Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness is an autobiographical story written by the naturalist Edward Abbey. Abbey composed the story based on his personal experiences as a United States Park Service employee at Arches National Monument in Utah. Abbey's anecdotal account is non-linearly composed of professional experiences and interpretations of the region's folklore. These illustrations are analogous because they present themes and trends related to the author's experiences and beliefs. One of the predominant themes present in Desert Solitaire is the conflict between civilization and wilderness. Abbey introduces this motif early in her memoir on a personal level. On his first day of employment in the United States, Park Service Abbey described the first pairs of arches he encountered. The sight of enormous fifty-foot boulders impressed him, and he made a conceptual comparison to the man-made monuments on Easter Island. This comparison troubles Abbey because civilization has tainted his ability to objectively view nature outside of “humanly ascribed qualities” (Abbey, 1968, p. 6). Abbey's struggle to eliminate these anthropocentric premonitions continues when he encounters a pair of mating gopher snakes. Abbey wishes to observe more closely but is reluctant because he has been “bitten by a fear too old and too powerful to be overcome (Abbey, 1968, p. 21). » This anthropocentric theme continues throughout his narrative but is personified on a societal level. This question is introduced for the first time in the chapter “Controversy: industrial tourism and national parks”. In this chapter, Abbey highlights the expansionary nature of the industrial economy and how it affects national parks. Abbey criticizes arguments for uni...... middle of paper ......sk was lured to Utah to seek to make his fortune mining uranium. Husk brought his family with him and liquidated his assets. Husk was first approached by a local pilot, Charles "Chuck" Graham, to purchase a forty percent share of the Hot Rock Mountain Development Company (Abbey, 1968, p. 80). Husk was excited to initiate the partnership and brought in his partner Billy Joe to assist him during the operation. Husk and Billy Joe worked for months, while Graham lusted after Husk's wife and his share of the business. The tale ended tragically with the deaths of Graham, Husk, and Billy Joe due to greed. These social changes not only negatively affected the landscape, but also the morality of the region's residents. Throughout Abbey's account of his time at Arches National Monument, he illustrates the beauty and importance of preserving the American Southwest..