Rachel Carson And Traditional American Values

Rachel Carson was one of the most influential American writers on the environment. Her books greatly enhanced public awareness of the effects of pesticides and the importance of environmental protection. Although she left the world in 1964, Carson’s influence continued to grow and her works and life story have gained wide recognition throughout the world. She was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by the American government in 1980, and in 2000, the Times magazine chose Carson as “one of the most significant role models of 20 th century”. This thesis examines the success of Carson’s life and work from the perspective of traditional American values and modern feminist ideals. It is argued that Carson is indeed a traditional role model because Carson’s belief in self-reliance, hard work, and responsibility represented traditional American values. In many ways Caron’s life proves the importance of such values as embodied in the work of Benjamin Franklin.