At This Rate, We’re Never Getting Flying Cars

           “Earth Without People”, an article by Alan Weisman, goes into great detail about what a world without the human race would resemble. To ensure that his message is received, Weisman uses multiple examples of imagery to the audiences’ senses. Examples of these include images of the jungles swallowing all of the cities, trees and weeds cracking the foundation of buildings, clogging sewers, mass extinctions of many animals on Earth, and the rebirth of the planet. Alan Weisman uses many images to convey his message of an unusual planet without humans, causing the audience to buy into his theories and crave more.

            “Within 10 centuries, the jungle swallowed all.” After reading that, I personally could visualize hundreds upon thousands of trees and vines swamping cities across the planet. Weeds draped over buildings, cutting off sunlight to the rest of the world. At first, it looked almost as if the world had reverted back to the way it was before Homo sapiens evolved. However, as time progressed, I saw the planet dying and evolving at the same time. Later in the article, Weisman uses other visual images to help the audience picture this chaotic yet peaceful world.

            Many writers struggle nailing imagery that appeals to the senses of taste and smell, however it would appear that Weisman does not. While reading the lines about the backed up sewer systems, dying rats and water-soaked metals, my nose began to fill with the stenches of rotting flesh, garbage, and rust. I could almost taste the rats’ putrid carcasses. The message was received, and I could no longer focus on the point of the essay. The imagery used their almost distracts the audience from the main point of the essay, while still keeping them intrigued.

            Reading about overheated air, I began to feel warmer, and seeing how mounds of ash would form, my body felt dirty and disgusting. Then learning about the mass extinctions of several species, I could hear the cries of dogs and bison being wiped out by superior predators. I could see the falcons and cranes devouring the rodents and the diseases destroying populations from the inside, the musky scents filling the air. I felt like I could reach out and just hold one of the dying animals, hoping that some outside force would restore their life. Weiman goes on to say how species would revert back to their forming being and devolve. Humans had impacted the world so significantly, that without us, the world would revert to a more stable state. The images of a rebirth were what hit me the hardest as a reader, and it was then that I realized how much humans had really damaged our home.

            In conclusion, Alan Wiesman successfully uses imagery throughout his article in an attempt to capture the audiences’ attention. For me, Weisman appealed to all five senses and in doing so brought the inevitable destruction of Earth to my attention. Alan Weisman’s article tells the story of where Earth is headed, but not all of it is set in stone.