Man Vs Nature
Man versus Nature A balance can be found between the uncontrollable power of Nature and the limited strengths of the human race. This balance would serve to embrace the strength of Nature, using it for the benefit of mankind. Therefore, when mankind embraces this balance with Nature, together success can be achieved. On the other hand, the human race often relies entirely upon itself when in conflict with Nature, turning exclusively to the ingenuity of man for strength. ... ” As this paper will show, when mankind strives for a balance, embracing the power of Nature with the ingenuity of man, success ensues while merely striving for the “quick fix,” relying solely upon man’s ingenuity, results in failure. Christopher McCandless, an adventurous young man, set out into the wild on two separate occasions by himself, with little more than his know-how and Nature to depend upon for survival. During his journeys into the wilderness, each discussed by Jon Krakauer in the essay “Selections from: Into the Wild,” McCandless embraced the connection between Nature and his own ingenuity (at least for a time), rather than relying on a “quick fix. ... The fish McCandless caught in the Gulf of California, and the small game he shot in the Alaskan wilderness, on which his survival depended where all, however small, a part of Nature. During his two journeys into the wilderness, McCandless used his own ingenuity to use that which Nature provided to survive as long as possible. These examples show that when the ingenuity of man is combined with the strengths of Nature, rather than relying exclusively upon some sort of “quick fix,” success can be achieved by man. While McCandless was merely one man who relied on Nature for survival, all of the Hindu people rely on it as a daily part of their existence. ... However, this ability to use the strength of Nature is being endangered as the Ganges becomes more and more polluted. ... This shows that the ingenuity of man can find ways to embrace the power of Nature, rather than turning to a “quick fix,” to successfully serve the needs of mankind.