Silent Spring

Carson repeatedly uses descriptions of the things that are most commonly found beautiful and endearing in nature. This is a distinct choice to inspire emotion in the reader who cares about the wildflowers, the birds, and the bees. In the opening section of Silent Spring, Carson begins describing the trees along the road that “delighted the traveler’s eye” (1) and the “abundance and variety of [the] bird life” (2). Later, as Carson describes the impact of chemical spraying, she discusses the “elimination of beautiful native shrubs and wildflowers” (70) in Connecticut, as well as the destruction of the environments in which wild bees thrive (73). While not all of Carson’s arguments rely on the reader being affectionate towards nature, her use of these descriptions is intended to engender a desire on the part of the reader to end whatever causes of destruction are ruining these aspects of the environment.

In an effort to motivate the public to take immediate action, Carson repeatedly illustrates the impacts of widespread chemical use on one of humanity’s most vulnerable populations: young people. For example, as Carson describes the numerous poisons available in the grocery store, she heightens the sense of danger saying, “if dropped to the floor by a child […] everyone nearby could be splashed with the same chemical that has sent spraymen using it into convulsions” (174).