Comment on “The Wolves of the Island… From a Variety of Perspectives” by Max Lulavy

by Jack Lueddeke

In Max Lulavy’s blog post, “The Wolves of the Island… From a Variety of Perspectives,” he discusses the importance of a diversity of sources for a journalistic story. He looked at Kim Todd’s story The Island Wolves and examined the different types of sources that Todd used to write her story. Max writes that she “did an excellent job at bringing in many different sources. She begins by introducing many different scientists and experts…” For the purposes of Todd’s story this works; but would a narrative style reach more people?

Narrative journalistic writing is “both celebrated and scorned by journalists” according to Bob Wyss. (162, Wyss) Narratives must have characters, action, and something that drives the story. Todd’s story has all of that and even more. The sources that she brings in can all be considered characters alongside the wolves and moose of Isle Royale, the action is the interaction between the wolves and moose, and the driving force is the new discoveries that are being made. The Island of the Wolves is a longer story, more of an exposition, explaining the number of facts that are important for the reader to know about Isle Royale. Reworking it into a narrative would allow it to reach more people in a more captivating way.

Oral history for a long time has been looked down upon by western scholars, they deemed it lesser to written history. Now there are more and more people looking at, or rather listening to, oral histories as a serious form of history. For oral histories to work, stories are created that are memorable and entertaining. People will remember something interesting more often than something boring.

In the article from Australia Geographic, “How Indigenous knowledge might inform our response to climate change,” Angela Heathcote writes how aboriginal oral histories are informing historians about climate change and sea level rise. There are stories that say about 7,000-10,000 years ago aboriginals noticed the sea rising, became concerned, and tried to prevent it by planting trees and constructing wood fences to form a barrier. As the story goes, people climbed up a mountain, heated up large stones, and rolled them into the ocean to hurt it or stop it from rising. That is certainly more memorable than a bunch of numbers and figures that most people don’t even understand. Heathcote explains that these oral histories stayed alive because of “the need for essential survival skills to be passed from generation to generation,” but they also stayed alive because they are interesting.

Journalism doesn’t have to just report the fact, it can be entertaining to read too. Writing narratively in journalism can allow stories to be memorable, just as oral histories are, reach a larger audience, and down right fun to read. All of this can be achieved without sacrificing a solid diversity of sources. Todd’s story is fantastic, but if it was written narratively it would incorporate all of the same information she wants to convey and be a fun read for anybody.

Sources:

Heathcote, Angela. How Indigenous knowledge might inform our response to climate change. Australia Geographic. August 15, 2018. Accessed November 4, 2019.

Wyss, Bob. Covering the environment: How journalists work the green beat. New York: Routledge, 2008. Print.

Lulavy, Max. The Wolves of the Island… From a Variety of Perspectives. Environmental Journalism WordPress. October 2, 2019. Accessed November 4, 2019.