Category Archives: Final Essay

Final Essay

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Elise Darr

J. Pressman

ECL 305

May 9, 2024

“The Universal Language of Art and its Impact on the Natural World”

Our world is filled with a variety of human experiences, each contributing uniquely to our global community. However, this diversity can sometimes lead to conflict as different languages and cultures begin to shape varying ideologies and beliefs. That said, art has the sensational ability to overcome these barriers— serving as a universal language that connects communities across the world. As the state of the natural world worsens due to climate change, the urgency of addressing environmental degradation becomes more apparent. Scholars such as Robert Emmett and David Nye note that art, and the humanities overall, offer a deeper understanding of humanity’s relationship with the natural world. Through an innovative collaboration with sciences and the humanities, these approaches challenge the anthropocentric worldview that often underscores Western society’s environmental perspectives. Historian William Cronon notes that the West has constructed its modern view of the environment. However, photography challenges these perspectives, emphasizing the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to combatting climate change. Photography, in particular, is a powerful tool to show human’s relationship with nature. In his photography series, “Inherit the Dust,” Nick Brandt juxtaposes images of African wildlife against scenes of man-made environmental degradation to highlight the impact of human activity on Africa’s natural environment. Brandt’s black-and-white photos contribute to a broader understanding of environmental issues that challenge the Western-centric narrative. These images illustrate how art fosters a connection between humans and the environment, presenting diverse perspectives of nature that cultivate the empathy necessary to comprehend and revere the natural world.

Photography’s recent recognition as an important aspect of addressing climate is indicative of a broader trend identified by scholars Robert Emmett and David Nye. Academics Emmett and Nye explain in their paper “The Emergence of the Environmental Humanities” that art and literature have entered scientific discussions of environmental issues. The “environmental humanities” emerged as an “interdisciplinary endeavor” (Emmett Nye 1) that aims to create a “creative cooperative between the humanities and the science” that promotes innovative perspectives on the environmental crisis (Emmett Nye 7). In other words, the environmental humanities have the transformative potential to shift perspectives of humanity’s relationship with the natural world, allowing modern society to recognize that human beings are not “firmly at the center” of this planet (Emmett Nye 11). Emmett and Nye’s observations highlight the capacity of the humanities to facilitate a more nuanced understanding of the natural world. Art and literature challenge the anthropocentric worldview, giving the humanities’ “creative cooperation” with science the revolutionary potential to combat climate change through broadening humans’ collective understanding and fostering empathy towards the natural world. 

Creating a relationship between humans and the environment built on empathy challenges the anthropocentric worldview that has influenced Western society’s environmental stance. Western perspectives have created an understanding of the natural that often leads to a neglect of environmental crises beyond their Westerners’ immediate purview. This tendency is particularly evident in the United States, where efforts to address climate change often prioritize self-preservation over global ecological stewardship. In “The Trouble with Wilderness,” environmental historian William Cronon explains that the romanticism movement and “leisure-time frontier fantasies” have created a “wilderness in [Americans’] own image” (Cronon 15). This image establishes the “wild country” as a place “of national renewal,” making it the ‘best’ location “for experiencing what it mean[s] to be an American” (Cronon 13). Additionally, as the “myth of a vanishing frontier” began to emerge in the 1890s, along did the idea of environmental preservation, as Americans wanted to “save [their] last remnants as monuments to American past” (Cronon 13). Cronon’s use of the terms “myth” and “national” highlights the constructed nature of America’s perception of the natural world— a viewpoint that revolves around the idea that humans, particularly Americans, are at the center of the environment. While environmental preservation is important, the only way for this to be effective is by recognizing that the wilderness was here long before humans had risen. Understanding the environment has its own intrinsic identity, independent of human narrative, leads to a preservation approach that prioritizes reverence and respect. 

As an American, navigating the ideologies shaped by the Western-centric narrative can be challenging. This is where the environmental humanities’ interdisciplinary approach to nature preservation proves invaluable. While America tends to focus on preserving its own landscape, this focus can lead to an oversight of the environmental crisis in other parts of the world. Art, particularly photography offers insight into these global perspectives. For example, Nick Brandt’s photography series, “Inherit the Dust,” shows the environmental crisis from East Africa’s standpoint. In this series, Brandt juxtaposes images of African wildlife with scenes of man-made environmental destruction. For example, the photo “Quarry with Lion” showcases a lion looking over the construction site of a quarry, reminiscent of the way a lion looks over its pride. Brandt’s decision to use photography as his medium to share his message is especially impactful as photography is a great means of documentation. Unlike other forms of art, photography has the capacity to provide visual evidence of environmental degradation in real-time. These photos immortalize moments of destruction, allowing viewers to witness the direct consequences of human activity on the natural world. “Inherit the Dust” is especially impactful to Western society, where representations of Africa are neglected in mainstream media. By showcasing communities from around the world, photography creates a sense of interconnectedness among humans. This relationship is necessary for understanding the environment as a unified entity and recognizing the collective responsibility humans have to respect it. 

As an art form, photography holds many unique elements that contribute to the impact of the photo. Coloring is among the most important aspects of creating a meaningful photo. One photography workshop notes that “careful use of color can provide a shortcut” in establishing a connection with viewers as “different colors evoke different emotions” (“Why is Color”). “Inherit the Dust” only contains photographs in black and white. While color photography allows for a vivid representation of reality, black and white images eliminate the distraction of color, encouraging viewers to focus on contrast within the scene. Without color, the juxtaposition of the wildlife and degradation becomes more apparent. The images carry a rawness that demands the viewer’s attention, stripping away aesthetics and emphasizing the direness of the environmental crisis. Moreover, the black and white quality imbues the photographs with a timeless quality, as early photography was only offered in this quality. This timelessness reinforces the notion that environmental degradation is not confined to a specific moment in time, rather it is an ongoing universal concern. Therefore, the coloring of “Inherit the Dust” not only expresses the urgency of protecting the natural world but also takes away aesthetic distractions, allowing the viewer to connect deeply with the subject matter. 

As stated earlier, Brandt’s photo titled “Quarry with Lion” juxtaposes a lion with a quarry construction site. The decision to use a lion as the central subject is significant, as lions are commonly regarded as apex predators that symbolize strength and dominance in the natural world. Physically, a lion has the capability to overpower a human. However, this photo portrays the lion in a vulnerable position as they feel powerless in the face of the quarry construction site. In essence, the photograph serves as a reminder of humanity’s capacity to assert dominance over nature at the expense of ecological integrity. The quarry represents human inflation in the lion’s habitat, symbolizing the relentless pursuit of economic gain at the expense of the wild. In other words, this image highlights the inherent vulnerability of nature in the face of human exploitation. Through this juxtaposition, Brandt challenges viewers to confront the consequences of human actions and consider the implications of our relentless pursuit of conquering the natural world. To put it simply, Brandt’s photography establishes a sense of interconnectedness between human and the environment, while also demonstrating that this is a global crisis. Perhaps the realization will encourage others to consider the consequences of humans’ behavior on the environment and recognize that this is an issue that must be addressed collectively. Such a nuanced understating of this planet may lead to a society that focuses on living in balance with nature rather than attempting to conquer it. 

The recognition of photography as a vital tool in addressing climate change emphasizes how the interdisciplinary approach of the environmental humanities is invaluable when discussing the complexities of global environmental challenges. Art provides diverse perspectives of the natural world, serving as a powerful medium for raising awareness, fostering empathy, and inspiring action. The works from Emmett, Nye, Cronon, and Brandt work together to emphasize how interdisciplinary collaboration establishes a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of all living things. All in all, this highlights how Western society must focus on collaboration with the arts, science, and diverse world views to combat environmental degradation. 

Final Essay

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Hiba Aljawad

Professor Pressman

ECL 305/Final Essay

9 May 2024

Human Rights Through Mermaids

Displacement… a term that always gave me anxiety. To be described as displaced, means you do not belong where you currently are, but you cannot return to your “original” placement either. To be displaced, you (the refugee, the immigrant, the person of color, the marginalized) are a pariah– an outlier that is the mermaid of our time. These mythical creatures offer a sense of hope to individuals that do not simply fit in, feel misunderstood, and/or have a sense of a lost identity. In Rivers Solomon’s “The Deep,” mermaids, through the experiences of the Wajinru, are a symbol and representation of the experiences endured by people of color. Through this representation, mermaids are a metaphorical mythical creature that shed light on issues regarding identity and the concept of belonging in a world where existence and agency is often denied to marginalized communities. Solomon’s portrayal of historical connections of the past and present, with the presence of oceanic mythical creatures, amplifies the sense of belonging drawn from understanding and knowing one’s history. The themes present in this novel are prevalent to many modern marginalized societies. In this essay, I will focus on the themes of generational trauma, painful historical recollections that shape identities, and violence in “The Deep” and how the depiction of these themes through mermaids are a representation of the experiences endured by victims of the Human Rights Violations in Iraq between 1968-1988. I will also explore the violations endured by these victims through examining Dr. Walid Al-Hilli’s “Human Rights In Iraq 1968-1988,” a book that provides evidentiary support to the violent acts committed towards victims during the political presidency of Saddam Hussein, and I will relate how these victims are metaphorical mermaids through their relatability to “The Deep.”

