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Why
the Book?
Guenther traveled because
he wished to produce a detailed guide "to the flora and fauna
of Brazil." An in depth guide that will fulfill the curiosity
people have about the natural aspect of Brazil. He wants to get
the reader "bodily into the scenes which I [he] has described,
and enable him to make such discoveries as I [he] made myself."
The book will also serve as a guide that "will make it easier
for subsequent explorers and scientist to find their way about,
since in addition to giving the derivation and affiliation and peculiar
features of plants and animals, it contains references to the principal
authorities for those who desire to stud the various species more
particularly." He thought that what intrigued people the most
about Brazil was the nature, "After all, what is it that he
most of all wants to know? He wants, I think, to know the name of
those great scarlet flowers; and what sort of palms those are that
overlook the housetops; and how one can best enjoy a sight of monkeys,
parrots and humming birds," and he wanted fulfill that interest.
The author believes that his love for nature binds him to Brazil
and therefore says that another purpose for his book and travel
is to write "a book on Brazil for the Brazilians."
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Flora
and Fauna
Guenther dedicates the
entire book to the plants and wildlife of Brazil. Often vividly
and passionately describing what he saw.
"At night there
was a gentle audible in my bedroom. It was some time before I could
make out what it was. The cockroaches, which in Brazil are gigantic
insects, as big as one's thumb, tried to fly into my room at night,
in order to feast on the breadcrumbs on the floor, or gnaw the bindings
of my books for the sake of the glue; but the most of them were
caught outside my widow by the bats that were flying to and fro."
(28)
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"There
were all sorts of animals which were only waiting to be caught,
and which I kept for a while in order to observe them. In my room
I kept a boa-constrictor, a coral-snake, lizards and frogs-all in
suitable cages; a lively land-crab clattered with his claws under
my bed, and once I had for a guest a peccary, who behaved like a
little dog." (27)
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How
he got around
Guenther did a lot of
traveling during his trip in order to capture, as much of Brazil
was possible. He uses different methods of travel to get to his
destinations. Most of the time he walks to his destinations, but
he also takes some alternative forms of transportation.
He uses some of the
more common methods of travel at the time in Brazil such as horses,
etc.
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The
People and Culture
Throughout the book,
the author doesn't really address much attention to the culture
of and people of Brazil, yet at the end he dedicates an entire chapter
to them. Since the preface, Guenther mentioned that he felt at home
with the Brazilians and saw himself as a Brazilian as well. Throughout
this chapter Guenther displays a particular preference for Brazilians,
and he doesn't say anything negative about the culture. In fact,
he negatively portrays other cultures to highlight Brazilians:
"The more primitive
the houses in which I stayed, the less influenced by European civilization,
the more interesting I found them." (357)
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Other Pictures
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Source
Guenther, Konrad. A
Naturalist in Brazil.Boston, New York, Houghton Mifflin Company,
1931.
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