When you think of modern transcendentalists, Rachel Carson
probably is not the first person that comes to mind. But when you look at her closely, she exemplifies the traits
of a transcendentalist in the work that she did over her lifetime.
Rachel
Carson’s work shows her appreciation for nature. She was a marine biologist and conservationist who wrote the
book Silent Spring, which discussed the problems of the chemical DDT and
its effects on the environment. The
chemical companies fiercely opposed it in the 1950’s, but it led to the
eventual ban of DDT because of its harmful effect as it spread up the food
chain.
Carson
also fit into the transcendentalist mold by being a non-conformist. She stood up for what her research
said, especially to the chemical companies that constantly ridiculed her for
her ideas to ban DDT. She also
showed that she was not a conformist in her personal life. She was the main breadwinner for her
family, supporting her sisters, mother, and cousin. This was very unusual for a woman to be the head of the
household in the 1950’s.
Rachel
Carson’s intuition was vital to the field of science, especially to conservation
research. Carson conducted research that was critical to the field of
conservation and the harmful effects of pesticides on the environment. Her findings, along with her book, led
to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). After her death, she was awarded the
Presidential Medal of Freedom by Jimmy Carter, the highest civilian award in
the United States.
