Jimmy Carter's 'Arctic National Wildlife Refuge'

Jimmy Carter writes, “tearing open the heart of our greatest refuge,” to describe what industrialization will do to the Arctic National Wildlife refuge. The general argument in Carter’s forward is that this Arctic refuge should not be developed for industry. First, he uses facts and evidence to build his claim. Then he uses word choice and imagery to support his argument. His purpose is to persuade his audience that development will have negative consequences for the Arctic refuge, in order to protect this unique awe inspiring wildlife refuge. He has established an astonished yet concerned tone for the readers. Carter uses facts and evidence, including personal testimony to support his argument. In paragraph six he mentions the Gwich’in …show more content…
The wording in paragraph one is used to grab the reader’s attention, encouraging them to realize the uniqueness and beauty that the Arctic Refuge holds. Phrases like “where the polar bears and caribou give birth,” and “wolves howl in the midnight sun,” give a sense of life and a flourishing environment. This helps the audience picture the arctic region as something more relatable than just snow. In paragraph three Carter relates the Arctic wildlife refuge to the Serengeti. This comparison tells the reader this Refuge should be seen as something to feel proud of, something Americans should cherish and protect like Africa did for the Serengeti. This image of a national park as famous as the Serengeti in the U.S. helps convince the readers of the significance this region has as a refuge rather than an oil field. Furthermore, Carter compares development to “tearing open the heart of our greatest refuge.” This metaphor is used to create an image relating the arctic to a person and alluding to death. This image shows the readers how gruesome and disturbing industry would be in this region supporting Carters stance of no development. Therefore, Carter uses imagery to show his reader not only the immense beauty of the park, but also the tragedy that will follow