39 pages • 1 hour read
Ecotopia
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Symbols & Motifs
Trees/Wood
In Ecotopia, one of the most prominent symbols is wood, and the trees wood comes from. In the article, “In Ecotopia’s Big Woods,” Weston writes, “Ecotopians regard trees as being alive in almost a human sense—once I saw a quite ordinary-looking young man, not visibly drugged, lean against a large oak and mutter, ‘Brother Tree!’” (58). The almost religious adoration most Ecotopians show for trees represents their respect and love for nature. If they see themselves as essentially animals, one link in the natural order, then trees are indeed just as vital and alive as Ecotopians. This respect for nature and the central role trees and wood play in Ecotopian society is never more apparent than when Weston writes that anyone wishing to use wood in construction must first arrange to do a period of “forest service” (55).This in turn reveals the importance Ecotopians place on knowing where materials come from, the processes of production, so that they are intimately intertwined in their ecosystem, rather than divorced from it.
In a more personal sense, trees are symbolic of Marissa, the person who most prompts and facilitates the dramatic shift in Weston’s character, from American to Ecotopian, since Marissa’s love of trees is such a prominent and integral aspect of her character. In fact, trees are essentially what first bring the two of them together, since Weston goes to Marissa’s forest camp to write about Ecotopian logging practices.
In a pivotal moment later in the novel, as Weston finds himself greatly impressed by Ecotopian plastics used in homes, Marissa gets “furious” and shouts, “I knew it! They’re just a piece of your American junk!” and then continues, “How can you love wood the way you say you do, and yet be sympathetic to this insane artificial crap?” (126). This connects trees/wood directly to Weston’s character arc, as he says, “I felt it. She’s right” (126).
Water
One of Weston’s earliest articles, “The Streets of Ecotopia’s Capital,” makes mention of the fact that the Ecotopians, “at great expense” had reversed the earlier (American) process of hiding San Francisco’s creeks, in order for water to flow freely through the city once more (12). The expense Ecotopians put into this effort reveals the importance they place on water as a part of the natural world, and highlights a core Ecotopian idea that humanity should exist in harmony with nature whenever possible, as opposed to fighting against it.
Later, in “Women in Power: Politicians, Sex and Law in Ecotopia,” Weston writes, “Ecotopians are almost as devoted to water as they are to trees […] The national bird, I am told, is the egret—who spends his days knee-deep in marshes” (87). The Ecotopian affinity for water is also symbolic of the stark difference between their nation and the United States, plagued as it remains by polluted waterways. Thus, Ecotopia’s rivers, lakes, and oceans are an outward reminder of the importance of the sacrifices and struggles they as a people went through, in order to make secession a reality—a reminder of what was at stake, and what Ecotopians have gained through that struggle.
Weston’s Diary
During his conversation with President Allwen, after she says she finds it hard from his articles to tell if he has had “good experiences,” Weston says, “I put down my personal experiences in a diary. Many of them have been very good, but not for publication” (148-9). Thus, this diary and the journal entries it contains provide a symbol for the personal, as opposed to the articles, which are meant to be public. It is also in the journal entries that we see more of Weston’s unfiltered reactions and can thus more easily chart his progression as a character throughout the novel. Ultimately, the “Editors’ Epilogue” that ends the novel, which reveals that these private entries have become public, shows the vital importance Weston eventually sees in these “personal experiences,” suggesting that they eventually supersede and have more of an impact than the articles can.
Television
Despite the numerous differences in how Ecotopians and Americans seem to use and understand television as a tool, it remains a symbol of the two nations’ shared past. In the article “Ecotopian Television and Its Wares,” Weston writes, “However, despite this general technological austerity, [Ecotopians] employ video devices even more extensively than [Americans] do” (38). This remains true even to the point of conflicting with one of the other ideals of Ecotopian society—its DIY nature and not needing specialists for repairs of common goods. (As Weston writes, “An exception of sorts is made for video and other electronic items” [41]). This seems to be a point of commonality that could bring the two nations together once again.
However, inherent in television, as presented in the novel, is also a symbol of the different ideas each nation holds dear. While in America television is seen primarily as a form of entertainment, and secondarily as a source of news or education, in Ecotopia, “Some channels are apparently literal parts of the government structure” (39), and video devices are used more as a tool, since Ecotopians feel “they should transport their bodies only when it’s a pleasure” (38). Weston sums it up nicely, writing, “Ecotopians seem to use TV, rather than letting it use them” (38). Thus, television serves both as a symbol for the common history Americans and Ecotopians share, as well as highlighting the different paths the two societies have taken since independence.
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