1984's Lesson on Nature

1984's Lesson on Nature

In 1984, George Orwell shows his view of the human relationship with nature through the significance of events that happen in places unable to be monitored by Big Brother and telescreens, the “wilderness” of 1984's dystopian society. Through the deviant acts that take place in nature, Orwell shows that the more noble and courageous side of human nature is brought to the forefront when a person is in the natural or “wilderness” setting than in an urban city scene.

Historical Contextualization

George Orwell was disgusted by the totalitarian government of Nazi Germany and fascist government of Italy during World War II. His political opinion shaped 1984 into a dystopia intended as a warning to what could become of human society if totalitarian governments were not restricted in some way.

Critical Analysis

Winston's first deviant act in the book is buying the diary. He buys the diary from a prole shop, and although Winston is not forbidden from going into the prole's part of town, it is discouraged, and therefore dangerous. Winston buys the diary on impulse because although he is not yet conscious of it, he wants more from life than the controlled existence he already has. The beauty of the diary moved him; that stirring emotion combined with the wilder setting of the prole shop drove him to act upon emotion rather than reason, a sign that the more natural environment of the proles unwatched by telescreens gave Winston the courage to buy the diary. This single event set off the chain of events that led to his ultimate realization of the true nature of Big Brother, his rebellion against the governmental regime, and his eventual succumbing to the doctrines of the Party.

Save Rock Canyon

To Mayor Lewis Billings (lbillings@provo.utah.gov) and

Brent Wilde (bwilde@provo.utah.gov):

I love Rock Canyon. I'm not even a citizen of your state, yet I'm hoping to help save this natural treasure of our Provo community. My one and only (yet life changing) encounter with Rock Canyon happened when I been in Utah for only about a week when my Environmental Studies class at Brigham Young University hiked through Rock Canyon to Squaw Peak. This was the hardest physical task I had ever attempted in my entire life (coming from sea level made it even worse); it took me a little more than two hours, but I finally made it to the top and got to take in the spectacular view of the entire valley. I realized then that if we work hard and long enough, we can do anything, even if it seems impossible.

Even though the problem that faces you, as a government authority, of what to do about Rock Canyon may seem impossible to resolve, I know that if you work long and hard enough, you can come up with a solution that will please the majority of your constituency. I have my opinion, and you have yours, but it's not about us, it's about the community.

There will be economic benefits if you allow mining to happen in Rock Canyon, but the small financial incentive is not as powerful as the general public welfare, safety, and health benefits that will come from keeping Rock Canyon a natural public recreation area free of mining enterprises.

Natural “untouched” treasures such as Rock Canyon are no longer prevalent in the world; the loss of Rock Canyon would have a severely detrimental effect on the citizens of Provo and the surrounding communities who use Rock Canyon as a place to relax, renew, and unwind from the constant activity of everyday life. It's proven that even just being in nature can reduce stress and promote general wellness.

Safety issues such as loose rock falling onto trails and hiking areas, injury from excavation equipment, and issues that arise from the merging of heavy truck and foot traffic would be nonexistent if the canyon remained free of mining and its equipment. That's one lawsuit you could avoid altogether.

Health issues will also arise. Dust from the mining excavation could affect hikers on the trail – how are you supposed to hike when you're coughing and gagging? The stream next to the mining area could become polluted, which would affect all the wildlife in the canyon that get their water supply from the stream, potentially killing native species. The water supply of Provo that comes from the canyon is also in danger of being contaminated.

Please consider these issues while making your decision. I know the process will not be easy, but please remember that all of Provo, and many others, are counting on you to keep the community's best interests at heart. And our dearest interest is to preserve Rock Canyon in its current state, without the threat of a rock quarry looming in the future.

Thank you for your time,

Dottie Bateman