Earth Abides

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Summary: Earth Abids
Review: Earth Abides

Earth Abides, a novel by George Stewart taps into people's fascination of being the last one on earth. In this book the main character Isherwood Williams (Ish) survives a
rattlesnake bite in the mountains and returns to find almost every single person dead from a cataclysmic plague. Ish survives the plague and explores. While exploring he finds other survivors and they try re-founding American civilization. They live above San Francisco Bay in the Berkeley hills.

Although this novel is well written and very real, I did not like it. The author put a lot of thought into it but it just didn't interest me. This book wasn't all boring, it had
some good things about it. One of which is how it was frightening because this could really happen to mankind if we don't watch out, but there was more dull things than scary
things in this book. I also thought that it was weird that Ish and the rest of the community were so interested in caring on civilization instead of thinking about their own survival.
The only reason that I finished this book is that it is based in the bay area and that is where I live so I can relate to the scenery that the author describes. If you didn't live in the bay
area then this would be one more thing that wouldn't interest you.

I would not recommend this novel. It is interesting at the beginning but then gets boring. It is too long and the author seems to drag on subjects to the point where I don't

care anymore. If you were going to read this book I would say it is best suited to high school or college students. If a young person read it I don't think that they would understand it.

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Summary: Earth Abides Evaluative Essay
Review: Chris Fitzgerald
English 10
Mrs. Cruces
5-20-02
Earth Abides Evaluative Essay
The novel Earth Abides, written by George Stewart, took place in San Francisco,
California. This science fiction novel focuses on a plague that has spread across the North
American continent and is threatening the human species. The novel contains the life that
an individual survivor, Isherwood Philips (Ish), lives. A majority of the population has
seized to exist. Ish is an important part of the Plague because he is a biologist. Ish goes
through his life in this novel by bringing other characters into his life. Ish is one of the
survivors that has the intelligence to form a tribe and become the leader of this tribe. Ish
has a compassionate soul and struggles to help other survivors find their way.
Earth Abides is a very interesting novel. This novel is easily enjoyable because of
its connection that it gives of the key characters who are intertwined in a drama that is
dealing with a cataclysmic event of a Plague. This makes the novel a good read. This
kind of event is very possible considering the times that we live in now. This novel does
not only relate with people coming together to struggle for survival. It also deals with an
event that could very well take place.
This novel is great for anyone over the age of about 12 years old, because of the
way that this novel is set up to involve thinking and real life experience to understand the
true meaning of the novel. Anybody who is looking for a good science fiction novel will
like the great novel Earth Abides.

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Summary: Boring, Depressing, Uneventfull
Review: This book Earth Abides by George R. Stewart is about a man who passes by a massive disease which basically obliterates the US. This man, Ish, has to come to realization of this huge crisis and try to find survivors. It goes on and on about his thoughts and shows the struggles that he faces it the horrid situation. He goes around america finding survivors and ends up making a huge family in the end.
This book was basically boring and depressing because it was just lagging on and on about how he thought of everything. It made you want to fall fast asleep at times too. (something that i obviously did) I am one of those kind of people who likes adventure and this book had none. It just was one of those books that wanted to show how horrible things could happen to us if we don't watch it. It sort of chilling and makes you depressed to think that it could happen. George R. Stewart was probably giving a good message out when he wrote this, but in the sense that people want to live there lives without this catastrophe, it is not very good.
I would not recommend this book to kids under the age of 12 because it probably is too advanced for them. Also because kids do not have to worry about this sort of horror happening to them at that young of an age. People who need to sleep at night and want to fall asleep fast, please read. If you like adventure and mystery in a book, please go find a different book.

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Summary: Boring
Review: The book earth abides was about a man who passes up a massive disease that spreads throughout america and basically obliterates it. It has this man, Ish, come to realization of this huge crisis and shows his struggles to find civilization. As he searches through america he finds out that many other people have survived the catastrophe and he starts to make a family. As the book goes on it shows the will of human survival and the horror of this situation.
I thought that the book was a little too slow. I am sort of a adventure book reader and this book had slim to none. It just went on about Ish's thoughts for like 2 chapters at a time. It made you want to just fall asleep everytime u read it. It was dull most of the times, but it does make you think how bad it would be if that sort of thing happened to the country.
I would say that this book would not be very appealing to young kids because it is too advanced for them. I would recommend this to people who need to fall asleep at night definately. Also if you like to hear about the deep thoughts of a person who has no one to talk to for weeks, read this book. If you are an adventure or mystery reader who likes action, do not get this book.

