Friend Of Earth

Question 1

Friend of the earth

Key facts & What happened in past

Answer 1

written by TC Boyle: American novelist
Writing style: shows misconception people have of different races
- satiric, dystopian novel, year 2025’.
- takes place in near future where global warming disastrously affected environment
- 2 timeframes, each from life of its militant, environmental activist protagonist (Ty Tierwater)
- 3rd person narrator for past life of activist’s time in eco movement & terrible price he had to pay for his involvement (early 1990s)
- in novel’s present’s, 1st person narrator - elderly activist himself tells about his experiences & why his efforts were not enough to prevent the catastrophe (2025-2026)

What happened in past.
- environmental degradation has eroded so many habitats that many animal species became extinct
- surface of earth is ravaged by extreme winds & storms
- weather - heavy rainfalls
- agriculture in enclosed farms - less variety of food
- earth’s population has exploded
- lots of housing, forest have been cut down
- social security system has collapsed

Question 2

Friend of Earth

literary devices

Answer 2

• irony: highlight disparity between character’s beliefs & their actions, e. g Ty Tierwater (environmentalist) responsible for destroying large areas of natural habit while trying to restore them
• symbolism: represent various ideas & themes, eg caged animals in Tierwater’s animal sanctuary are symbolic character’s imprisonment & struggle for freedom
• imagery: create vivid & detailed descriptions of setting & characters in novel, i e to describe the decay & destruction of natural environment -› central theme of book.
  -allusion: alludes to Vietnam War, help to deepen meaning of story & connect it to broader historical & cultural contexts
  foreshadowing: used to hint at future events & build suspense, e. g recurring references to “Last Stand” protest foreshadow the final confrontation betw. environmentalists & government
• satire: criticize & ridicule various aspects of contemporary society such as entertainment industry, consumer culture & political corruption
• personification: natural environment & animal life are personified, giving them human-like questions & emotions eg. animals in Tierwater’s sanctuary are given personalities & unique characteristics, more relatable to reader