transition. Kingsolver's comment regarding internal rhythms would seem to echo a primal sense of socialization or habit, thus bringing the human being closer to that of the animal and again narrowing the gap.
ReplyDeleteKingsolver definitely writes in a poetic flow throughout this essay, as Rosa points out. One of my favorite lines of the essay is found on the top of page 270 when she says, "We humans have to grant the presence of some past adaptations, even in their unforgivable extremes, if only to admit they are permanent rocks in the stream we're obliged to navigate." I find sentences like this force me as a reader to pause and re-read the sentence until I can make sense of it, which I like. In terms of the science - creative nonfiction aspect mentioned before, I think given the focus of her personal experience vs. scientific knowledge, the information works well to create a nice informative/poetic flow.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I am personally not a fan of nature essays, I did find this one to have some interesting points, mostly when the author wrote about her own life. It was interesting to read something that I would never consider to read, because that opened my eyes and mind to new possibilities and topics that could have gone unexplored in a personal sense.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Domi. While I really did appreciate this author's writing style (it was beautifully written), I couldn't find a way to really feel connected with the content. I'm also not a fan of nature essays, and in particular, nature essays having to do with Tucson or any part of the Southwest. That's probably just because I've read a lot of them, and since I'm from here, I think I personally want to be exposed to something completely different from what I know. But I think all writers, whatever the topic, run the risk of alienating readers for whatever reason, whether the topic or genre or setting or anything. While I initially did not have a deep appreciation for this piece, after reading your response and the responses of others on here, I think I can appreciate it a little better. I like seeing how writings can resonate with other people, and even though this wasn't wholly my cup of tea, I think Kingsolver is a good writer with a passion for her topics.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this piece. I read Kingsolver's "Pigs in Heaven" in high school so I was familiar with a little of her work already. I am really intrigued by how a writer can take something so ordinary and make it have such profound meaning for others. In a way the piece took something every one is familiar with, whether we know it or not, and put a fresh spin and view point on the way we live our lives.
ReplyDeleteI wish that I had thought more about trying to "make meaning from the ordinary" like Mr. K said, when writing my own manuscripts. I found myself at a loss for what to write since I kept trying to think of some dramatic experience in my life that readers would find exciting. In the future I will definitely think more about how to express the ordinary in a new way.