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Summary: Cj Sparkle
Review: The plot in Earth Abides is very simple. It is basically the ongoing struggle one would face in creating a perfect society. The setting is in San Francisco, California after a great disease has struck and wiped out 99% of the human population. The main character is a survivor named Ish. He survived the disease an interesting way, and then sets out to build a new society. Through his trials and errors you find out the complexity to people and modern society. You understand the restraints that society has on a person, even if it is not present. For example alcohol is a big part in the novel. Without anyone to stop them, people begin to drink themselves to death.
Earth Abides' plot is thin, and dragged to eternity and back. The author spends the majority of the second half of the book reasoning about worthless issues. They were worthless because they do not apply to the main theme of survival. This makes you very confused, as the book is already hard to follow. He also spends a good deal of pages with Ish's inner thoughts, which are basically a bunch of complex nonsense. It is very hard to put your self in his place, and understand his thoughts. He becomes so paranoid with every decision he makes, that he becomes overly analytical.
This book could possibly be amusing to very patient adults. It has close to zero action, and does not keep you turning pages. In reality it is the exact opposite, it puts you to sleep. Anyone who likes a book that keeps you interested, Earth Abides is not for you. The only person I would recommend this book to, would be an insomniac who needs to find a way to get to sleep.

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Summary: Earth Abides
Review: Earth Abides, a novel by George R. Stewart, is an excellent novel that depicts a possible scenario for a post-apocalyptic world. It provides people with a fantasy realm with questions of what could happen and what will happen all through the eyes of the novel's main character, Ish. He joins up with a couple of survivors in what he sees fit for the new world and they create a society that tries to cope with it. George Stewart further enriches the story with character chemistry and strong elements of theme.
Themes of survival and love are strongly present throughout the novel. Ish's strong will to contain the community he had once known pushes him to survive so he can teach the next generation of what good can become of it. His relation to Em also draws out the love and caring in Ish.
George Stewart uses chemical equations between characters to draw an exact importance of each person in their society. He chooses a man named George who is a carpenter to build and repair homes. He has a friend named Ezra, who acts as an advisor to Ish. They all piece together to form Ish's envision of a good society.
The topic that concerns Ish the most is the community he had once known. Ish, who is trying to inflict positive change in society, is cursed with the inability to change himself.
Throughout the book, he learns to trust his society and the future, which is dependent on him to lead them. He learns of the differences between the two generations and tries to blend in. He goes through many experiments, which has led in to some disaster and many good.
Earth Abides is a great novel about the fantasy and high possibility of a post apocalyptic world. The characters and themes in the novel are beautifully inscribed drawing an essence of drama and suspense into an already stone set feeling of both feelings. Reprising themes of love, survival and many other themes are present to enrich the story. Earth Abides, a novel by George R. Stewart, is a novel I'd recommend to anyone who is interested in character chemistry and the post-apocalyptic ideology of George R. Stewart.

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Summary: Societies Rise and Decline but the Earth Abides
Review: Societies Rise and Decline but the Earth Abides In the classic apocalyptic novel Earth Abides George R. Stewart creates a nightmare on earth that could occur tomorrow when a massive unknown epidemic obliterates almost all of society. A young man named Ish is forced to search for companions on this barren, naked earth void of human life. He searches for sensible people to aid him in his quest for survival and mental sanity. Em is the person who keeps Ish sane and through her love and courage helps him to face the future. Together they find a group of companions, and together they establish a tribe in the Berkeley Hills in the Bay Area. George Stewart1s powerful and realistic writing captivates the reader and makes one imagine how each of us would react in Ish1s situation. Even though his novel gets rather slow in the middle with few dramatic events adding to the plot, Stewart demonstrates the harsh situations and triumphs of life this small nucleus of mankind must face without modern society. Stewart1s writing fascinates the reader by exploring the actions of the offspring of the original seven tribe members and shows how people develops without modern society and all its conveniences. Stewart shows how all-human societies have come about, by tracing the development of this small tribe that survives a cataclysmic disaster. In the novel Stewart puts Ish and the tribe through many difficult trials as they struggle to survive. He is able to create an almost unimaginable situation and turn it into a reality. Each character is developed so well that the reader is able to experience the events. Ish1s leadership is strengthened by Em1s courage and Ezra1s loyal friendship. Because the reader can relate to these believable characters in this unbelievable situation, it is easier for the author to relate his point. Stewart fascinates the reader by showing how man develops with all his customs and superstitions and without a modern society. While reading about the tribe1s triumphs and failures we are able to step back from the modern world and see how civilization perhaps developed. The author examines the growth and characteristics of individual characters. What each of them bring to enable this tribe to survive, show how a society begins and flourishes. Em brings her courage, Ish brings his knowledge and his leadership, George is the carpenter and so on. Each member of the tribe contributed to the betterment of the whole society. Then at that point we are able to see the growth of society again, as if it was cut out from man1s actual past history, when ancient tribes started to develop. . At first the challenges are just simple, to fulfil the basic necessities of survival like shelter, water and food. Once these needs have been fulfilled, the tribe progresses to larger concerns such as education of the younger generations, keeping records and calendars, rules and exploration. Eventually the tribe integrates with outside members sometimes successfully, sometimes not. For instance when Charley comes back with the Robert and Richard he brings disease and chaos to the tribe. The tribe had the difficult decision of banishing him or killing him to protect their way of life. Many of them, including Joey who was the hope for the future as a leader because of his intelligence, die because of this outside influence. Later however the tribe successfully mingles with another tribe, which helps their society grow because there are more possibilities for men and women to find mates in a larger society.All through the novel Stewart accurately demonstrates the development of a simplistic society with all its triumphs and failures, to symbolize the history of human development. He is able to show that future societies would develop as past societies have as long as basic human needs are met. When people have food, shelter and more importantly significant human relationships then a society can begin. The society that Stewart creates starts with two people who found each other in the midst of chaos. They unite with others with whom they are compatible and from this small group a multi generation society formed. In his lifetime Ish saw a society develop. He saw his children and grand children and great grand children living happily. Through Ish1s eyes, the author masterfully shows all of us how societies rise and decline but how through it all the earth itself abides. Stewart in this famous apocalyptic novel captures the reader and artfully demonstrates the nature of human societies.

