Cod Kurlansky Analysis

While it may be surprising, humans screw up a lot. The consequences of overfishing cod are vast and more impactful than one would think. Depleting one species of fish is a disaster not just for the fish but the world around. This is not only an environmental issue, but a social and cultural problem as well. Cod by Mark Kurlansky is an excellent telling of the story of Cod, and Kurlansky weaves together disciplines in a fantastic manner. Kurlansky helps readers understand the consequences of overfishing by using cod as a vehicle to convey more significant ideas as well as explaining the causal relationships behind the events that occurred. The first method Kurlansky employs is using the cod as a tool to discuss more than just fish. He uses

If Kurlansky had not gone through the reasons Newlyn hates the Spaniards, it would have not been as good of a comparison near the end to discuss the running out of cod. Another example of this detailed explanations are the personal impacts seen through the exhaustion of cod are hard to completely recognize without the full story being told. Many fishermen are not just without jobs, they are without lives; “her own husband, John Sanfilippo, told her, “No one is ever going to stop me from fishing.””(Kurlansky 148). Kurlansky uses the lack of acceptance fishermen have to drive home the point that cod is not just an environmental problem, or even an economic problem, but an issue that spans many disciplines and ways of life. Explaining the connections between events and subjects in a clear and concise manner increases the ability of the reader to comprehend the impacts of overfishing, as well as is inherently multi-disciplinary, as in any open system there is more than just a scientific cause or more than just a sociological cause. Employing causal links as an explanatory device is an interdisciplinary endeavor that improves one’s comprehension of the importance of environmental changes, especially in the ocean. Given these points, there are many exemplifications of Kurlansky’s utilization of different techniques to further the reader’s appreciation of the ramifications of overfishing cod. The 2 main ways Kurlansky does this is by picking a central subject to focus on and use to explore many ideas, as well as carefully elaborating on the reasons different events happened in the way they did. Without these techniques, one would not be able to see the minute details, the things that people have a hard time seeing, in the repercussions of overfishing