Generational trauma is a major theme in Solomon’s “The Deep,” represented through the weight and distress of Yetu’s collection of historical memories of her ancestors. Since discovering the truth of her lineage, Yetu explores the pains that sometimes blur the lines between reality and her subconscious. In the beginning, Yetu, lost from reality, is scolded by her Amaba for encountering a Shark, and as she slowly came back to reality it was described as “she had to open herself back up, to make her body a wound again… It was a matter of reconnecting her brain to her body and lowering the shields she’d put in place in her mind to protect herself,” highlighting the deep efforts, pain, and stress that comes with carrying painful historical memories (Solomon, pg. 2). These memories are so heavy that Yetu has to have a guard to protect herself from the painful recollections. Generational trauma appears in many forms– it is stored in our bodies like natural memories that our brains do not necessarily need to remember. Solomon highlights this point by emphasizing that “with little memory, Wajinru knew one another… They didn’t remember in pictures nor did they recall exact events, but they knew things in their bodies…” to validate the effects of historical violence on the future generations. Although the generations after have not first handedly experienced the historical events, does not mean that they are not impacted. Dr. Walid Al-Hilli writes that the violation of human rights perpetrated by Saddam Hussain and his regime has “affected every section of the Iraqi population” since 1968– violence that to this day has affected and reshaped the generation born after this time period (Al-Hilli, pg. 6). The parallels drawn between the Wajinru and victims of the human rights violations in Iraq between 1968-1988 indicate inherited trauma is carried through human rights violations. For the Wajinru, this trauma stems from the transatlantic slave trade where Iraqi victims’ trauma stems from the decades of oppression, persecution, and violence under Hussain’s regime.

As evident by the Wajinru, painful historical experiences have a deep impact on shaping identities and offering a sense of belonging. To trace historical narratives or have a historical archive in general, allows individuals that are products of that history to connect to the multifaceted experiences and influences that contribute to who they are. As beautifully put by Amaba, “‘One can only go for so long without asking who am I? Where do I come from? What does all this mean? What came before me, and what might come after?’” in efforts to highlight to Yetu that fulfillment from living in the moment can only last so long without knowing your identity (pg. 8). Eventually, that fulfillment wears off, and bigger questions get asked to understand what brought us here? Similarly, the events occurring in Iraq between 1968-1988 challenged the discourse of historical recollection. Many political leaders or important societal figures were murdered via torture, and the victims that did survive shared the stories of their experiences while in captivation. Unfortunately, records only documented identified bodies and there are thousands of bodies that to this day are missing and have not been found– a historical archive that will only exist through the stories that their respective families would live to tell. Dr. Walid Al-Hilli writes that his book “attempts to convey the degree of human rights abuses… using the following sources (In addition to what I have experienced inside the regime’s prisons…)” and lists the required sources for these experiences to be valid enough and traceable as a history (pg.4). These records are required to communicate that, if met, then the experience can be archived and traced for future generations that want to understand where they came from. These painful histories, formally archived or not, allow future generations to establish a sense of agency in their own journey’s of finding their identities and where they belong. Tracing their roots back to their historical experiences, not only offers a sense of purpose, but also allows them to validate their own experiences that shape their identities. 

The violence of the memories collected by Yetu, the violence of experience that these memories inflicted upon her, and the violence of the effect that these memories had on the Wajinru reflect the violence endured from the torture/murders experienced by the Iraqi victims as well as the impact it had on the aftermath post-1988. Yetu explains the violent memory of “‘Our mothers… thrown overboard while crossing the ocean on slave ships. We were born breathing water as we did in the womb. We built our home on the seafloor, unaware of the two-legged surface dwellers,’” which intends to allow the Wajinru to understand the history of their creation (pg. 28). This is what birthed the Wajinru. Al-Hilli provides the violent history endured by the Iraqis in prison. He noted that “There are thousands of prisoners in Iraq without any legal reason and without legal rights or the right of defence” and illustrates the various forms of torture endured by those illegally imprisoned “3 times a day” (pgs. 36-44). Remembering the violence endured by our ancestors– or parents, is not promoted with the intention of reliving that pain. Rather, these remembrances are encouraged for healing. “Forgetting was not the same as healing” (pg. 28). The violent themes in “The Deep,” showcase the painful atrocities of the history of the transatlantic slave trade and the heavied-feelings when it was revealed to the Wajinru. The history and its violence has an emotionally-burdening effect– the same way it does experiencing it, reading it, or even sharing stories about it. The violence may not be forgotten, it needs to be healed from. 

Rivers Solomon’s “The Deep,” teaches the audience the important responsibility of understanding history and how through this understanding we are able to learn more about ourselves. By using these mythical creatures as products of a historical atrocity, Solomon allows individuals with complex histories to relate metaphorically to mermaids. Solomon also delivers the sea as a historical archive, promoting the idea that history does not need to be recorded to be legitimized. Though “The Deep” is a metaphorical work for the women who were thrown off the ships during the transatlantic slave trade, its story can be related to not only the human rights violations experienced by Iraqis, but any history that is a basis of human rights violation. This story not only highlights the concept of generational trauma that can be passed down, but encourages the recognition of the root history to promote healing. 

Works Cited

Al-Hilli, Walid. Human Rights In Iraq 1968-1988. , 2008.

Solomon, Rivers. The Deep. , Saga Press, 2019, .

Final Essay

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Lixia Pena

Professor Jessica Pressman

ECL 305

9 May 2024

Final Essay

            This semester we have been studying the path of mermaid folklore across time. As we are introduced into the mermaid mythology of the 19th century there is an interesting duality that is occurring. The mermaid becomes the most humanized that we have ever experienced by way of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Little mermaid; She also becomes the most monstrous that she has ever been by way of P.T Barnum’s Feejee Mermaid Hoax. It is interesting that we get these vastly differing versions both within the same century during a time that is moving the west into the future of industrialization and capitalism whilst the romantic movement is being developed and actively rejects these systems. If we are to view stories as being archives of a point in history, then comparing and contrasting these two different mermaids can give us a better understanding of the people of this time.

We begin with an examination of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid. As mentioned previously, in this story we see the mermaid be more humanized than ever. Andersen starts his story by painting a portrait of what this underwater world looks like. Contrary to the common idea of the time that the ocean was a barren place, Anderson posits the idea that the underwater world is much like the human world. It is ruled by a monarchist society, not unlike the governments of the human world. Even the architecture underwater resembles the structures of our own world. By making the underwater environment parallel the human world, the reader is able to identify the little mermaid less as a monster and in closer proximity to humans. Another example of this humanization can be found in the text, “So do they rise to unknown and favoured regions that we shall never be privileged to see” (118) This is part of the grandmother’s explanation of what makes humans and mermaids different. Contrary to the differences the narrative highlights we must consider the trope of promised knowledge that constantly appears through the mermaid mythos. The earliest stories we have of mer-people is from the Babylonian god Oannes. They are positioned as holders of knowledge unknown to humans. It is this promised knowledge that is used by the sirens to tempt Odysseus. Within Andersen’s story it is the humans who are possessors of knowledge that the Little Mermaid longs and bargains for. It is interesting that this trope is inverted at this point in time when the development of the study of science is in full force and society is shifting away from the church into a more secularist education. Humanity has apparently evolved past the need for the mythic to impart knowledge to them. At the same time, placing the little mermaid as desiring access to this knowledge humanizes her by giving her the same wants that humans can identify and sympathize with. While the humanization makes her more sympathetic to the reader, it is important that she is not fully humanized. The romantic period after all, strives to define what makes us human and so the mermaid continues to walk that fine line between the other and the human.

So let’s consider the differences which her grandmother reveals to her, “-the term of their life is even shorter than ours. We can live to be three hundred years old; but when we cease to be here, we shall only be changed into foam and are not even buried below amongst those we love. Our souls are not immortal. We shall never enter upon a new life… human beings, on the contrary, have a soul that lives eternally – and that rises up through the clear pure air to the bright stars above” (118). At this point the story highlights the key difference between the other and humans; It lies within the possession of a human soul. Where the mermaids only become an organic part of the natural world, humans have a soul with which they can ascend to heaven. We have previously discussed in class how western thought, shaped largely by Christianity, places emphasis on up v. down. Up being considered more favorable as it is in closer proximity to God whereas down is considered to be a realm much closer to hell. Humans live their mortal lives in a place already closer in proximity to heaven but their immortal soul is granted the “privilege” of ascending further. Mermaids, by living in a realm below humans, are not even given permanence through remembrance, they are not memorialized with a burial. The reader, so far, can surmise that being human is a far more privileged position than to be a being that would eventually just form part of nature. If we understand the mermaid to be a representation of nature then we have to surmise that under western ideas the natural world is not as important as the human world. Here then the story exposes the western views of a social hierarchy in which humans are at the top. And so under this frame of thinking it must be decided who gets to be human or how a being can attain humanity.

