42 pages • 1 hour read
Edward O. WilsonHalf-Earth: Our Planet’s Fight for Life
Edward O. WilsonNonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2016A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Aliens
Wilson uses the term “alien” several times to describe invasive species and humans. This is a distinct choice to show the otherness of species that do not belong to certain ecosystems. The take-over by these alien species “is not a Hollywood script” (15). They do real damage to environments by outcompeting and ultimately extinguishing the native species. Because these species are alien to the area, they will not provide balance to an ecosystem as its local native species go extinct. Like these invasive species, Wilson believes that “people fell upon the planet like a hostile race of aliens” (72). This passage is clearly not a compliment towards our species. Earth is our home, and we are members of its biosphere, yet we act like alien invaders who care nothing for the planet they are conquering. The term reinforces our destructive activities towards nature and the reality that if we do not end these habits, we will destroy our home and our future within a short geological span.
Champion
Wilson repeatedly uses the term “champion” to describe surviving species, including humans. His logic is that each surviving species has overcome the challenges that evolution by natural selection has thrown its way. The environment is always changing, and species must be able to navigate these changes and successfully reproduce. In so doing, these offspring continue the game in the next generation. Wilson highlights that “at any time in a changing environment, the species could lose this game of evolution, and its population would spiral to extinction” (155). Hence, those that survive are champions. This aspect of Wilson’s argument helps readers feel a connection to other living species. Like us, they belong to the “club of champions” who can trace their evolution to the origins of life itself (156).
Stewardship
Wilson pays tribute to creatures both big and small, demonstrating to readers precisely what we will lose if we continue on our path towards the Sixth Extinction. This naturalistic portrait is intentional because it slowly invites readers, especially those who are skeptical of his half-earth solution, to begin to realize the value of nature. Wilson uses the term “steward” repeatedly. Humans shift from being presented as a conquering race of aliens or fake gods who believe they are superior to all other species to be presented as nature’s stewards. Wilson notes that humans have “learned enough to adopt a transcendent moral precept concerning the rest of life” (212). This is especially the case for readers of Half-Earth who now have a greater understanding of the race we are in to save the living world. We can only achieve this goal by being the steward of the living world.
Unlock all 42 pages of this Study GuidePlus, gain access to 9,250+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features:
Related Titles
By Edward O. Wilson
