December 15, 2016 - 10:07
Effectiveness of the Novels
As the World Burns, by Derrick Jensen and Stephanie McMillan and “Collapse of Western Civilization” by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway are both books targeting towards the same points: the severity of our environmental issues and urgency to make a change. Both of them are effective but to really different audiences. However, one is more effective regarding the aspect of education and really making a change.
In the short book, “The Collapse of Western Civilization,” by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway, they present heavy citations and data that is more convincing towards mature adults. This book includes dense material and the style of viewing our world and writing it in the future tense makes it even more confusing and harder to read. This is a more sophisticated style and strategy which requires a more sophisticated and mature thinking from a reader to understand this book. Adults are able to understand more dense materials better than the younger generation. In this book, there are many organizations and groups that are mentioned, which many younger generation children will not know. Also, this book is more appealing and more understandable to the older and mature generation because this focuses more on the government. Many younger generation kids and teenagers still don’t fully have a sense of these government organizations and committees. For example, organizations like the: UNFCCC, IPCC, UNCCEP, ICCEP, and more. In this book, they have also mentioned that animals are going extinct and polar bears are losing their habitats. However, there are no pictures or graphics to show that, therefore, children would not believe it as much. These examples are easily understood by adults and not teenagers. Adults are more convinced by scholarly work with proper citations and world data, whereas the younger generation needs to feel that it’s true in order to believe it.
On the other hand, the graphic novel, As the World Burns, by Derrik Jensen and Stephanie McMilan is way more appealing for the younger generation. Using the style of a graphic novel to portray and represent such a big issue is very effective towards younger children and teenagers. The use of visuals in a graphic novel has a powerful representation what is happening to the real world. It provides a visual understanding of the issues that is happening and seeing these issues unfold before your eyes is way more powerful than just words. It also conveys a more interactive and an easier understanding of the argument that is made in this novel. Specifically, younger kids may be more sympathetic to animals and this graphic novel shows them visually that these animals are being harmed and affected. There are many examples in the book that shows animal drawings. Kids may have heard that polar bears and other animals are going extinct and are living in harsh conditions due to global warming but it is so much more powerful to see the visuals and seeing that it is actually happening in real life instead of only hearing about it. Also there are many visuals that represent the water crisis and it is showing that this isn’t only affecting humans but also animals.
Many of the younger generation kids know that global warming and environmental issues exists, however, it just stops there. Many of them are educated about these situations, but because they feel like they are not personally affected the situation doesn’t really exist. When Kranti went to the therapist she said, “If it’s not in the room, it doesn’t exist” (Jensen, McMilan, 50). This is concept that many of the younger generation kids believe in due to the lack of education they have on the greater issue. This graphic novel shows that even though it is not directly affecting their lives, it is still happening in the world and attention needs to be brought to it.
The awareness of environmental issues stems from education and it is crucial to dealing with ecological issues. Education begins from a younger generation; the graphic novel achieves that goal. Showing the younger generation that this issue may not be affecting humans directly now, but it is affecting the animals and other species that are around us. I believe this graphic novel would scare and give the younger generation a wake up call in an educational way and enhancing their knowledge about this situations so they could make a change.