The Truth is in the Details :: Comparative, The Naturalist

When I received the assignment of comparing and contrasting the â€Å"Naturalist† to that of â€Å"Landscape and Narrative†, admittedly I was a bit dismayed at the idea of analyzing two writings I seemed to comprehend very little of. Upon reading them over and over, jotting down idea after idea, and crumpling up paper after paper, I came to the conclusion that I may or may not be over-thinking the assignment. My interpretation, though a bit underdeveloped, is this: Barry Lopez, in â€Å"The Naturalist† explains what it means to be a naturalist, the expectations a naturalist, and the modern naturalist’s ideology. He speaks of how knowledge is best gained, which he believes is through â€Å"enormously time-consuming† (â€Å"The Naturalist† 122) firsthand experience; by â€Å"immersing yourself in its milieu† (â€Å"The Naturalist† 116), or environment. He uses the example of the caracara, in the â€Å"Naturalist.† He says, â€Å"if you wish to understand the caracara, you need to know a great deal about exactly where the caracara lives; and what the caracara’s relationships are with each of the many components of that place, including its elevations, its seasonal light.† (â€Å"The Naturalist 116). This fits in nicely with the point he makes in â€Å": Landscape and Narrative†. He defines two landscapes: external, â€Å"the one we see†¦the land†¦its plants and animals†¦its weather, its geology, the record of its climate and evolution.† (â€Å"Landscape and Narrative† 5). The other is the internal one, which Lopez describes as â€Å"a kind of projection within a part of the exterior landscape.† (â€Å"Landscape and Narrative† 7). More or less, I think he’s saying that one’s mindset, feelings, and purpose are determined by nature; the world around us. Lopez mentions that â€Å"those fresh to a task†¦are the ones most likely to give themselves a deadline†¦which will challenge themselves to know all there is to know† (â€Å"The Naturalist† 122) about a particular thing. But, as he points out, â€Å"lack of end points† (â€Å"The Naturalist† 122) conflict with â€Å"the short-term demands of modern life.† (â€Å"The Naturalist† 122). He refers to the fact that he still goes down to the river and always feels like something new will reveal itself. Putting oneself on a deadline never works. Those opposed to, or believing differently than naturalists, or â€Å"tyrants† (â€Å"The Naturalist† 122), â€Å"aim to silence the naturalists† (â€Å"The Naturalist† 122), to avoid having their beliefs called into question or contradicted. Lopez fears those people; some in a position of political power, and with an abundance of confidence are â€Å"ready to tell the county commissioners what the river is† (â€Å"The Naturalist† 122).