Man over nature

Essay by EssaySwap ContributorCollege, Undergraduate February 2008

download word file, 2 pages 0.0

Downloaded 1054 times

Man over Nature? In Never Cry Wolf Ootek tells Farley a legend that links man, wolves, and caribou in a perfectly balanced, continuos, natural cycle. Nevertheless, the whole novel uncovers the sad truth that man has altered this unique cycle and its own denial of it threatens to destroy it. This theme, suggests the idea that man, although being a part of nature, has abused the power that was granted to him only to have a better life at the expense of other living beings.

In Ootek's tale, man is clearly referred as a superior being who plays the main role in nature. For example, the woman in the story and her sons, which in a way represent humanity, are given the caribou as a gift from the gods, a gift that would supply all their needs. ''...so the sons of the Woman hunted well, and they were fed and clothed and had good skins to live in, all from the caribou'' (Mowat 84).

In the same way, nature has provided humanity entirely with all its needs in a way where it can coexist harmonically with the living things around it. People, in a somewhat self-centric way, have viciously transformed the natural world for their own good in order to supply themselves with superficial things. Nevertheless, though hominids basically make nature work for their profit, they too form a part of it.

On the other hand, man has surpassed its use of nature and has begun to destroy the delicate cycle it forms. No one can deny, how civilization has basically stripped jungles, polluted air and water, exterminated species and contaminated the land. The human beings have lost complete respect for nature and will probably have to face the consequences. It is incongruent to think that exploiting a planet will not end up harming all the living things that coexist together in it. In Never Cry Wolf, hunters face the problem of having few caribou to hunt. They immediately blame the wolves of being monstrous and obnoxious beats who savagely devour deer, and never stop to consider the possibility that this problem might be caused by their own addiction to make money by over killing animals. '' ...my predecessor supplied the Minister with an explanation of this situation in which it was his contention that there were fewer deer because the hunters had increased to the point where they outnumbered the deer about five to one. He was promptly shouted down by Members howling 'Liar!' and 'Wolf-lover!''' (Mowat 9) The hunters in the story also lost respect for nature and the vital role the wolf plays in the life of the caribou. They decide to exterminate it. Slowly but surely, the lack of wolves will alter the caribou-wolf cycle by allowing the caribou population to grow weak and sick; this will eventually have repercussions on man himself.

It could now be concluded, that man, as well as the hunters in Never Cry Wolf, have abused nature and have not tried to give something back by contributing to the circle of life. Because the discrimination against wolves, it cause an extensive rumor, numerous rumors, and several lies. Evidently the denial of this situation will soon backfire on man. This would bring out the question: why can man not look over his shoulder and care for others if this means caring for himself? It is now up to the future generations to become responsible for nature and give something back for all it has been taken from it.