AP Environmental Science

Book Report #1
Ishmael
By: Daniel Quinn

Emily Harrington
144483
Mr. Garrison
Period 4

Part 1: Summary
A) The main point of the book is that nobody is quite sure where the world came from or
how it was created. There are many religious stories and scientific theories that have been
created and spread throughout the world, but the problem is that everybody just believes
the stories they are told without wondering about the facts or questioning where the
information came from. Ishmaels idea of humanity is separated into two different
categories: The Takers and the Leavers. This is another main point of the book. He
describes the Takers as the people who believe that the human race is dominant and
describes the Leavers as the people who live by the rules of the Earth without trying to
dominate it and make it suitable to them.
B) The main character of the book is a gorilla named Ishmael. He is a smart gorilla who
learned to communicate telepathically and has many ideas as to where the world came
from, why it is the way it is, and why people are dominating it.
C) I noticed many of the ideas the narrator had (especially in the beginning) were often
compared to Adolf Hitler and his Nazis. For example, Ishmael says that if there was a
German who didnt agree with Hitlers acts, he could leave Germany and be able to
escape it, but now, if you are unhappy with society, leaving for another country wouldnt
save you, the world is the same all around, filled with the same two types of people: The
Takers and Leavers.
D) The book opens with a man (the narrator) reading an ad in a newspaper that is frustrating
for him. The ad is written by a teacher in search for a student looking to save the world.
The narrator goes on to explain that he has spent many years in search for a teacher and is
frustrated because he found one, but is sure that the ad is fake. Although he has himself
convinced that the ad is phony, he goes to the address listed and finds himself in an
empty room. After what seems to be a few minutes, he finds himself staring into the eyes
of a gorilla and is at first very startled. The gorilla gives him time to process what is
going on and he tells the narrator his story: where he came from, where hes been, and
how he ended up in that very room. Ishmael then categorizes the humans into two
different categories: Takers and Leavers. He speaks about how Takers are going to lead
the world to its doom by depleting the environment and all of our natural resources. At
one point, the narrator is caught up in his own personal life and doesnt see Ishmael for a
few days. When he returns, he cannot find Ishmael anywhere, but eventually tracks him
down at a carnival. The narrator visits Ishmael at night so they are able to finish their
discussions and he tries to buy Ishmael from the carnival owner, but by the time he has
enough money, Ishmael dies from pneumonia. The narrator is the fifth student that
Ishmael takes on and is the only student that is able to maintain his desire to make the
world a better place. Ishmael wants the narrator to share what he has been taught to the
outside world, but the narrator is unsure that he will be able to carry out Ishmaels wishes.

Part 2: Discussion
A) I had many feelings about this book. In certain spots, ot really got me thinking and I
couldnt seem to put it down, but in some spots it frustrated me and made me upset
because of the talk of religious myths and stories. This made me upset because I am
really strong in my faith and when my beliefs are questioned, I tend to feel
uncomfortable and uptight. Besides that, I really enjoyed reading Ishmael. It gave me
a new insight on the effect humans are having on our environment and a desire to
change the world like the narrator.
B) The fact that people will believe everything and everything they are told without even
asking for the evidence or looking into it at all was the most disturbing thing brought
up. Nobody really cares about the negative effect we are having on the Earth.
C) I think the most important idea was the separation of Takers and Leavers. This really
got me thinking. What separates these two cultures? Is it religious beliefs? Is it their
lifestyle? Im not sure what it is, but I think it was a great idea to separate them.
D) The discussions between Ishmael and the narrator remind me of our lectures in Mr.
Garrisons class. Mr. Garrison often explains his feelings or theories on a particular
subject, but is always sure to include many other theories as well. The way Ishmael
teaches the narrator is similar to the way Mr. Garrison goes about teaching his
students.

Part 3: Investigation
A) Daniel Quinn was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1935. He abandoned his publishing
career in 1975 to become a freelance writer. Many people give Quinn the title of
environmentalist, but he prefers the title of Cultural critic.
B)
C)

Part 4: Travel Tracer

A)
B)

Part 5: Science Connections

A) The science in this book involves the section of humans labeled Takers. Ishmael
describes them as the cause of our Earths downfall because they are depleting it and
wasting our natural resources which will lead to the destruction of the planet.
B) I see a lot of environmental issues on a daily basis. The use of cars and gas, over-using
water and other natural resources, many of these things used by the majority of the world
on a daily basis are causing the Earth to deplete and we dont realize we are the ones
destroying it.
C) This reminds me of what the world is facing right now. Nobody is aware of their
footprint and nobody is aware that they are causing such destruction to the environment.
Taking showers too long, driving, factories, tearing down animals natural habitat, and so
many other things. This book will bring it all to light.
D) This book has many similarities to our own APES text book. I read a lot about the
depleting and destruction of the Earth being caused by humans unaware of the impact of
their actions and I recall reading that very same thing several times throughout the
textbook.

Part 6: Illuminating the Literature

A) 1. Belief is not required. Once you know the story, youll hear it everywhere in your
culture
2. Ishmael scratched the side of his jaw thoughtfully. From my side of the glass, I
heard nothing of this; in imagination it sounded like a shovel being dragged across
gravel
3. Mans appearance caused no more stir than a jellyfish.
B) 1. This quote stood out because it goes along with what I have been describing. That
humans will believe everything they hear without even knowing the facts behind it.
2. This quote was funny to me because throughout the book I would often forget
Ishmael was a gorilla and suddenly something like this is said and it gets confusing to
you, but then you realize it makes perfect sense because he is a gorilla.
3. This goes to back up the fact that humans, although very strong and smart, were not
always the dominators of the Earth. They were not celebrated and their entrance was not
a big deal, but they all seem to think so.

Part 7: Vocabulary Enrichment

A) 1. Callow
2. Myth
3. Incentive
4. Utopian
5. Valedictory
B) 1. I picked Callow because it was unfamiliar and I wasnt sure what it meant.
2. I picked myth because it was repeated several times
3. I chose incentive because it was used in an interesting way.
4. I used utopian because it stood out in the text.
5. I used valedictory because I wasnt quite sure what it meant in context.
C) 1. Callow- immature or inexperienced
2. Myth- a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or
event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation, especially one that is
concerned with deities or demigods and explains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature.
3. Incentive- something that incites or tends to incite to action or greater effort, as a
reward offered for increased productivity
4. Utopian- founded upon or involving idealized perfection
5. Valedictory- bidding good-bye; saying farewell
(All definitions found at http://dictionary.reference.com)