The little mermaid’s grandmother informs the little mermaid and the reader that there are conditions under which they can earn the privilege of a soul, “Unless a human being loved you so dearly that you were more to him that either father of mother; if all his thoughts and his love were centred in you, and he allowed the priest to lay his right hand in yours…then would his soul glide into your body…he would give you a soul without forfeiting his own. But this will never happen!” (119). We are no strangers to the presence of the contract of marriage in mermaid folklore. This text emphasizes that marriage, a Christian marriage specifically, is necessary for the mermaid to have a hope of sharing a soul with her partner. Given that the intended audience of this story is most likely going to be Christian we can safely infer that it is the Christian religion that the text is referring to. This quote then establishes that to obtain a human soul the little mermaid has to marry into what they would consider to be the right kind of religion. The only other option proposed by the text is something akin to martyrdom. So our heroine embarks on this journey for everlasting life. Ultimately she is unsuccessful in getting the prince, for even if she now physically resembles a human, the prince still considers and treats her as little more than a slave. We can certainly make the claim that within human society there are borders that cannot be crossed but the little mermaid still circumvents this by becoming an air spirit. We have to wonder if this mermaid is given another chance simply because she is so humanized within the story. It is certainly a version of this particular mermaid that the modern world most often thinks of when the topic of mermaids arises. In a very

The story of the Feejee Mermaid hoax is a much lesser known figure in mermaid history which is ironic since this story takes place within real life. If the little mermaid depicts the mythical creature as more human than ever, then the Feejee Mermaid acts as an antithesis to the fairytale as she is presented as the most un-human like and therefore more monstrous. Very early on in the article “The Mermaid” This creature is established to be an animal not unlike the recently discovered platypus. The hoax of the mermaid lies not only within the fact that it is a fake specimen made of two completely different animals but it also dismantles the idea of the fair beautiful temptress that is the mythological mermaid. Within the same article that constantly attributes the title of animal to this specimen it also provides descriptions of its human features “It was a female, with ugly negro features. The skin was harsh, the ears very large.” (243) The language implies that the mermaid is ugly due to its “African” features.  And further down it describes a second mummified mermaid, “It’s face is like that of a young female- its eyes are a fine light blue- its nose is small and handsome- it’s mouth small- its lips thin…but its chief ornament is a beautiful membrane or fin rising from the temples,” (243) Here the writer is describing a “Asiatic mermaid” the description focuses on the features that would be more pleasing to the western audiences. And so we can deduce that even amongst the “exotic” there is a hierarchy and it heavily relies on how close it comes to the western ideals of beauty. But even this “Asiatic” mermaid’s “human” half is less beautiful than the fins atop her head.

If the story of the little mermaid reveals the Romantic movements quest for understanding what makes us human, then the Feejee Mermaid reveals the racist history within the development of science. In treating both mermaid stories as archives that reveal western culture of the time we can get a better sense of how we end up recognizing the fairytale more readily than the hoax. That the Little Mermaid lives in our collective mind more presently the Feejee Mermaid demonstrates how erasure and re-writing a narrative operates within society.

Works Cited

Andersen, Hans-Christian. The Little Mermaid. Bacchilega, Cristina, and Marie Alohalani Brown. The Penguin Book of Mermaids Penguin Books, 2019.

The New York Herald. “The Mermaid.” Bacchilega, Cristina, and Marie Alohalani Brown. The Penguin Book of Mermaids Penguin Books, 2019.

Final Essay

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Thavanh Pais

ECL 305

Professor Pressman

9 May, 2024

“Wild” at Heart: Embracing Emotion in Conservation

In the face of escalating environmental challenges, particularly the looming threat of climate change, William Cronon’s, “The Trouble with Wilderness: Or, Getting Back to the Wrong Nature,” critiques towards traditional wilderness preservation strategies serves as a timely call to action. Cronon’s research calls for a rethinking of our conservation methods, pushing for adaptive management approaches that prioritize resilience and ecological integrity. However, in the thick of the discussion about ecological sustainability, we must not lose sight of the deep emotional connection to nature that drives conservation efforts. Cronon’s investigation into wilderness preservation reveals the inherent emotional resonance of these principles, presenting them as powerful motivators for conservation action. This awareness indicates a more profound knowledge of human-nature relationships—one that goes beyond scientific discourse. As we confront the pressing need to address climate change and protect biodiversity, it becomes evident that effective conservation measures must use the emotional power of wilderness values. As a result, the aim is to implement adaptive management systems that promote ecological resilience while simultaneously using wildness’ emotional resonance. By combining emotional connections with conservation techniques, we can inspire meaningful action and mobilize communities to mitigate the effects of climate change. We not only protect the planet’s biodiversity, but we also build a stronger and more sustainable interaction between humanity and the natural world.

In William Cronon’s work, he delivers a strong critique of traditional wilderness preservation tactics while advocating for a paradigm shift toward adaptive management alternatives. Cronon maintains that the popular image of wilderness as a pristine and unspoiled domain is both glorified and problematic. He claims that this idealistic picture of wilderness frequently excludes human presence and activity from conservation initiatives, hence impeding effective management tactics. Cronon elaborates on this notion by saying, “If nature dies because we enter it, then the only way to save nature is to kill ourselves.”(Cronon, 19) This controversial comment demonstrates his conviction that the separation of human society and wildness is artificial and counterproductive. 

Cronon also emphasizes the limitations of typical wilderness preservation efforts that emphasize the isolation of human activity. He claims that this method fails to account for ecosystems’ dynamic and interrelated nature, as well as the importance of human activity in creating landscapes. Furthermore, Cronon criticizes the romanticization of wilderness as a clean and unspoiled setting, claiming that such tales frequently obscure the complicated histories of human contact with the environment. He states, “This, then, is the central paradox: wilderness embodies a dualistic vision in which the human is entirely outside the natural.” According to Cronon, this dualistic vision maintains an artificial division between mankind and nature, hiding the subtle relationships that connect them.

The need to include human values and emotions in conservation discussions, noting that emotional connections to nature can promote a deeper awareness and commitment to environmental stewardship. The notion of biophilia, coined by biologist E.O. Wilson, holds that people have an inbuilt love for nature and living beings. Various studies have shown that exposure to nature has positive psychological and physiological impacts. For example, studies have found that spending time in natural settings helps reduce stress, anxiety, and depression while also improving cognitive performance and overall well-being. Furthermore, emotional connections to nature might motivate people to participate in conservation initiatives and practice sustainable practices. 

Personal experiences in nature, such as breathtaking landscapes or interactions with wildlife, can elicit strong emotions, motivating people to protect and preserve natural settings. For example, the iconic image of Earthrise recorded by the Apollo 8 astronauts raised global environmental awareness and fueled support for conservation efforts. In addition to personal experiences, storytelling and media representation play an important role in fostering emotional relationships with nature. Narratives that elicit empathy and compassion for the natural world, such as “The Lorax” by Dr. Seuss or “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle, can motivate people to take action and advocate for environmental conservation. Conservation organizations can use storytelling to emphasize the importance of environmental issues and rally public support for conservation efforts.

As we work to address environmental concerns, it is critical to combine emotional resonance with adaptive management strategies. Cronon emphasizes the necessity for a paradigm shift in conservation techniques, one that recognizes the intricacies of human-nature relationships. He states, “If we allow ourselves to believe that nature, to be true, must also be wild, then our very presence in nature represents its fall.”(Cronon, 17.) Cronon’s comment emphasizes the inherent tension between human civilization and wilderness preservation, as well as the significance of implementing adaptive management measures that take into consideration human presence and activities within ecosystems. Community-based conservation programs are one way to integrate emotional connections with adaptive management measures. 

Conservation organizations can develop emotional connections to nature at the grassroots level by involving local people in conservation initiatives and instilling a sense of ownership and stewardship in them. Community-based conservation projects, such as community-managed reserves or participatory monitoring programs, not only encourage local communities to take an active role in conservation, but they also build a greater appreciation for the natural resources on which they rely.However, including emotional resonance into conservation initiatives poses difficulties and complexity. One problem is the subjective nature of emotional relationships, which can differ greatly between individuals and societies. Additionally, reconciling emotive appeals with scientific rigor and evidence-based decision-making is a challenge for conservation practitioners. Striking a balance between passion and reason is critical to ensuring that conservation efforts are effective and informed.

In his essay, William Cronon draws on John Muir’s profound writings about Yosemite to demonstrate the integration of emotional resonance with conservation initiatives. Muir’s beautiful depiction of Yosemite as a sanctuary free of suffering, fear, and personal hope captures the emotional impact of wilderness encounters and their importance in developing a stronger connection to nature. Muir writes, “These blessed mountains are so compactly filled with God’s beauty, no petty personal hope or experience has room to be.”(Cronon, 12.) This sentiment exemplifies the transforming effect of wilderness encounters in transcending personal worries and instilling awe, veneration, and humility in the natural world. Muir’s depiction emphasizes the emotional resonance of wilderness landscapes and their ability to elicit a deep sense of connection and belonging. 