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Summary: Biblical Symbolism in "Earth Abides"
Review: The characters in George R. Stewart's Earth Abides symbolize many biblical people.

Isherwood, the main character, is referred to as Ish throughout the novel. "Ish," however, can also be a shortened form of the name Ishmael. Ishmael was a biblical wanderer who allegedly founded the Islamic religion. In the first half of the book, Ish is a wanderer, venturing all over post-apocalyptic America, eventually settling down and founding a tribe.

One of Ish and Em's children, Joseph (who is referred to as Joey), is representative of the biblical Joseph. He is very gifted intellectually, and has the ability to see the deeper meaning in any situation, much like the biblical Joseph's ability to interpret drams; unlike the biblical Joseph, however, his talent is squelched, when he is stricken with typhoid fever, and dies as a result.

The mentally-handicapped Evie has a name similar to the Eve, and is naïve, much like her biblical predecessor. Eve is targeted by the evil serpent, and is expelled from the Garden of Eden when she partakes of fruit from a forbidden tree. Similarly, Evie is targeted by Charlie, a greasy character who lusts after her and plans to take advantage of her innocence. Before actually seducing Evie, however, he is executed by the others in Ish's Tribe, for Evie's well-being. Likewise, the serpent from the Bible receives his comeuppance in the form of expulsion from Eden and being made to walk on his belly for the rest of eternity.

Ish's wife, "Emma," is referred to as Em throughout the novel. This also ties in biblically, for "Em" can be short for "Emet," a name meaning "Truth." Emma is characterized throughout the novel as a strong-willed individual who helps hold the Tribe together. After Joey's death from typhoid fever, Ish asks Em if there might be a God taking vengence for Charlie's execution. Em responds, "If there is a God who made us and we did something wrong before his eyes... at least we did wrong only because we were as god made us, and I do not think that He should set traps." (258) She speaks her mind, and she speaks the truth.

Ezra was a biblical prophet who chronicled the return of the Jews to Jerusalem after their expulsion by the Babylonians sixty years prior. Likewise, in the novel, Ezra speaks with great foresight-much like a prophet-and lives to observe the Tribe's rebuilding of civilization.

These and other biblical parallels make Earth Abides one of the most symbolic modern-day books.

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Summary: Falls Way Short of Expectations
Review: Glowing reviews, word of mouth praise and the subject matter all left me eager to read Earth Abides. Unfortunately this book fell far short of my expectations. The premise of a global plague is truly fascinating (and frightening), especially in light of recent world events, but the story drags on in such a depressing and mundane fashion that reading the book became a chore rather than an adventure. The lead character's over inflated opinion of himself is so prevalent through out the book that it prevents any character development on the part of any other survivors. Over 300 pages and you barely get to know any of them. That would not have mattered so much if the author had done a better job of portraying the aftermath of the plague. Too little attention was paid to what would happen to the local environment. Impacts are generally glossed over in short, simplistic passages. Survival was no more difficult than raiding the local grocery store and opening a can of beans, even after 20 years. I never felt the horror and struggle for survival that one would expect with such a global catstrophe. The technology in the book is certainly dated but I didn't find that a distraction. This is not an enjoyable read. Better classics on man wiping himself out include "On the Beach" and "Alas, Babylon". For a more up to date adventure try "Ill Wind" by Anderson & Beason.

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Summary: Quick Review
Review: Dated but thought provoking aptly describes this novel. Set in post-nuclear holocaust America. excellent.