The Man-Nature Conflict

“Tin Head can see the raw meat of the head and the shoulder muscles and the empty mouth without no tongue open wide and its red eyes glaring at him, pure teetotal hate like arrows coming at him, and he knows he is done for” (Proulx). 

A defining element in the American saga is the man-nature conflict. From our founding to present, we’ve worked against the natural world around us to carve out cities, highways, farmlands, power facilities, and wreaked havoc on the ecosystem. [thesis]We’ve like to harness resources for our benefit, but as we’ve interfered with the natural balance, vital wildlife is lost and the environment continually grows more hostile.[thesis] We’re powerless to the effects of massive climate change, and nature doesn’t forget injustice.

When speaking of American Literature, I feel like it’s important to note that today (and historically) our nation is made of so many religious, ethnic, and cultural groups that it is impossible to truly highlight American culture at large, as it’s different in every corner of our country and society. I do believe, however, we can look at the history of our nation and the elite class that influenced the actions and policies of that time to gain perspective about American life throughout its different periods. 

I’ve focused my reading on E. Annie Proulx’s, The Half-Skinned Steer, which I feel exemplifies this prevalent idea of American culture, from literature and media. It tells us about our American heritage of courage, resourcefulness, and adventurism as we pioneer the uncharted frontiers of the American West. This is a story of freedom of one’s destiny, as they explore the wild scapes in search of treasures and territory to lay claim. It was every man for themselves in pursuit of rags to riches story of their own. As Ari Bang (an American literature class student) comments about the American image in a class discussion, “[Americans] they seem to be very good at hunting-even if it seems hard to do-they will do it for the benefit of themselves” (Laulima), emphasizing the individualistic nature American culture imposed.

In The Half-Skinned Steer, we’re taken to a time roughly between 1930-1990. We’re able to read about the struggle between regional and economic divided between our protagonist, Mero’s, experiences starting in Wyoming (the West) and his later life in Massachusetts (New England region). Mero’s life follows a similar story as we described above, going out on his own in search of material wealth and better opportunities.

Through the story, we follow Mero and his journey returning home after decades of silence and absences. He returns after his brother was killed by an Emu on the family farm, which was sold after years of financial struggle to an Australian businessman who creates “Wyoming Down Under,” an Australian wildlife park. This is one of the earliest ill encounters between man and nature as we learn more about Mero’s life and his childhood story about the Half-Skinned Steer. He struggles to come to terms with his past, and actively tries to differentiate himself from his family as he relives memories. Reasons he uses are largely economic, as he boasts he has become wealthy from his work & his ability to buy expensive purchases. His negative view towards his family and past illustrates a socioeconomic divide between classes. He also notes his many sexual encounters and his physical state throughout the story which further emphasizes the material base for the American heritage. There is little said about personal behavior and philosophical or spiritual development, only material wealth and physical ability (beauty & performance). 

Another theme greatly present in both this story and broadly American culture and history is the relationship between man and nature. Proulx highlights this throughout the story many times. The lack of emotional awareness, empathy, and the overbearing struggle to gain more, expand further, and ownership has caused a conflict between man and nature. Man is separate from nature, has to harness the elements, and convert everything it encounters into a resource. I feel like this is a parable for broadly American culture and value today. Manifest destiny wasn’t about peacefully uniting similar people groups who shared common values, as it was about expanding ownership and claiming resources–It has been a defining philosophy. 

Relating this borderline political science paper to literature, I believe many critically acclaimed works of American literature showcase first, this consistent idea of rags to riches and man’s timeless material pursuit of property, partners and affairs, and material wealth. The struggle to gain more for themselves is largely to showcase to others around them to reaffirm their status. Secondly, and increasingly with modern works, we’re looking at our relationship with ourselves, each other, and the greater world around us. This inner reflection acknowledges this negative narrative and offers social criticism. It opens up the question of our relationship with nature and its inevident outcome. Largely, there is more discussion about the morals we choose to identify with as a nation, and how those may conflict with our social view of success. While ambition, pride, and greed have been with us since the beginning, we’ve also nurtured a spirit of tolerance, innovation, and empathy.

The United States was founded unconventionally, and since then as a people and culture, the identity has struggles to maintain itself with every expansion and inclusion of another ethnic group, widening pay gaps, and world crisis. Thus, anything associated suffers a similar fate. The “American” essence is hard to pin-point in literature from a cultural stand-point as everyday individuals’ experiences vary too greatly. But pulling from a root that has been with the broader culture and history of the nation from the beginning, the American heritage, there has been an undeniable conflict between man and nature. Authors seeking to write about America I believe try to answer this relation, and as they write, science discovers, and we find every day. Nature doesn’t forget, and this conflict only results in destruction. “It tossed its head, and in the howling, wintry light he saw he’d been wrong again, that the half-skinned steer’s red eye had been watching for him all this time.” (Proulx, “The Half-Skinned Steer”).

Works cited

Proulx, E. Annie. “The Half-Skinned Steer.” The Atlantic. November 1997. Web.

Bang, Ari. “Paper 3 Discussion 1 (Proulx).” Laulima Discussion, University of Hawai’i. March 24, 2020. Web.