The incorporation of Muir’s teachings into conservation efforts emphasizes the significance of emotional connection in cultivating a greater respect for the natural world. Conservation organizations can foster emotional connections to the environment and inspire stewardship and activism by immersing people in wilderness experiences and allowing them to ponder and contemplate. Muir’s words are a sobering reminder of the intrinsic worth of wilderness and the importance of preserving and protecting it for future generations.

By recognizing the emotional aspects of environmental protection, we may foster a more holistic and inclusive approach to addressing important environmental issues. Emotional connections to nature can be important motivators for conservation action, pushing individuals and communities to advocate for environmentally friendly practices and laws. Furthermore, including emotional resonance into conservation initiatives can build a sense of shared responsibility and unity as we fight climate change and biodiversity loss. Looking ahead, there are various potential study and practice avenues in conservation psychology and environmental communication. One line of investigation is the creation of novel ways for establishing emotional ties to nature across varied populations. This could include the use of immersive technology, such as virtual reality experiences, to imitate wilderness situations and elicit emotional reactions. Furthermore, research on the impact of storytelling and narrative in changing environmental attitudes and behaviors can help to develop more successful conservation outreach and education communication tactics.

Furthermore, addressing the planet’s complex socio-ecological concerns will require interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange. Conservation psychologists, environmental scientists, legislators, and community stakeholders must collaborate to create comprehensive solutions that draw on both scientific knowledge and emotional engagement. By transcending disciplinary barriers and encouraging debate and collaboration, we can improve our understanding of human-nature linkages and build more effective environmental protection policies.

To conclude, William Cronon’s investigation of the complexity of wilderness preservation and the incorporation of emotional resonance into conservation efforts provides vital insights for solving today’s severe environmental concerns. His critique of traditional conservation methods highlights the importance of adaptive management options that prioritize resilience and ecological integrity. In addition to scholarly discourse, Cronon highlights the necessity of identifying and fostering an emotional connection to nature as a significant incentive for conservation action. As we face the pressing need to address climate change and protect biodiversity, it is obvious that effective conservation policies must combine scientific rigor with emotional engagement. By incorporating emotional resonance into conservation efforts, we may motivate meaningful action and engage communities to combat the effects of environmental deterioration. 

Moving forward, interdisciplinary collaboration and novel techniques will be required to advance conservation psychology and environmental communication. By encouraging debate and collaboration among all stakeholders, we can create comprehensive answers to the planet’s complex socio-ecological concerns. Moving forward, interdisciplinary collaboration and novel techniques will be required to advance conservation psychology and environmental communication. By encouraging debate and collaboration among all stakeholders, we can create comprehensive answers to the planet’s complex socio-ecological concerns. Finally, Cronon’s work highlights the tremendous interdependence between mankind and the natural world. As Earth stewards, it is our obligation to foster a greater appreciation for nature’s beauty and complexity, as well as to work toward a more sustainable and harmonious connection with the environment.

Works Cited

Cronon, William. “The Trouble with Wilderness: Or, Getting Back to the Wrong Nature.” The Trouble with Wilderness: Or, Getting Back to the Wrong Nature, Forest History Society and American Society for Environmental History, January 1996, https://faculty.washington.edu/timbillo/Readings%20and%20documents/Wilderness/Cronon%20The%20trouble%20with%20Wilderness.pdf. Accessed 9 May 2024.

Leppig, Jason. “The Biophilia Hypothesis.” Island Press |, 30 November 2016, https://islandpress.org/books/biophilia-hypothesis#desc. Accessed 9 May 2024.

Final Essay

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Myles Wright

Professor Pressman

ECL 305

9 May 2024

A New Kind of Mermaid: Melusine

The Romance of the Faery Melusine, written by Andre Lebey, retells the medieval France legend of the Faery Melusine. The legend follows Raymondin after accidentally killing his uncle during a hunt. Fleeing deep into the forest, Raymondin encounters Melusine, who promises to help him evade his fate by marrying him, making him the greatest and wealthiest lord of his time. However, Raymondin must swear to Melusine that on “each Saturday, from sundown to dawn on the following day, never must (he) try to see (Melusine) in any way whatever” (Lebey, 27). Eventually, Raymondin is driven to break his sacred promise to Melusine, resulting in her leaving him with no promise of return. The legend is originally dated back to 1393, and many variations of the story have been told. Melusine is a major figure in European folklore, and legend of France’s prosperity stems from Melusine. Despite the name of the novel, the tale is not necessarily a romantic one. Particular scenes carry a rather sexual overtone, revealing much about rape, martital or otherwise, and the long ignored topic of female sexuality. The Romance of the Faery Melusine,  divulges the ways in which women were taken advantage of sexually, and conversely, challenges the notion that men are the sole keepers of sexuality, emphasizing the importance of female sexuality. 

Chapter 14, “Betrayal”, reveals how even in marriages built on trust, women were abused and taken advantage of sexually during this time. The particular tone and detailed descriptions in the chapter serves as an allegory for marital rape. Throughout the chapter, Raymondin, ridden with both guilt and an insatiable desire to know what Melusine does on Saturdays, forces his way into her chambers. As Raymondin first makes his way towards Melusine “The little door violently broke down…He climbed quickly in his eagerness to strike” (Lebey, 121). This is not a scene of discovery, it is a scene of violence, first setting the tone as he breaks down the door, Raymondin violating his wife’s privacy and trust. The use of the word “strike” further implicates the use of violence in his planned encounter with Melusine. The path to Melusine’s chamber is not an easy one, he must climb “the narrow winding stair, steeper and steeper, to the very top. There where he had never been before. Neither he, nor anyone else, except her” (Lebey, 121). The steep winding stair, to a place only Melusine has access to, enforces the notion that this is a private place of hers. This is “no man’s land”, which is reinforced in later scenes. Upon finding the final obstacle to Melusines chambers, it is described as an “almost imperceptible line between two of the thick polished planks of which the door was made. Even though they were mortised into one another to make one seen like all the rest, there was a tiny space visible at the point of joining” (Lebey, 122). Oxford English Dictionary defines mortise as “a cavity, hole, or recess into which the end of some other part of a framework or structure is fitted so as to form a joint”. These planks, which Raymondin must break through, serve as a symbol for the female genitalia. Later, his knife as a symbol for the male counterpart. Forcing his way into the planks, “He pulled out his flat knife… held his breath as he started to slide in the blade and push it slowly, leaning on it with all his strength and weight. The blade entered a little, so slowly that he almost began to despair” (Lebey, 122). The next few pages of the novel center around Raymondin breaking through the planks, though not innately sexual, the word choice and imagery contribute to the sexual overtones. “As he inserted a little more of the thin blade to enlarge the space he had with such difficulty obtained, it snapped with a dry, clear, crystal sound” (Lebey, 123). The word choice of “inserted” and “enlarge” emphasizes the sexual tone. The planks finally begin to give way with a sharp, violent sound. Raymondin’s efforts, and the sexual connotations continue, “his efforts against the wood… feeling the sweat on his brow and down the length of his body” (Lebey, 123). Raymondin feels that he has “struggled well”, again adding to the sense that this is a struggle, he is unwelcome, and violating privacy (Lebey, 123). The descriptions further: “The blade entered better, and engaged the length of three angles already. He had raised it, and putting it back he leaned against it with all his might. Then, wedged against it to get more leverage, he felt the wall suddenly give, heavily and slowly behind him” (Lebey, 123). Finally, Raymondin breaks through, the wall giving with heavy, slow reluctance. This, despite what the title of the novel suggests, is not a romantic scene. 

As Raymondin creeps towards Melusine,  “in the moonlight that made his coat of mail glisten, he had the appearance of a strange serpent with iron scales” (Lebey, 124). This hints that he himself is in the wrong, rather than Melusine who, even in concealing her identity, provided for Raymondin. “He slid”, as a serpent, as he violated Melusine’s promise. As he recognizes the wrong he has committed against Melusine, he reflects on the life that has been given to him, “it shone sweetly, polished like a mysterious otherworld fruit. But then the fruit disappeared, as if it had ever been only a dream” (Lebey, 125). The symbol of the fruit stands out. The religious connotation is relevant during this time in medieval France, and the characters of the novel hold Christians beliefs. In this case Raymondin beholds the fruit, but instead of Eve or Melusine, it is him who takes a bite of the apple. His promise to her broken, her trust violated, forcing her to leave him forever. 

