"Desert Solitaire"

Paper Summary:

The paper attempts to show how "Desert Solitaire", by Edward Abbey, conveys the ability of each individual to reclaim his nativism from the corrupting impact of consumerism, war and social conformity. The paper notes Abbey's emphasis on the connection between America's dependence on the automobile and the simultaneous degradation of its environment and international relations. The paper also points out Abbey's suggestion that one may serve himself best by communing with America's nature rather than its marketplace.

From the Paper:

"The American West has always been a locale of mythical proportions, with its sheer expanse, exoticness and diversity making it a historically rich point of inflection for natural scientists, adventurers and philosophers to better understand the country as a whole. By immersing himself deep into the heart of the desert, Edward Abbey, committed to all three aformentioned professions by way of his experiences there, paints a gritty and down-to-Earth portrait of the Arches National Park that succeeds in representing the mysterious allure of the West. Particularly, Abbey's gruff authority gives voice to the frustrations of a great many Americans during the time in which he authored this journal, published in 1968. Serving over one summer in an aluminum government trailer just a step away from his ranger station, Abbey's time spent submerged in the mountains, gorges and canyons of the park pointedly reflects the wedge driven between what the author's own American values and the violent thrust of modernity."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Abbey, Edward. (1968). Desert Solitaire. McGraw-Hill Group.
• Duryee, Kent. (1996). Edward Abbey: A Man Hard to Talk About. Desert USA. Online at http://www.desertusa.com/mag00/nov/papr/abbey.html
• Temple, Eric. (1982). An Interview With Edward Abbey. Phoenix, AZ: KAET-TV

More papers on "Desert Solitaire":

• Comparison Essay # 44652 : "Desert Solitaire" and "Ceremony"
• Analytical Essay # 41871 : "Desert Soitaire"
• Comparison Essay # 23118 : "The Theme of Nostalgia"

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