Encounters With the Archdruid: Narratives About a Conservationist and Three of His Natural Enemies

Analyze how McPhee presents Brower and Park’s arguments regarding the implications of mining in the Glacier Peak Wilderness. Name at least three strategies of portraying the different positions the two men have. What effect do these rhetorical strategies have on the reading experience?

How do Park and Brower’s differing perspectives on the potential economic benefits versus the irreversible environmental impact of mining illustrate the broader tension between industrial development and conservation? Discuss the symbolism of their descent towards the Suiattle River in shaping the narrative’s exploration of this conflict.

Does Brower’s perspective of environmental degradation as a moral crime against future generations demand a rethinking of societal priorities and actions towards sustainable living? Why or why not? What fundamental changes does it imply for current approach to environmental conservation?

Speaking to Charles Fraser, Brower employs vivid imagery and a historical timeline to emphasize the urgency and moral imperative of environmental preservation. How does Brower’s rhetoric, particularly his metaphorical language and appeal to individual and collective responsibility, challenge conventional approaches to conservation?

What relationship does Brower have with his own past? How is his work informed by his upbringing and the difficulties he faced as a young man?

What does “wilderness” signify for David Brower and why does he think it must be conserved at all costs?

What is the impact of the image of Earth seen from the Moon for Brower? Why does he use this image during his tour speeches?

What can contemporary environmental activists learn from a figure like David Brower? Does Brower’s idealism have a place in current conservation discourses?