Rather than just focusing on the violation Melusine endures, the novel provides a different perspective and challenges common beliefs surrounding female sexuality during this time. When Raymondin first views Melusine in her natural form, she is described as holding “a mirror, its crystal reflecting the moonlight on her face, which despite the life that animated it as she slowly smiled to herself, gave it an almost lifeless quality” (Lebey, 125).  Melusine “smiled to herself”, taking pleasure in viewing herself in her moment alone. The belief that women were not sexual beings stood firm for many centuries. Female sexuality was ignored or simply denied as possible. Sex was solely for the man, women serving as an accessory in the act. It is undeniable that mermaids of Western heritage were often used as a symbol of sexuality, but sexuality from the perspective of the patriarchy, or for men alone. Instead of serving just as a symbol of temptation, it is important to note the anatomical fact that mermaids were rarely pictured with a vagina. Mermaids could be used by men without consequence. Mermaids, without the ability to reproduce, could not produce bastards. This single, yet powerful scene challenges these ideas. Melusine offers an alternative perspective. A perspective that emphasizes the importance of recognizing female sexuality. Instead of just viewing this as the moment Raymondin discovers Melusine in her natural form, this is a female, self pleasure moment. Melusine asks for a single day alone, and when Raymondin cannot respect or understand her needs, his life explodes. His life and success was contingent on a day of pleasure for Melusine. She provided him with wealth and an empire, as long as she was provided her day of pleasure alone. The legend of Melusine was often used as the founding folktale, attributing France’s prosperity and success to Melusine. Ruling houses even claimed to be descendants of the faery Melusine. This is a success that Melusine was responsible for, and based upon her day of pleasure. Without Melusine, a woman, faery, and mermaid combined into one, Raymondin, and France’s, success would not have been possible. 

Stories, legend, and folklore are important conduits for challenging common ideas, offering alternative perspectives of what we previously believed to be true. The Romance of the Faery Melusine, turns out to not be a romantic tale between a man and a woman. Instead, a tale of violence enacted upon a woman, and a story challenging long standing beliefs surrounding female sexuality and pleasure. In recent years, we more often see mermaids as a symbol of feminism, empowerment, and female sexuality. This was not the case during the origins of the legend of Melusine. Though not recognized as such during her time, Melusine stood at the forefront of the feminist movement. Female pleasure is real, and as important as male pleasure. Melusine alone offered a new kind of mermaid. A mermaid, hybrid, and woman, who found pleasure in herself.

Final Essay: Western World Separation From Nature

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River McCaughey

Professor Jessica Pressman

ECL 305

9 May, 2024

Melusine (Pages 11 &12) and “Natives of Yosemite”

In this essay, I will be exploring the connection between the fictional story Melusine and a silent film called “Natives of Yosemite.” Melusine is a story Written originally in the 14th century by French author Jean d’Arras and adapted by Andre Lebey in the 19th century. The story itself isn’t what I’m interested in;  I will be examining pages 11 and 12, which Lebey uses to describe the setting for the story, a place he romanticizes for its closeness to nature. “Natives of Yosemite” is a 17 minute short film published by the National Park Service, published in the early 20th century. The black and white film describes and depicts the trees, wildlife, and indigenous people in Yosemite National Park. It serves as an advertisement for the park and the wonders seen within. It is relevant to consider that both works were published during the Industrial Revolution. During this time, many people moved to cities as farming required less hands to support large populations. Jobs shifted from small scale agricultural work to large scale factories. The development of capitalism was in full swing, and people moved to dense cities far from nature. Although they do it in different ways, both texts display a similar theme. Andre Lebey employs imagery of nature to display the juxtaposition between Feudal and Industrial Europe and invites readers to consider how Feudal Europe sprouted The Western World’s eventual disconnect from the natural environment. Likewise, the “Natives of Yosemite” short film unintentionally conveys that The Western World has further separated itself from nature by romanticizing and commodifying the concept of The Great Outdoors, through imagery of Yosemite National Park.

Lebey describes the village as people who “lived close to nature in those days, even in towns” (Lebey 11). Here, Lebey is deliberately describing the scene as something different from the way the world he lives in now. This suggests that the way of life in towns during his time in the Industrial Revolution is no longer close to nature. The rise of large-scale industries and urban centers could have led people to become more removed from direct dependence on and proximity to nature. This early in the story, it’s difficult to say whether he is reminiscing in some way on how he wishes it could have stayed, or if Lebey is glad that the world doesn’t have to struggle against the forces of nature as it did in the 14th century. Lebey also refers to the hunter as “legendary”, which suggests that the people of his time praise hunters. During the 14th century, hunters were much more common as a way to get food. By the time Lebey wrote his adaptation of Melusine, the world had already shifted away from the hunter as a way to get food. Agriculture was the main source of food and hunting was transitioning into a sport. Shortly after, Lebey describes the forest as “menacing and dangerous, full of the unknown, concealing the surprising and unnatural” (Lebey 11). By suggesting that the nature surrounding the village is dark and scary, Lebey conveys that the villagers see the natural environment outside the walled society as fearful. With the description of the village as having fields “right up to the walls” (Lebey 11) readers can conclude that there is already some disconnect from the natural world through physical man-made separation. The fear of nature combined with the resources to separate nature from man is what Lebey argues caused society to isolate itself from the natural environment.

On the next page, Lebey begins to elaborate on this juxtaposition between the industrial world that he lives in and that of the 14th century. After discussing the feared creatures of the forest, Lebey points out that “evil reigned only if heroes failed to confront its dangers” (Lebey 12). This is where readers first see his inclination to present nature as a place that needs to be visited. He goes on to say, “Humans do not show their mettle if left to themselves” (Lebey 12). Here, Lebey is explicitly revealing that humans are not as resilient if they do not confront the dangers of nature. Lebey next gives an example of a haw that holds the “Code of Love.” Lebey is suggesting that if humans do not have contact with nature, then they will not only be left without resilience, but they will be unknowing about the secrets of the world. In this part of the chapter, readers have displayed the possibility that there is a purpose for the human connection to nature.

Shortly after in the story, it becomes clear that Lebey is reminiscing on the way that the past may have been before the Industrial Revolution. Through the imagery of nature, Lebey explains how “Man developed without dissociating or abstracting himself from the world” (Lebey 12). This suggests that humans before the Industrial Revolution existed in a state of connection with the natural world. The implication is that the Industrial Revolution caused a disconnect between humans and nature. He also reinforces the point that man is further from nature by juxtaposing the hunting back then as “so different from our own, more justifiable because more difficult and necessary” (Lebey 12). By contrasting hunting in the 14th century to hunting of his time, Lebey suggests there is no need for hunting anymore, and there isn’t any reason to do it with the development of inventions like the seed drill. Lebey continuously uses imagery of nature to romanticize it in a way that calls for readers to see that the way life is in cities away from nature is not in fact better for society.

“Natives of Yosemite” starts by boasting about the Giant Sequoia trees in Yosemite National Park. After showing a young woman marveling at one of the massive trees, the film cuts to a dialogue card that states, “Here flourish the oldest living things – giant Sequoia trees” (NPS 0:58). By displaying the trees in Yosemite as something divine and unique, the film romanticizes the wilderness. Soon after, the film depicts the road that “runs straight through the famous Wawona Tree” (NPS 1:45). Viewers can see a massive tree with a tunnel carved out in the middle so that tourists can drive straight through. Contrary to the literal tree being closer to the people and their car, the commodification of the natural world is what separates man from nature. By advertising the wilderness and commodifying it, humans are separating themselves further from the natural world. The film then shows a tree cookie that depicts the rings for how old the tree is. The tree shown is over 1,000 years old. This obsession with the extremes of nature is what causes people to disconnect from it. About halfway through the short, a dialogue card is seen that says, “Rushing silvery waters, cascading down the mountainsides, border many of the alluring trails” (NPS 9:10). The important word here is “border.” By implying that there is a physical barrier between the tourists on the trail and the wonders of nature, the NPS is displaying a literal disconnect that they engineered by creating a trail. There is nothing natural about guiding tourists through designated trails built by humans.

At the end of the film, the NPS describes how “friendly Yosemite Indians entertain with tribal songs and dances” (NPS 16:00). Viewers can see Native Americans dancing in front of an audience of white tourists. Here, the National Park Service entirely separates the Native Americans from the white people by placing them in the same field as the trees and bears in the beginning of the video. Both the trees and the Native Americans are there to entertain the American tourists. By doing so, not only is nature separated from Western culture, but those who do not live by Western standards. Additionally, the Native Americans are being commodified, which divides them even further from the tourists.  More importantly, this pristine natural world that the National Park Service sells doesn’t exist. By removing indigenous people, creating trails, and altering the landscape, the National Park Service is inventing a “nature” that doesn’t exist in the real world.

