All Living Things Equal

In Gary Snyder’s article “The Wilderness” in Turtle Island, there was one particular quote that I found interesting.  It follows:

At the root of the problem where our civilization goes wrong is the mistaken belief that nature is something less than authentic, that nature is not as alive as man is, or as intelligent, that in a sense it is dead, and that animals are of so low an order of intelligence and feeling, we need not take their feelings into account. (Snyder 107)

This quote intrigued me because Snyder is inferring that people do not treat animals and nature as equals.  Humans act like they are superior to everything else and most of the time do not have a conscience about the harm they have caused.  This theme is present throughout Turtle Island in many poems.  Some examples include “The Dead by the Side of the Road”, “Steak”, “The Call of the Wind”, “Mother Earth: Her Whales”, “The Hudson Curlew”, and “Two Fawns that didn’t see the Light this Spring.”

                In “Mother Earth: Her Whales”, Snyder speaks of the beauty of both plants and animals as he sees them in his own eyes and hopes others will too.  He then describes the way they are underappreciated by others.  Brazil sells their natural resources which Snyder refers as “the living actual people of the jungle” to other countries instead of keeping them to appreciate and treasure.  Japan debates which species of whale is invaluable enough to kill.  These actions disturb Snyder very much and by writing this poem he is trying get his readers to realize that all living creatures are beautiful and should be treated equal.  In addition, Snyder questions most human’s thoughts by saying “IS man most precious of all things?”  Although we may have the most “power,” it does not mean that we should overuse it and only care for ourselves.   

                In the poem “Two Fawns that didn’t see the Light this Spring” Snyder describes the death of two pregnant does caused by humans.  In both stanzas, a deer is killed by a person in two common day situations.  One doe is shot by a hunter and another hit by a car.  Although the death of the deer alone is already sad, because the loss of the unborn fawns life, it causes the readers eyes to really be opened up to the tragedy.  Snyder is attempting to make the reader feel sympathetic and realize that animals are living beings too and should be treated equally.

                Overall Snyder has a love for all living organisms and believes that they should be treated no differently than humans.  He thinks that people think too highly of themselves and should stop being selfish.