Amanda Jimnez

Progression 1 Cover Letter:

September 29

Initially I chose to write about Pollans An Animals Place because I have a personal interest in animal treatment; as I read Pollans essay I found myself understanding why he had such an affinity for the Polyface Farm. The Polyface Farm seems like the ideal location for any animal who must be put through the American food industry; however, the more and more I read Pollans argument I found that it wasnt well supported and how he approaches his counter arguments is not adequate at all. Initially I started my essay commenting on how his tone and language are used to persuade the reader; however, I ended up arguing that Pollans argument is weak and not well supported at many points throughout his essay. My essay inadvertently took the direction of displaying how Pollans argument is weak, poorly supported; ultimately, he does not provide a revolutionary idea to change the problem with factory farming. He gives a classic statement of making the factory farming industry transparent and available for all to view. Some challenges I found myself encountering was that at times I would all my personal opinion to take precedence over whether or not I have proof to support an argument I stated. I believe that my strongest aspect was sticking with the intellectual problem and I never found myself disagreeing with my claim at any point. Once I usually take a position, I never usually change my stance. What I plan to work on in my next progression is to create a better transition and flow to my ideas. In addition, at times I start an idea but never really complete and fully analyze the idea to its greatest extent. Possibly what I could do for the next progression is to choose a smaller piece of text and only draw from that for analysis and see how deeply I can draw meaning from a passage.

Amanda Jimenez Progression One Pollans An Animals Place addresses the question of whether it is right or not to eat animals; in the process he proposes his own idea that animal consumption is necessary, but the manner of which we go about it is unnecessary. Pollan also questions whether humans are required to treat animals with the same regard humans treat each other. At first sight, Pollans argument seems factual and researched; however, the main aspect of the essay that persuades the reader is his tone and use of language. Pollan is able to use his language to cover up negative and weak parts of his argument and accentuate positive and supportive sections of his essay. The Polyface Farm is a family owned farm in Virginias Shenandoah Valley; they are self-described as pasture-based and beyond organic (Polyface Inc.). Joel, the owner of the Polyface Farm, also states that his farm [mimics] natural patterns on a commercial domestic scale [to] insure moral and ethical boundaries to human deverness (Ibid). In order to emphasize the idealized view of the Polyface Farm, Pollan prefaces his argument with the practices that occur at a common factory farm; however, learning about the horrible practices sticks with the reader and makes one question how Pollan will later address the issue. Pollan vividly displays to the reader how certain animals, such as chickens, lose their natural instinct and in turn begin cannibalizing her cagemates (Pollan 63). Pollan gives an example of the Polyface Farm, where the animals are able to express their own creaturely character (64). Once the chickens have reached their part of the cycle, they are released onto the field, free to spread out and fan out over the pasture (64). Throughout the description of what seems to be the most ideal and amazing living situation for the animals, which are later to be eaten, the

Amanda Jimenez author attempts to sway the reader toward his point of view. Pollan introduces that vegetarianism is not the only choice and that living as an omnivore is an acceptable practice. Pollan seems to return to the treatment of the pigs throughout his essay, in this case he presents their explicitly apparent happiness: the pigs, get to spend a few happy weeks rooting through the pile (64). However, as neatly and appealingly that the author presents the situation for the animals on the Polyface Farm, this is not the case for all animals that are ultimately packaged and shipped to various locations for consumption. Many factory animals, chickens for example, are born and raised in an unhealthy manner. Factory farming prevents chickens from [expressing their] physiological distinctiveness because they are cooped in confined quarters and many do not have the ability to walk more than a few steps because their breasts grew exponentially faster than their bones (64). Pollan fails directly addressing the fact that factory farms are in much greater abundance than farms that take the same approach as the Polyface Farm. If all farms took the humane approach, then the issue of animal mistreatment would become more of a non-issue; however, factory farms are in such greater abundance than Pollans idealized farm that it is impossible to ignore their practices. Initially, it appears that Pollan is simply trying to highlight the Polyface Farm as an alternative and its benefits over factory farming; however, as he progresses he begins relying on his use of language rather than facts on the reason the Polyface Farm is a preferable choice. Pollans mastery of language grabs the attention of the reader while playing with their emotions. When talking about the characteristics of the animals he presents even what some may consider to be the dirtiest animals in the most presentable and endearing way. Pollan describes the pigs enjoying their time as pigs who are able to fully express

Amanda Jimenez [their] physiological distinctiveness (64). Toward the beginning of the article, Pollan presents the reader with some information about the negative conditions of their hog operations. The pigs in the confinement operations have the majority of their tail cut off so that other pigs are unable to gnaw the remnants of the tail because it is unbearably painful. Later Pollan emphasizes a couple of characteristics of the pigs. All you can see of the pigs [] are their upturned pink hams and corkscrew tails churning in the air (64). By emphasizing the nature of the pigs tails, their corkscrew tails, Pollan is able to humanize the pigs by drawing the emotions of the reader to the difference in animal treatment. In addressing the moral issue of animal treatment, are we has humans required to treat animals with better regard because we are conscious of our actions? There are many ways to approach the animal treatment situation: either treat the animals how other animals treat them, treat the animals how humans treat each other, or create a new subset of rules for the treatment of these animals. As Pollan eloquently states, a human morality based on individual rights makes for an awkward fit when applied to the natural world (100). Pollan prefers the Polyface Farm because he believes that if animals much be farmed, this is the most ethical and moral manner at which it can occur. However, in this context of this quote, natural is not considered as animals living amongst themselves in their natural habitat, rather natural is considered as how the animals are treated once they are removed from the wild. The treatment of the animals in the slaughterhouse is the furthest reality away from natural. The animals live in situations similar to teddy bears stuffed in a childs, who is well grown up, toy chest; minimal sunlight, packed to the point of overflow, little to no attention to all of the toys, and improper treatment to the