Through his imagery of nature, Lebey conveys to readers of the Industrial Revolution that life before humanity was separated from nature was better than it is now. He juxtaposes the lifestyles with the historical context of the lifestyle of his industrial world. The romanticization of nature and the secrets it may hold are how Lebey draws his audience to realize how integration with nature is important for humanity. While Lebey purposefully conveys that The Western World is separating from nature, the National Park Service romanticizes the wilderness, which accentuates this separation. By commodifying the plants, animals, and even the indigenous people in the park, the National Park Service is engineering a faux natural world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFWQjZIQPec NPS

Hands/Fingers as a Symbol of Female Defiance and Strength- Final Essay

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Hands are a way of producing action, they are the way we grasp, fight, endure, etc. without the full capabilities of one’s hands productivity and functionality decrease as these actions cannot be performed to the fullest extent or to no extent at all. The Legend of Sedna the Sea Goddess, by Lenore Lindeman, 1999, is an Inuit origin/creation tale that details the story of a young girl’s trials after promising herself a marriage. When she later discovers that her husband is not who he says he is, she flees with her father, who murders her husband out of anger. While Sedna and her father attempt to escape on the boat, this action causes the husband´s friends to seek revenge and Sedna´s father throws her off the boat in hopes that they will stop their pursuit but they do not. Sedna clings to the boat side for her life after being thrown overboard, yet her father cuts off her fingers one by one to prevent himself from drowning. She sinks to the bottom of the sea where the segments of her fingers turn into sea mammals, and she becomes the Sea Goddess, who has the power to control these animals and their abundance to man. In correlation, The Water Will Carry Us Home by  Gabrielle Tesfaye is a 2018 stop-motion animation and film that reveals the stories of impregnated African slaves being thrown off slave ships by seamen whilst sailing through the Middle Passage. While these women are sentenced to drowning through tied hands, they are rescued by Yoruba Orishas, a divine water spirit that transforms them into powerful water entities. Freed from their past traumas, they embrace their newfound existence in the ocean with their children.  By delving into the thematic significance of hands/fingers as a focal point of trauma, The Legend of Sedna the Sea Goddess and The Water Will Carry Us Home demonstrates the transformation of women after painful and constraining experiences. Despite the assumption that removal or restraint of hands would prevent survival, both tales reveal how trauma to the woman at the will of a man is a detachment from victimhood. The analysis of the symbolic role of women’s hands/fingers in these stories, challenges conventional notions of female weakness, illustrating the enduring strength of the female spirit. In these tales, the severance or constraint of hands serves as a defiance against the expectation of women’s weakness in the face of male power. Rather than victims, these women emerge as their own saviors, empowered by their resilience and determination.

The symbol of a man is a consistent and central aspect in both of these storylines, specifically the initial physical power and control that the men have over Sedna and the African woman. Focusing on the theme of “the Man” in relation to the constricting of the hands,  further allows the storyline to emphasize the focus of the women’s physical transformations. First, in Sedna’s story there is constant mention of men in association with fulfillment and commitment., “…men desired,…”, “…he provided…”, and “…man promised…”, where the men are participating in acts revolving around committing to Sedna. The father’s boat represents her family as a whole and is the sole controller of her fate, just as he was in her life. In Inuit culture fathers are modeled as family protectors, and it is their role to dedicate themselves to the safekeeping of their family’s well-being, yet the situation is entirely upside down in this scenario. It is important to recognize that it is her father who sacrifices her fingers and sentences him to drown in order to protect himself. Sedna is victimized by the deception and lies of her husband, the control of her father, and the unwilling sacrifice that is forced upon her, although she does not allow it to drag her down. The Water Will Carry Us Home follows a similar male focus as the males as the aggressors and deciders of the woman’s fate. At 3 minutes and 47 seconds, the white men can be seen dangling a woman over the crashing water, after grabbing the woman with ropes and binding their hands together. These powerful men are central to this very moment in the story and are not showcased during other scenes, which is important because it directly correlates to the woman’s hands being tied and sentencing them to the waters. At the beginning of both of these stories, dominating male figures contribute to the notion of women being weak and less than men, as they are initially perceived as having no power. This stature of no power may be seen through the representation of the woman as being controlled by the men and following the rules of the men around them.

The actions being performed on these women’s hands, in the form of severing or constraining, serve as a defiance against the expectation of women’s weakness in the face of male power, and demonstrate strength in the face of trauma. The trauma represents both Sedna and the slaves’ unwilling sacrifice by male counterparts, who intentionally use the woman’s hands to prevent their survival. The defiance against expectations may be seen in the woman’s strength to persevere, as slaves at the time were not seen in a prevailing light and princesses were taught to obey the laws of their father rather than to seek their own lives.  

Diving directly into the hands and how they are handled differently/similarly in each story reveals how the hands/fingers are used as a defiance of man and a lesson of woman’s strength. For the Inuit Sedna, there is a strong importance in the fact that he does not simply push her off, but chooses to cut each one of her fingers off individually,  ¨one joint at a time.¨ This action would inflict the most physical and emotional pain on her body and mind, brutally detaching her from recovery. The cutting of her fingers prevents her from reaching back to grab onto the boat where she is unable to save herself and is forced to the very bottom of the ocean to transform herself. This action is extreme and inflicts the ultimate amount of powerlessness onto an individual as it permanently disables Sedna’s ability to carry on through life to the full extent of her hands. The details are very brief, ¨ the father cut her fingers off, one joint at a time,¨ where the father is the main focal point of inflicting this quick yet everlasting pain upon Sedna’s life.  She is permanently incapacitated by her father where the text specifically states that Sedna ¨sank to the bottom of the ocean ̈ and established her new self and home on the ¨ocean floor.¨ At the bottom of the Ocean, she transforms and becomes a powerful sea goddess in defiance of the man who sentenced her to her death and the belief that she would drown. The roles are reversed as Sedna is now in charge of how much the men eat through her production of animals and their abundance to man. She is now the controller and is no longer controlled, all because of this literal detachment that was intended to drown her. The Water Will Carry Us Home is an African story beginning with a woman performing rituals with her hands, using her hands to guide the audience’s attention and focus on the acts she is performing. When the story begins, the women have tied hands and cannot perform the actions/rituals of their cultures, until the end when they become free. Their hands bound around their bodies prevent them from swimming, as they are limited in motion and are shown with no movement once they hit the water. Slaves at the time of the Middle Passage were thrown overboard to establish insurance claims for their owners, pregnant women would be of less value as they could not work or produce more children at the time they were bought. These women were at the hands of man and man’s wishes, in particular their owners and traders, who sought the worst for them, and for these women, the traders sought death. These women’s hands are constrained which forces an inability to resist, yet provides a chance for escape. The sense of tying provides a claustrophobic death and causes an emotional death, as even with the chance of releasing the hands, swimming forever is not an option. The women appear to drown during this scene, yet they defy the men who have manipulated them and the notion that they are victims to these men, instead they are survivors. The binding of their hands presents a symbol of male grip, when they are freed they are released from the men who figuratively and literally tied them down during the slave trade and would do so thereafter. These female entities free themselves from a state of complete despair and hopelessness, defying the initial assumption of death, and transforming into a future of power and control of their bodies and male bodies. These females transitioned from male-dominated positions as a princess and slaves, into goddesses and controllers, where they have the potential to not only control their own fate but to control those who attempt to control them or others.  


The examination of the finger-cutting scene from The Legend of Sedna the Sea Goddess in conjunction with the binding of the hands from The Water Will Carry Us Home presents defiance against the expectations of women in relation to men’s power. These stories showcase women who men control but they do not let this control take over their lives and allow them to become powerless. It is interesting to note that both of these women come from different backgrounds and positions in society, yet they meet the same successful end and the same journey of control away from men. For some reason hands have been a really interesting concept for me this year and understanding what hands can tell us when they are manipulated in different ways has been an interesting topic to explore.

Final Paper

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Ana Dilan

ECL 305

Professor Pressman

9 May 2024 

The Little Mermaid/Ang Munting Sirena

As a child, one of my favorite stories was Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid. I didn’t mind that the original contents of the story and its ending were sadder than the Disney adaptation. All I really cared about was the fact that there were mermaids in the story and, coming from a culture that depended on the ocean and rivers for much of its commerce and ways of life, that this story meant mermaids exist. Now that I’m older, I can see the tragedy of the little mermaid and how her pain reflects a generational wound that goes beyond her identity as a figment of a European fairytale and my own as a first-generation Filipino immigrant. I was born, raised, and educated in the Philippines until I was 10 years old. A large part of my education was the country’s history, which, from what I can remember, mostly focused on the Spanish colonial era which lasted till the 19th century, the Japanese occupation during World War II, and the American occupation into the 1950s. There was an egregious gap in my education on the identity of a Filipino before its many eras of colonization and before the country and its people were called the Philippines and Filipinos, respectively. Through the little mermaid’s story, I saw how the generational wound of a colonized identity revealed itself through the loss of the little mermaid’s voice and tail and saw how it reflected on my understanding of pre-colonial Philippine identity through the loss of crucial parts of our national identity and change in our country’s history. 

Viewing The Little Mermaid as a story of colonization adds a facet to the story through the concept of transactions, the changes and exchanges that occur during colonization. By recontextualizing The Little Mermaid through the context of Philippine colonization, we can see how Hans Christian Andersen’s story itself is as much a process as well as a product of colonization, its origins and associated images altered over and over again in the same way that the people and their identities are altered over and over again. Using Helen Stratton’s illustrations as a base for these redrawn illustrations, as well as adding color to the originally-colorless illustrations and referencing clothing from a specific time period, challenges the universality and “timelessness” of the story. Altering these images to a specific place and time period adds a new intersection to the little mermaid’s identity; she is not oppressed just because she is a woman, but she is also oppressed as an individual–an indigenous person–who must assimilate by altering not just her body but her identity to fit into the colonizing culture in order to avoid persecution.

