We talked a lot in class Tuesday about Michael Pollan’s writing style, although I think we may not have touched on a pattern he tends to use that I find quite interesting. He tends to make the plant which he is talking about capable of human-like thought. As with corn, he makes grass out to be a very clever and consciously thinking being. Just one of many examples of this is; “The evolutionary strategy they [grasses] hit upon was to make their leaves nourishing and tasty to animals who in turn are nourishing and tasty to us, the big-brained creature best equipped to vanquish the trees on their behalf.” (page 129) In this excerpt, the evolutionary strategy is attributed to them, as well as the ability to make their leaves tasty to an animal who in turn we would eat. I highly doubt that grass thought all of this through and hoped that humans would eventually begin to take part in activities such as burning or mowing grass in order to help it prosper.
I think that this adds something to Pollan’s work though. Having some things looked at from the perspective of the plant is interesting and fun. I doubt it will be something I carry on with me after finishing this book, but who knows, maybe I’ll ask the lawn if it’d like to be mowed next time I’m home!
I was really appreciative of the style you're talking about Steph. I think if he hadn't put some extra life into the plants and personified them Pollen's book would have been much more dry. He seems to be exalting biology in a way that is rare in regard to plant life. He's not saying the plants thought about things so much as the biological/evolutionary forces at work chose wisely...or something like that! It's pretty interesting to think about regardless.
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