Amanda Jimenez point of disposal of multiple toys. Pollan effectively displays to the reader the unnatural conditions the animals undergo at the slaughterhouse and the insignificance of their deaths of a small percentage as the slaughterhouse still returns great profits. Animals cannot walk, frequently turn to cannibalism, and are often depressed and demoralized. The reader becomes sympathetic to the animals and although the ultimate fate of the animals is the same, the reader prefers for the animals to live a natural and full life cycle, just as one would think it would receive in nature. Most animals of different species do not treat each other with consideration or respect. In the wild, predators do not give their prey a merciful death; survival of the fittest is what determines if an animal dies or gets to live another day. Pollans research and interviews from farmers provided him with information about an animals treatment in the wild. Animals dont get good deaths surrounded by their loved ones (64). Pollan presents the reader with an example of a bad death, such as a bear [eating] a lactating ewe alive, starting with her udders (64). The tone and the imagery associated with this paragraph makes the death of animals on farms seem relatively painless and instantaneous. It is difficult to state and categorize a good and bad death for animals. In my opinion, a bad death is one that is known from the beginning and drawn out; similar to the death of animals on factory farms. Rather a good death, which is one that is instantaneous, unexpected, and hopefully painless. The death of an animal in the wild is similar to the death of animals on the Polyface farm as they lead normal unsuspecting lives and their lives are swiftly taken away. However, the deaths of animals on factory farms are long and expected, Pollan gives an example of the animals in the hog

Amanda Jimenez operations who are depressed and defeated throughout their lives, and he presents their deaths as a solution and termination to their sadness. Humans and animals have coevolved so that both species are benefitted in the relationship, which is why this relationship is maintained. Humans have indirectly taken the role of the preys natural predator. If a predator does not exist, a certain species will grow to the point of over population; if a certain species overpopulates an area, there are negative effects toward the environment. In cases when humans are unable to act as natural predators, environmental damage is done, such as the case on Wrightson Island. The goats were accidentally introduced into the environment without a natural predator, and as a result the sea sparrows on the island became endangered and the Arcania trees have not been able to grow to maturity for the past 300 years. That is why it is essential for human hunters [to] have taken over the predators ecological role (64). Initially, Pollan presents the example of the goats ruining the habitat for the Sea Sparrows and the Acadian Trees as a good reason for humans acting as predators; however, later I discovered that the example that Pollan used is completely fake and hypothetical. The discovery of this information causes me to doubt and discredit Pollan even further as he uses false and facetious information as an attempt to strengthen his argument. For readers who are unaware that Pollans example is ill-used, his argument promotes human predation on animals, strengthens his argument, and again draws attention to his tone. His argument is well placed as it draws similarities between the Polyface Farm and Wrightson Island. Wrightson Island is the perfect example of why human predation is necessary, ecosystems have evolved to human predation, and if there were to be a sudden lack of it, the ecosystems would fall apart. Pollan even finds more facts to support his

Amanda Jimenez claim, he states that if the entire world adopted a vegetarian diet, the number of animals killed each year would increase. Pollan attempts to misinform the reader as his example from Wrightson Island appears as a very credible and relatable situation. Pollan frequently tries to gain readers as his supporters; however, he goes about it in a deceiving way. Although I am not a vegetarian and usually turn a blind eye to the manner at which the food was brought to the plate in front of me, I am still deeply affected by the practice of raising these farm animals for consumption. Another issue that affected me is that Pollan draws great attention to the method that the Polyface Farm takes; however, this is not the case for the majority of farms and Pollans article read in ignorance of the reality of factory farming can create misconceptions and create thoughts that all farms take this similar approach. Pollan does not account to how great in abundance factory farms are and he immediately attempts abandon the issue of factory farms to focus on the Polyface Farm. In general, I approve of the manner that the Polyface Farm takes, but I believe that Pollan doesnt bring to light and address factory farms with enough attention. Pollan also does not address any new way of resolving the issue, or how the reader should take it into his or her own hands to change the problem. The solutions that he presents in very blas and one that does not shift the paradigm. In order to create an effective solution that will permanently change the way at which Americans view factory farming, is to create an entirely new model of what farming should be and then shift every method to accommodate this view. The end of Pollans essay suggests that Americans are not aware of factory farming and the solution is to completely publicize the industry and leave the issue up to

Amanda Jimenez all Americans. Pollans words about the issue with factory farming speaks volumes; however, when the moment comes to call for action, his words lose their momentum and he allows issues, which he previously ignores, to take precedence. The way that Pollan structures his essay in addition to the vibrant language he uses, is completely forgotten once he wraps up the essay. The cost factor become apparent and what also becomes apparent is how Pollan is all talk and no action. The action that he calls is not progressive nor creates any resolution but one that is commonly suggested. The problem arises when considering the purpose of Pollans essay; it initially started out as presenting an alternative to factory farms, however its ultimate goal appears as a publicity piece for the Polyface Farms. The pigs are able to live in their happiest state rummaging through the slop piles.

Amanda Jimenez Works Cited Pollan, Michael. "An Animal's Place." The New York Times. The New York Times, 10 Nov. 2002. "Polyface, Inc." Polyface Inc. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2013.