To reframe the story of The Little Mermaid through the lens of colonization, we must first see the little mermaid’s rescue of the prince as an instance of first contact. In anthropology, the term ‘first contact’ refers to the meeting or the meetings that take place between two cultures that have never come in contact yet. (Evers) The prince lying unconscious on the shore is dressed in 16th-century Spanish clothing while the woman who discovers the prince after the little mermaid’s rescue is already dressed in the colonial fashion of the Philippines worn during the 16th to 18th century. The crucifix around her neck also aligns with her counterpart in Andersen’s story, as she takes up residence in a church. (Bacchilega, et. al. 114) The presence of a church on land also carries the implication that the Spanish colonization of the Philippine islands and the spread of Christianity amongst the native Filipinos is well underway. Setting the story during the beginning of the Philippines’ colonization creates historical context and the consequences that will inevitably follow. 

The second illustration is meant to portray a Filipino value that has still carried over from the pre-colonial days: filial piety and responsibility and respect for elders. (Stanford Medicine Ethnogeriatrics) In this story, the little mermaid’s grandmother acts not just as a matriarch or a motherly figure but also as a babaylan, a shaman who presides over customary ceremonies and healing rites and acts as a medium and guide to the spirit world. (Babaylan Studies) In Andersen’s story, the little mermaid’s grandmother also acts as a sort of shaman, dressing her granddaughters on their fifteenth birthdays for their first times visiting the surface and possessing much knowledge about humans and the transference of human souls to them. (Bacchilega, et. al. 117) The little mermaid’s dependence on her grandmother’s advice and knowledge is a reflection not just of Filipino family values and dynamics, but also of the roles of women and the elderly not just as disposable members of Filipino society but as central to society’s knowledge and wisdom. The little mermaid risks leaving behind the well of knowledge and wisdom her grandmother possesses, should she choose to become a human and pursue knowledge of the human world.

In this illustration, the little mermaid has already changed significantly. The little mermaid bears two legs instead of a tail and her clothing has drastically changed to Spanish colonial clothing, wearing a three-piece variation consisting of the camisa, tapis, and saya instead of the simple baro’t saya that her pre-colonial counterparts wear. Her purple tapis and her green saya reflect her former royal status as a princess of the sea.The moment illustrated in the book references her nightly ritual of dipping her feet in the water to ease the pain she feels whenever she takes a step, at one point spotting her father and grandmother looking out at her amongst the waves. (Bacchilega, et. al. 123) The pain that the little mermaid feels with every step she takes acts as a reminder of what she left behind because of her decision to leave her underwater kingdom. The loss of her voice also acts as salt to the wound. Historically, the priests that settled in the Philippines decided against teaching native Filipinos Spanish, believing that they were superior to them and that teaching them these languages would cause them to rebel. (Stevens) The loss of her voice can be interpreted as the loss of the little mermaid’s ability to speak her native language and to speak for herself, as well as her inability to even learn the colonizing language that would enable her to communicate with anyone, a crucial part of her identity or her ability to form it taken away from her.  

In the fourth and final illustration, we see the scene where the little mermaids’ sisters beg for the little mermaid to kill the prince after his wedding to the princess, their hair cut short in exchange for the dagger that will turn their sister back into a mermaid once she stabs him in the heart with it. (Bacchilega, et. al. 127) The sisters are dressed in an array of pre-colonial Filipino clothing, particularly inspired by Tagalog, Ilokano, and Visayan groups recorded in the Boxer Codex, the same groups of people that have mermaid stories within their respective mythologies. (Bacchilega, et. al. 213) The sisters begging for the little mermaid to kill the prince, in a colonial story, acts as a plea for the little mermaid to get rid of the colonizing power in order to return to her original form. By killing the prince, there is a sort of misguided hope that killing the person in charge will end the system and return the country to its pre-colonial roots. However, as the little mermaid comes to know, the transformation that occurs during colonization is irreversible. In the same way that the country itself cannot return to its previous glory before colonization, the little mermaid herself cannot return to her previous identity as a mermaid. 

Works Cited

Andersen, Hans Christian. “Fairy Tales of Hans Andersen : Andersen, H. C. (Hans Christian), 1805-

1875 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming.” Internet Archive, Philadelphia : Lippincott,

archive.org/details/fairytalesofhans00ande2/page/258/mode/2up. Accessed 9 May 2024.

Bacchilega, Cristina, and Marie Alohalani Brown. The Penguin Book of Mermaids. Penguin 

Books, 2019. 

“Cultural Values.” Geriatrics, Stanford Medicine Ethnogeriatrics, 6 Jan. 2024, 

geriatrics.stanford.edu/ethnomed/filipino/fund/cultural_values.html. Accessed 9 May 

2024.

Herrera, Dana  R. “The Philippines: An Overview of the Colonial Era.” Education About Asia: 

Online Archives, Association for Asian Studies, 23 June 2023, 

www.asianstudies.org/publications/eaa/archives/the-philippines-an-overview-of-the-colonial-era/

National Geographic Society. Edited by Jeannie Evers, First Contact in the Americas, National 

Geographic Society , 22 Jan. 2024, 

education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/first-contact-americas/. Accessed 9 May 2024. 

Stevens, J. Nicole. “ The History of the Filipino Languages.” The History of the Filipino 

Languages, 30 June 1999, linguistics.byu.edu/classes/Ling450ch/reports/filipino.html. 

“What Is Babaylan?” Babaylan Studies, 

www.centerforbabaylanstudies.org/history#:~:text=Philippine%20indigenous%20commu

nities%20recognize%20a,therapies%20such%20as%20hilot%2C%20arbularyo. Accessed 

9 May 2024. 

Redrawn llustrations made on ProCreate with Apple Pencil and iPad. Original illustrations illustrated by Helen Stratton for ‘Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen.’

Final

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OANNES-1Download

Hello everyone,

For my final assignment, I wrote a short story inspired by the numerous readings we explored this semester, which primarily focused on environmental ethics and the human-nature relationship. My story, “Finding Oannes,” was mainly inspired by the following quote from William Cronom’s “The Trouble with the Wilderness,” a text that critically examines the concept of wilderness and its implications for our culture’s relationship with the nonhuman world. 

“we mistake ourselves when we suppose that wilderness can solve our culture’s problematic relationships with the nonhuman world, for wilderness is no small part of the problem.” 

The idea of “the wild” being a man-made concept really opened my eyes to the bleak reality that everything humanity touches MUST produce some sort of monetary value. This realization has deeply impacted my understanding of our role in the world, and I came to the conclusion that we, as human beings, have become an invasive species. It made me question the value we place on nature and the extent to which we exploit it for our own gain.

This realization didn’t shatter my world or anything like that; I still enjoy camping and hiking with friends. There is still plenty of pleasure to be had in these types of activities, and by no means am I suggesting we should abandon our attachments to the concept of nature – but one thing needs to be made clear: human order does not belong in the natural world.

The concept of ‘the wild’ and its implications have been a recurring theme throughout the semester, and I’ve grappled with articulating my insights accurately. This struggle continues, but ‘Finding Oannes’ has provided a fantastic platform for me to delve deeper into this complex and thought-provoking topic. 

Thank you all for such a wonderful semester!

In “Finding Oannes,” I investigate human ambition, exploration, myth, truth, and the effects of these endeavors on nature. The story begins with a detailed description of a world where human civilization has reached a point of stasis on land, with all available resources methodically mapped out and used. This creates the conditions for the formation of a desire for adventure and wonder, prompting humanity to look to the undiscovered depths of the ocean. On this last frontier, the spirit of exploration still appears to be alive. The story also delves into the ethical implications of human exploration and the potential consequences for the natural world.

The majestic vessel Oannes is central to the plot, depicted as a marvel of ivory and gold that represents human intellect and the peak of marine exploration. The protagonist, Captain Jonathan Glanton, exemplifies the spirit of discovery and intellectual quest, similar to legendary heroes such as Einstein and Galileo. Glanton’s thorough research and documentation of the ocean’s contents illustrate the pursuit of knowledge and the desire to discover hidden truths about our planet. His character also serves as a reflection of the human ambition and curiosity that drives our exploration of the natural world.

I made an attempt to make the narrator untrustworthy because he is too enamored with the ship and its captain to realize how their exploitation of the sea could be detrimental. Making the ship out of ivory and gold was intended to reflect both the beauty of seeking an understanding of the natural world and the aggressive attitude with which we shape the natural world to work in ways we can comprehend and profit from. The Captain’s name, John Glanton, is a reference to the same-named infamous person from the old American West – best known for his merciless exploits as a scalp hunter during battles in the American West, representing a darker side of human desire and conquest. 

The story takes a poignant turn when the protagonist discovers Oannes, fifteen years after its departure, sunken on the ocean floor. This finding, combined with the tragic destiny of a mermaid crushed beneath the ship, provides a compelling metaphor for the repercussions of human ambition. The mermaid, once a symbol of mythological wonder, now represents the neglected and shattered portions of nature that we ignore in our never-ending search for knowledge and advancement.

The image of the mermaid trapped beneath Oannes provokes a mixture of awe and grief, emphasizing the fragile balance between human enterprise and its unintended effects on the natural world. The author’s undersea picture delivers a profound contemplation on the beauty and sorrow that come with our pursuit of enlightenment.

