Yosi Talaminaei

Mrs. Debnam
AP Lang Period 5
10/26/15
Silent Spring Essay
Each one of us can make a difference. Together we make change (Barbara Mikulski). Rachel
Carson beautifully entwines this philosophy in her argument as she urges humanity to fight against
insecticide companies. She makes it clear that the time is ripe for the population as a whole to take a stand
and join forces to end the mass destruction that these chemicals cause. Purposefully describing the
countless deaths in both crops and in animals that are solely connected to the parathion Carson forces the
public to make a difference and join together to make change. In Rachel Carsons Silent Spring, she
argues that the growing inattentiveness of humanity has caused the genocide of nature, a habit which is an
immense injustice; this ultimately compromises our inherent right to enjoy the innocence of nature and
our right to control that freedom.
Carson employs an allusion to war to rally against insecticide companies in order to protect the
environment. Towards the beginning of the excerpt, Carson describes how the insecticide companies,
sent in the planes on their mission of death (11-12). Here, the act of spraying insecticides on fields is
likened to an air-raid during a war. Additionally, the phrase characterizes the insecticide companies as the
opposition in a war, and creates a parallel that the insecticide corporations are the enemy. When
discussing the consequences of the planes mission of death, Carson demonizes the parathion even
further as she states, The casualty list included some 65,000 red-winged blackbirds and starlings (1314). Again the word casualty directly ties back to casualty lists from war after a massive battle or air
raid. Moreover, the image of thousands of innocent creatures dying, provides inspiration to fight back
against all of the death caused by the evil insecticide. As her argument develops, Carson begins to
deliberately mention war further building the parallel of the parathion being the enemy. When discussing
the farmers role in the issue with the parathion she analyzes, Yet at so fearful a risk the farmers, with
none to hinder them, waged their needless war on blackbirds (24-25). Carson blatantly mentions war,
which is immensely powerful and also makes it seem as if the farmers are actually inciting a war against

Yosi Talaminaei
Mrs. Debnam
AP Lang Period 5
10/26/15
nature and humanity. Her tone becomes angry in the latter of the excerpt and this emphasizes the urgency
of this alluded war. Furthermore, by including that the death and war that is mentioned could have been
avoided through a slight change of decision on behalf of the farmers, Carson paints them in the worst
possible light (10). The way she explains it, the farmers could have easily saved thousands of lives and
mass destruction, and chose not to. War is a prevalent motif throughout the excerpt and the way Carson
connects it to the struggle against insecticide companies adds depth to her argument that the environment
should be protected.
Another motif that she weaves throughout this excerpt is the deadliness of insecticide use to
expose the injustice that it creates. Taking into account the natural fear humans hold regarding the idea of
death, Carson further demonizes the parathion and strategically focuses on how, The parathion is not a
specific for blackbirds; it is a universal killer (15). Like a soldier bravely advancing through enemy lines
she furthers her argument as she connects the actions of the insecticide companies to the death of not only
the environment, but humans as well. Further playing on the deadliness of the insecticide Carson explains
that, All [of the farmers] vegetation [was] coated with a lethal film (23-24). By producing the image
that the vegetables eaten daily by the population is all covered with a grimy lethal film, Carson creates
an urgency in her tone and clearly establishes that the insecticide companies are not only causing
widespread death amongst nature and the environment but amongst the human race as well. Bouncing off
of the deadliness of the insecticides, Carson makes sure to exaggerate that the casualties that it causes
affects thousands and that this ever widening wave of death will only continue to grow (27). The
alliteration of the w sounds draws attention to the deadly and horrific image of a wave of death and
feeds the fire of fury that Carson is lighting. The deadly play on the descriptions of the insecticide
companies and the direct link between human death and the insecticide that Carson creates, is key to the
development in her argument against the parathion.

Yosi Talaminaei
Mrs. Debnam
AP Lang Period 5
10/26/15
Taking her own gavel in her hands, Carson mutes any opposition to her argument by describing
natures innocence and the injustice that victimizes it which further antagonizes the insecticide
companies. She portrays nature as completely ignored and neglected and mentions how, what other
wildlife deaths may have gone unnoticed and unrecorded is not known (14-15). The sheer ignorance
humanity holds towards the destruction of nature is boldly highlighted in this statement and natures
innocence seeps through her word choice. Carson includes vivid imagery of the dead wildlife and appeals
to pathos when she describes, the pitiful heaps of many hued feathers, the lifeless remains of the birds
which augments the innocence of nature and wildlife (29-30). Additionally, Carson constructs a powerful
parallel between the, rabbits or raccoons or opossums [who] may have roamed those bottomlands (1516) and the boys who roam through woods or fields [in Indiana] (20). Doing so, she directly links the
animals to the innocent young boys and asserts that the death of the animals and boys is equally horrific
and unjust. Carson creates a stark contrast between her portrayal of the destructive insecticide companies
and the innocence of nature to further exaggerate her argument that a stand must be taken against the
parathion.
Rachel Carson is an admirable example of Mikulskis make a change philosophy. Not only did
she successfully publish several books, but she also raised public awareness regarding the massive
insecticide companies and became one of the first to create real environmental change. Her strong voice
and bold arguments allowed her to take a stand for what she believed in and ultimately achieve her goal.
With the support of millions, Carson sparked the establishment of the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency and the passing of numerous laws protecting the environment, including a ban on domestic use of
DDT in 1972. Her legacy continues today as environmentalists continue to fight for the protection of
nature.