Darwin And Enchanted Isles Comparison

The depressed tone in Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin and the shrewd tone in Herman Melville’s The Encantadas or Enchanted Isles contrast in that one is disappointed while the other is straightforward. Both writers convey a scientific examination of the islands they are exploring, but while Darwin seems curious and unhappy about what he found on the Chatham Island, Melville remains unchanged and more serious about his research in the Enchanted Isles. The two men set forth a shared interest in scientific research and new ideas, but contrast in how and why they research.
The author’s diction in both passages present wide opinions and observations about the islands such as how Darwin examines the island finding nothing new or helpful,

He narrates that when “[they] landed on Chatham Island” that “[he] tried diligently” to find new species of plants. Darwin’s use of the word “we” implies that when he stepped foot on the island, he went with a team to help find new species for his research. His effort and diligence is proof of his work on the island although he may not have gained enough. Melville speaks of a curse “as one may call it” which “exalts them in desolation” at the idea of never changing seasons. His words evoke a sense of looking down and watching one’s actions, how they approach the different characteristics of the island. After observing that the Enchanted Isles produce no changing of seasons, he points out the exalted anguish that people might express from also noticing this. The incorporation of a third person point of view and a first person point of view provide the reader with what one might see while they walk across the island themselves or how they might perceive someone else’s point of

In the beginning of The Encantadas, Melville describes and compares the island to the world after a fire and the sadness that surrounds him as he views the scene. In the middle, he finds himself noticing the terror yet still expressing the positives in the negative, but in the end, Melville becomes ruthless. He realizes the island does not possess the beauty he had once envisioned and describes it as being a fiery island of despair. His efforts to stay hopeful about the Encantadas result in a rage and discontent with what he has discovered. Melville does this with an intention of staying truthful about the scene and providing the reader with an accurate representation of the island. Darwin’s passage begins with his first impression of the Chatham Island and the lack of any life, then to a form of determination to find something worthwhile for his research and ends with a feeling of satisfaction, because as time went on, he began noticing the beauty that the island contains. His greatest efforts, though they lacked any effort in the beginning of his journey, proved both valuable and rewarding after discovering that the island had more to offer than dry air and