The narrative’s complexity is found in its investigation of human ambition and its consequences on nature and in its depiction of the interaction of myth and reality. The mermaid, a mythological creature, becomes a palpable emblem of the hidden costs of exploration, encouraging readers to consider the impact of their actions on the environment.

To summarize, “Finding Oannes” is a thought-provoking investigation of human ambition, exploration, myth, reality, and their effects on nature. The story goes into the depths of human curiosity and the drive for knowledge, pitted against the potential consequences of our persistent pursuit of discovery. The terrible fate of the mermaid beneath Oannes serves as a devastating metaphor for the natural qualities that we neglect and destroy on our voyage of exploration. Finally, the story encourages readers to explore the difficult balance between human advancement and environmental stewardship, demanding a deeper examination of the ethical consequences of our acts in the pursuit of enlightenment.

Final Essay

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Sophia Raya

ECL 305

Professor Pressman

May 9th, 2024

The Verticality of the Little Mermaid

In The Little Mermaid (1837), written by Hans Christain Andersen, the high and low design of the story’s landscape maps onto the vertical ascension of Christianity associated with hell, earth, and heaven. Each ascension correlates to its respective vertical plane and leads the mermaid closer to a heavenly life. The little mermaid first appears within the ocean, a place located furthest away from the heavens which she seeks. As she moves upwards and makes her way onto land, she gains legs and can move through the realm of humanity where both God and earthly desires reside. By sacrificing her life, the little mermaid’s body transforms into an air spirit and resides in the aerial plane where she has the possibility of entering heaven in 300 years. This transition from plane to plane involves sacrifice and encompasses the Christian tenet that the body may die but the soul lives on. Within the frame of Christianity and the religious sentiments of the little mermaid, sacrificing one’s own life in the name of a higher power is noble, and elevates your position in the spiritual world.  

In The Little Mermaid, the setting of ocean sets the story up for the vertical journey that the little mermaid is about to embark on. The kingdom is far out at sea and located at an unimaginable depth, where not even a rope could fathom it; and many church steeples need to be piled on top of each other to breach the surface (Andersen 108). The exclusion of rope as a unit of measurement is deliberate. Rope is a common tool used by sea farers and others who regularly traverse the ocean. Church steeples, on the other hand, are not commonly found within the ocean but instead are largely found on land. This addition of steeples reinforces verticality within the narrative as they are located on top of a church’s physical foundation, and serve as a focal point for the gaze of a worshipper. Their height fills the viewer with a sense of awe towards the Church as a religious institution and as a source of spiritual power. By placing these steeples beneath the waves, the texts illuminates the spiritual defiency of the ocean and by extension its inhabitants. The direction of the placement of these steeples also implies a direct upwards  movement away from the ocean which weaves in the importance of verticality within the narrative. If these steeples had descended instead of ascended, this would have implied a movement away from the Church and mimicked a descent into hell. 

Within Christian theology, hell is a place where God’s light does not reach and where souls go to die, which denies them a heavenly afterlife. Even though hell is never explicitly mentioned within the little mermaid, heaven as a place can only exist as a reward if there is a location that opposes it. On the vertical scale, hell is the lowest spiritual realm while earth and heaven are located directly above it. This also maps onto the vertical scale of the mermaid’s physical world with the ocean on the lowest level while the land and air are above it. Because the mermaid seeks a heavenly life, she needs to ascend onto land in order to fulfill this goal. 

This change from the aquatic realm to the terrestrial realm also requires a change in form. Her tail, which distinctly marks her as a mermaid, would be viewed as demonic and unholy by the Church. In order to be accepted onto land, she would have to give up her tail and obtain two legs to fit into human society. This rejection of her initial form mimics the spiritual sacrifices that Christians must enagage in to enter the kingdom of heaven. Splitting her legs into a tail involves both a physical sacrifice and a cultural sacrifice, without a tail the little mermaid will never be able to fully inhabit the ocean and its realm. Before this can even occur, the little mermaid seeks out the sea witch for a spell to transform her into a human. Besides the physical splitting of her tail, the mermaid’s voice and tongue are physically cut out of her. In the essay, “The Merciless Tragedy of Desire: An Interpretation of H.C. Andersen’s “Den lille Havfrue’” by Jørgen Dines Johansen, Johansen points out that by cutting off the little mermaid’s tongue, she is unable to emotionally live through and act out inner conflicts (Johansen pg. 211). As soon as she cuts off her tongue, she cuts herself off from the rest of the mermaid and obtains the status of other despite her outwards appearance as a mermaid. Although she never runs into another mermaid who can categorize her as other, her body is in the midst of a change. 

The little mermaid’s second act of bodily transformation occurs on the marble steps where the ocean and land meet. These steps help to connect these lower and higher levels to each other, bridging this vertical distance in an upward manner. By taking the potion on the marble steps after she crawls out of the water, she is separating herself from the oceanic and by extension the demonic realm. This second transformation continues to emphasizes the element of bodily sacrifice as the little mermaid felt as if a double-edged sword was run through her (Andersen pg. 123). The inclusion of a double edged sword emphasizes the physical duality of the little mermaid as her more human top half remains unaffected while her bottom more demonic half splits into human legs. This taxing physical agony that the little mermaid endures for a soul is also found within the bible. Philippians 1:29 states that in order to follow God, an individual is required to both believe in him and suffer on his behalf (Philippians 1:29, BibleHub). Although the little mermaid suffers physically from this transformation, she does not suffer emotionally nor spiritually. Instead, once she’s found by the prince, she bears this pain willingly and glides as she walks, making both the prince and others around her marvel at her gate (Andersen pg. 124). This bodily sacrifice isn’t just a one time feeling but instead it’s a constant reminder of what she has lost and what she stands to gain. 

On the terrestrial plane, the little mermaid’s transformations continue to be an obstacle in her path towards a soul.  Although the mermaid possess human legs instead of a tail, she is unable to verbalize her desires towards the prince and can only communicate through movement and facial expressions. When the little mermaid and the prince journey up the mountain, the pain that she experiences is physically seen by both the readers and other agents in the story by having her feet bleed (Andersen pg. 124). Despite this outward injury, she ignores the sensation and enters a physical space where she is high enough to reach the heavens but not holy enough to enter them. This physical space captures the crux of her current predicament: she longs for a soul but she experiences limitations that are imposed on her because of her initial sacrifice towards said soul. The pain that she experiences on a day to day basis from this transformation continues to serve as a test her desire for a soul through marriage. 

When the prince marries the princess, her marriage pathway and her route towards directly obtaining a soul is lost. This leaves the little mermaid with two choices: either kill the prince and save herself or sacrifice herself and save the prince (Andersen pg. 129). Had the little mermaid decided to save herself, she would have been able to reverse her transformation and live out her natural lifespan as a mermaid. However, as a mermaid and therefore a non-human creature, she would have to descend from the terrestrial plane into the aquatic realm, sliding down on the vertical scale back into hell. However, the mermaid would arrive at the same fate if she sacrificed herself, but at a much quicker rate. Because of her love for the prince, she prioritizes his life over hers and throws herself overboard, her human body dissolving into foam and transforming for a third time (Andersen pg. 129). The little mermaid’s path follows the biblical verse of Mark 8:35 where whoever decides to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for Christ shall also save it (Mark 8:35, BibleHub). Even though her human body dies, her form develops into that of an air spirit because of her good deeds and sacrifices made in the name of obtaining an eternal soul. As an air spirit, the little mermaid’s form is no longer bound to the terrestrial plane and rises into the aerial realm, which mimics the upwards movement of a Christian soul after death. This transformation from human to air spirit also undoes her first sacrifice as she is able to speak in a sweet and ethereal voice after an extended period of muteness (Andersen pg. 129). This conveys a sort of mercy and reward from God because the little mermaid had a very real possibility of experiencing a permanent death from her actions, but was instead saved and spiritually elevated for the choices she made. 

 The Little Mermaid is a story where religious themes of biblical sacrifice and obtaining a soul bleeds into each section of the text including the topographical settings, which directly correlate to the vertical arrangement of hell, earth, and heaven. Each terrain that the mermaid resides in requires a sacrifice in the form of transformation in order to exit and enter another terrain. These sacrifices comes at the cost of her physical wellbeing which reinforces the biblical influence through the form of bodily sacrifice. Because of the stories overt religious themes, self-sacrifice and pain endured in the name of a religious power will be rewarded. 

Works Cited 

Andersen, Hans Christian. “The Little Mermaid.” The Penguin Book of Mermaids, edited by Christina Bacchilega and Marie Alohalani Brown, Penguin Books, 2019, pp 107-130.

“Colossians 3:2-4.” Bible.Com, www.bible.com/bible/114/COL.3.2-4. 

Johansen, Jørgen Dines. “The Merciless Tragedy of Desire: An Interpretation of H.C. Andersen’s ‘Den Lille Havfrue.’” Scandinavian Studies, vol. 68, no. 2, 1996, pp. 203–41. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40919857. Accessed 14 Apr. 2024.

“Mark 8:35.” Bible.Com, www.bible.com/bible/1/MRK.8.35.KJV. 

“Philippians 1:29.” BibleHub, biblehub.com/philippians/1-29.htm.