Erik Buckingham approximately 150 words
ekb7@geneseo.edu
INTD 105: Science Writing
“Whisper of the Wild” Summary and Analysis
By: Erik Buckingham
In “Whisper of the Wild,” Kim Tingley explores Denali National Park, searching for an area containing non-human made sound. This human-less sound that she searches for is an integral part of a popular new study called soundscape ecology. She states the sounds that we can find in nature without human interference include the “tiny gurgle of an ice cave” and “an escalating rumble of an avalanche.”
Sound catcher David Betchkal states in “Whisper of the Wilderness” that we have to learn how to produce sounds of nature ourselves before we appreciate them, such as the “krrrp krrrrp” sound of wood frogs. This reminded me of when I played the saxophone. My teacher would make us produce the sounds that the instrument made before we actually blew into the instrument. I think that this experience would intertwine with Betchkal’s in a writing piece in that we both are trying to produce sounds that traditionally come from non-humans/objects.
I find it interesting how we associate sound with nature. I like the connection between the saxophone and the recognizable noise that it makes. Nice post.