Assignment 6

Susan Orlean was an animal animal rights acvtivist turned graphic design. In her essay "Lifelike," Orlean is a journalist who is exploring the unnatural art of Taxidermy which some people view as taboo and dark arts and others who view Taxidermy as sort of liberating in restoring nature. When I began to learn about taxidermy, I thought of it as someone just killing animals, mutilating the bodies, and displaying them for sport. While reading "Lifelike," I began to see the other side to those who actually do Taxidermy as an art done out of respect. At the beginning, I read a quote that said " There were foxes, moose, and freeze-dried wild turkeys" and another one that read "The deer came in herds, in carloads, and on pallets" (Orlean 1). This had only confirmed my disgust and loathe for people who take part in Taxidermy. I strongly believe that it is wrong and that the dead should be left to rest in piece. Throughout her essay, Orlean gives many quotes about how seriousness many people take in the art of Taxidermy. More specifically she gives a quote of a woman saying, "I love deer. Those are my babies" (Orlean 2). Another quote an onlooker made about the panda read, "Whew, she made a beautiful mount" (Orlean 4). Orlean purposefully placed these quotes in her text in order to persuade her readers that Taxidermy is an art of bringing the dead back to life. Upon finishing her essay "Lifelike," I felt as if Orlean did just that. She gave context to the background and beginning of Taxidermy and how it was portrayed as a messy and gruesome art and how it has morphed into a popular art form which I now see as a love for the lifeless. I think that "Lifelike" was written in order for the readers to develop an appreciation for the rare moments in nature because it isn't everyday that one can perhaps see animals taking care of their families up close.