DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

Literature in Margo's Life:

Margo felt that "stories make information more palatable to readers than dry research," and this is why literature can be effective in the environmental movement. However, after studying John Muir so extensively in class, we were surprised to find that Margo did not enjoy his work. She felt that she was more drawn toward the scientific rather than philosophical, which is why she was more taken with Basin and Range and Encounters with the Archdruid by John McPhee. John McPhee was a geologist who sparked Margo's interest in the ways he explained why things are how they appear. She loves "the way he writes about the natural world" and felt that "his wonderful use of language and his great curiosity of the world" are what sparked her interest and made her enjoy the books. She explained that she learned so much "from the arguments and conversations that were recounted in the book. Having worked at the Grand Canyon made it even more meaningful." Margo was influenced by literature she could relate to because she had experience with the area McPhee wrote about and also with the science behind it. She was also impacted by Michael Pollan's writings and Barbara Kingslover's memoir Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.

Margo brought up an interesting point in regards to media. She felt that "backdoor" ways of advocacy are more effective, because books like Silent Spring and movies like An Inconvenient Truth or Gasland are "preaching to the quire." She felt that if we wrap messages into popular media our goals can be more easily reached. Evidence for this is in the effects of The Cosby Show as it portrayed "a successful African American family," or with the increase in portrayal of gay relationships in sitcoms. Increased media attention clearly helps normalize social issues, and by normalizing a cause, support can be rallied. Margo brought to light that "it would be interesting" if someone were to somehow do this with the environment and nature.


 

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.