Suggested Reading

While doing research for my final project on Seneca Ray Stoddard, I came across a few very interesting pages in the beginning of Jeffrey Horrell's book Seneca Ray Stoddard: Transforming the Adirondack Wilderness in Text and Image regarding the evolution of the concept of wilderness. From page 11 to 16, Horrell talks about the change in the concept of wilderness specifically in the context of its use in religious texts. He mentions how, in classical mythology, wilderness implies the supernatural in an uncivilized, passionate state. Horrell then talks about how Christianity gives contradictory ideas of wilderness, referring to it as cursed and scary in the Adam and Eve story, but as a "refuge from corrupt society" when utilized by Christian monks and hermits. I won't rewrite the whole passage, but he continues to provide differing concepts of wilderness over time. We have discussed the definition of wilderness numerous times throughout the semester, and so it was interesting to see how different groups of people use the term and define it. It was definitely a different perspective on the concept that I have not come into contact with much so far this semester. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find this book online, but there is another copy in the library aside from the one that I currently have! Check it out!