Summary Of Ish's View Of Civilization

Ish’s views of civilization have changed heavily from the plague to his death; he has now given up on the tribe’s continuation and lost hope in what can still be done. Thoughts of members of the tribe, either current or foregoing, previously brought back robust memories, while closer to the culmination of the Tribe his memories faded and became dismissive. He views civilization as unworthy now, since he knows he is going to die soon and there is nothing to keep him abiding. Closer to the start of his book, “Suddenly he felt all civilization depended not only upon men but also upon these other things which had marched with him like kinsmen and friends and companions.” (120) He realizes that his actions affect civilization, and he believes

“They will commit me to the Earth,” he thought. “Yet i also commit them to the earth. There is nothing else by which men live. Men go and come, but Earth Abides.” (337) Everyone is starting out the same, and all go through changes that bring consequences and effects on them, that they then have to overcome. Men live by what they get and what they have. At some point, they have to give up and see that the end is coming close, and for Ish that point has come and he realizes that civilization will be ending soon and there is no point in trying to continue it. Even if this civilization will end, Earth will overcome anything it faces, and it will continue to go on, withstanding all that comes across. Ish now only has dismissive memories, and he has come to the point where he is not in control of what he does, rather Earth has taken over and even without him there, it will continue to abide. Since the end has come, Ish decides to recall all that has went on since the start on his civilization, comparing himself to the earth and the hill, “‘But, no’ he thought, after a moment, “I must die as i have lived- by the light of my own mind, by what light it gives me… I know that the hills themselves, though men call them eternal- are too changing always.”(337) Changes in nature don’t have a cause or reason they happen, the earth goes with the flow and it adapts in whatever way it needs to, since it will continue going on. Ish has overcame many challenges and fears that he has had along the way; he has acquired all the resources and skills he thought were essential to surviving. He has done his best with all the problems, though he knows that there will be an end and he will die. Both him and the hills are experiencing change, and Ish feels he might as well die knowing he has accomplished all he could have versus dying thinking he wasn 't good enough. The passing of men’s generations have not remained without change,