Earth Without People

3 October 2012

Throughout Earth Without People, Weisman uses many forms of imagery to catch the reader’s attention. Effectively, his use of imagery has grabbed the attention of many readers, as it did mine, to pursue his readers in believing what the earth would be like without humans. He also informs the reader of scientific changes that have caused the earth to be what it is today, and what would happen if humans were to disappear today.  By using imagery, he helps specific examples from our five senses to give a mental picture of how life would truly be like without people living on it with.

            Alan Weisman explained that any area that has once been inhabited would change completely within a decade or two. For example, the popular city of New York would have a “split cement within a decade, allowing water to seep in. As it, too, froze and expanded, cracks would widen. Soon, weeds such as mustard and goosegrass would invade” changing the previous appearance of the city. Alan was able to give the readers a detailed example of how life would change when uninhabited. He explains that even todays cities that are not very flammable would soon be covered by leaves from the fall and with “A dry lightening strike, … knee-high Central Park grass, would spread flames through the town,” destroying everything that was once there. 

            Having humans has made America lose “three times as many species of animals over 1,000 pounds as Africa does today” because of the lifestyle and impact made by humans on the earth. Alan Weisman uses imagery to convey to the readers an easy way to see his point of view, and with that being able to persuade them into his beliefs. By asking readers to put his words into a picture, he successfully persuades readers to believe that “if people were no longer present anywhere on Earth, a world-wide shakeout would follow.”