Joyce Carol Oates' Against Nature is an opinion piece published in 1988. This piece is very different from many of the ones I typically read because Oates expressed her dislike for the way nature is romanticized in literature, while other writers usually share a love for nature in their work. The tone of the passage is disdainful because the author is explaining why she doesn't like nature and the way it is presented usually. Near the beginning of the passage, Oates shares a personal experience that she had where she attempted to relax but couldn't by thinking about nature. Subsequently she tells anecdotes about her traumatic experiences with nature as a child to explain why she feels such disdain for it.
The author increases her credibility by including quotes about nature from well-known artists such as Oscar Wilde and Henry David Thoreau. She also describes the arguments and beliefs of opposing authors who reverence nature. One of the most interesting arguments that Oates has is that one can never be fully satisfied by nature. This passage is written for authors and artists who feel differently about nature than Oates does. She intended for that audience because she wanted to express why she feels so differently than most artists seem to. Her imagery of nature, especially in detailed forms; for example, when she explains in detail the movements of ants, creates a tone of seriousness because she is candid about what she sees of nature through her own eyes.
Works Cited:
Oates, Joyce Carol. "Against Nature." 1988. Web. 7 Dec. 2015.