primary source
excerpt from "silent spring" by rachel carson
“These sprays, dusts, and aerosols are now applied almost universally to farms, gardens, forests, and homes—non-selective chemicals that have the power to kill every insect, the "good" and the "bad," to still the song of birds and the leaping of fish in the streams, to coat the leaves with a deadly film, and to linger on in the soil—all this though the intended target may be only a few weeds or insects. Can anyone believe it is possible to lay down such a barrage of poisons on the surface of the earth without making it unfit for all life? They should not be called ‘insecticides,’ but ‘biocides. “
-Rachel Carson, “Silent Spring”
H (Historical Context)-
In 1962, Rachel Carson wrote “Silent Spring” to bring environmental issues to the public and highlighted the issue of pesticide use in America. DDT is a Chlorohydrocarbon that was made for controlling pests. It began being used massively across the U.S and people began to use it on virtually anything--gardens, forests, farms, and in the home The side effects of this destructive chemical affected humans, and unintended species that were essential to our daily lives and caused some species to become endangered or even extinct. The effects on humans included infertility and even cancer. In species like birds, the chemical made their shells weaker, and when the mother sat on her eggs to keep them warm, they would break, due to the thinning of the shell and ultimately resulting in a massive decrease in bird populations.
I (Intended Audience)-
The intended audience of “Silent Spring” is the public. Consumers were not aware of the effects of DDT. This text was targeted for them to be educated on this issue and to ensure that the vast majority of the U.S. population would know the effects of this pesticide. If awareness was promoted, the hope is that the pesticide would be ultimately banned.
P (Purpose)-
In the mid-1940s, Carson was a marine biologist, with only a passing interest in biochemistry. She heard that the government was using DDT for the removal of fire ants, and she became concerned and decided to devote her research to pesticides and environmental poisons. In 1958, she learned that DDT was killing several bird species in the Northeast, and she began a four-year project to document all of the environmental damage attributed to DDT. She wrote Silent Spring to inform America of the terrible effects that the pesticide had on species as well as humans. The large chemical companies, such as DuPont, tried to stop the printing of the book, but were unsuccessful. Carson’s novel ignited the Environmental Movement, which was a turning in history and changed how citizens treated the environment and were educated on pesticides and other pollutants.
P (Point of View)-
Rachel Carson had a unique point of view. She came from marine biology, but she was curious about the environment and why things were happening. She also had breast cancer during the time that she was writing the book and told very few people about it. She ended up having a mastectomy. These things emboldened her because she knew that DDT was also a cancer-causing agent. Carson worked tirelessly to craft a book and articles that showed what was really happening with DDT.
-Rachel Carson, “Silent Spring”
H (Historical Context)-
In 1962, Rachel Carson wrote “Silent Spring” to bring environmental issues to the public and highlighted the issue of pesticide use in America. DDT is a Chlorohydrocarbon that was made for controlling pests. It began being used massively across the U.S and people began to use it on virtually anything--gardens, forests, farms, and in the home The side effects of this destructive chemical affected humans, and unintended species that were essential to our daily lives and caused some species to become endangered or even extinct. The effects on humans included infertility and even cancer. In species like birds, the chemical made their shells weaker, and when the mother sat on her eggs to keep them warm, they would break, due to the thinning of the shell and ultimately resulting in a massive decrease in bird populations.
I (Intended Audience)-
The intended audience of “Silent Spring” is the public. Consumers were not aware of the effects of DDT. This text was targeted for them to be educated on this issue and to ensure that the vast majority of the U.S. population would know the effects of this pesticide. If awareness was promoted, the hope is that the pesticide would be ultimately banned.
P (Purpose)-
In the mid-1940s, Carson was a marine biologist, with only a passing interest in biochemistry. She heard that the government was using DDT for the removal of fire ants, and she became concerned and decided to devote her research to pesticides and environmental poisons. In 1958, she learned that DDT was killing several bird species in the Northeast, and she began a four-year project to document all of the environmental damage attributed to DDT. She wrote Silent Spring to inform America of the terrible effects that the pesticide had on species as well as humans. The large chemical companies, such as DuPont, tried to stop the printing of the book, but were unsuccessful. Carson’s novel ignited the Environmental Movement, which was a turning in history and changed how citizens treated the environment and were educated on pesticides and other pollutants.
P (Point of View)-
Rachel Carson had a unique point of view. She came from marine biology, but she was curious about the environment and why things were happening. She also had breast cancer during the time that she was writing the book and told very few people about it. She ended up having a mastectomy. These things emboldened her because she knew that DDT was also a cancer-causing agent. Carson worked tirelessly to craft a book and articles that showed what was really happening with DDT.