Nature - “Creation Stories”
Kingsolver writes, “What is it that draws creators to this place? Low Rent, I tell my friends who ask, but it’s more than that. It’s the Southwest: a prickly land where mountain lions make bets with rabbits, and rabbits can win. Where nature rubs belly to belly with subdivision and barrio, and coyotes take shortcuts through the back alleys. Here even the rain has gender, the frog sing carpe diem." Tucson is a lively place which attracts 'creators.' The components of nature inspire creativity for the creators. Furthermore, Tucson fosters coexistence between humans and wildlife. The environment offers sufficient space for both humans and wildlife; hence, it is an archetypal wilderness.
“Peaceful Coexistence” - “Making Peace”
Kingsolver expounds, "Worm-eating birds have no truck with seedeaters; small-seed eaters ignore big-seed eaters. This is the marvellous construct of "niche," the very particular way an organism uses it habitat and it allows for an almost incomprehensible degree of peaceful coexistence." Kingsolver's main ideology is underscoring the essence of peaceful coexistence among all human beings. Instead of focusing on possessing more land than ones' neighbours, it is imperative to strive to coexist with other humans. Focusing on expanding one's possession increases skirmishes between humans. The living creatures demonstrate the practicality of diplomatic coexistence by carving out their niches in a manner which does not threaten the niches of other creatures.
Carcinology - “High Tide in Tucson”
Kingsolver recounts, “It was a long time, though, before we began to understand the content of Buster's character. He required more patient observation than we were in the habit of giving to a small, cold-blooded life. As months went by, we would periodically notice with great disappointment that Buster seemed to be dead. Or not entirely dead, but ill, or maybe suffering the crab equivalent of the blues.” Assessment of Buster’s mannerisms is carcinology because biologically he is classified as a crustacean. Through the observational studies, Kingsolver determines the behaviors of Buster and gains insights about the behavioral patterns of crabs; Buster is a specimen of the crabs. Limited experience with Crabs makes Kingsolver to conclude that he could de dead yet he is hibernating.
