Deep Survivor by Laurence Gonzales Is A Collection of Survival Scenarios People Have

Kaitlyn Dow
Collins
4A
5/1/15
Novel Essay
Deep Survivor by Laurence Gonzales is a collection of survival scenarios people have
encountered. Some of the people survive the obstacles presented to them and others do not. The
author describes the psychological aspects of survival in different terrains; how to compose
yourself if presented with a similar situation and relates these skills to his Air Force training. This
connects to my anthology question by exploring the psychological benefit of appreciating nature
and the fears of being trapped in the unfamiliar natural world.
One of the themes expressed by the author is the acceptance and appreciation of nature's
beauty. Gonzales suggests that by appreciating ones surroundings in a survival situation one will
benefit. In one of the first scenarios Gonzales describes, "Mother Nature rising into the gauzy
curtains of falling snow, which both concealed and revealed her great, concupiscent backside in
the swaying fabric of the clouds(Gonzales 45)". In this scenario a group of snowmobilers
become trapped in an avalanche. The snow that was falling both covered and made the risk of an
avalanche obvious. These snowmobilers also triggered the avalanche because they were not
paying attention to their surroundings, there only focus was doing cool tricks. However if the
snowmobilers were more observant of the signs of the avalanche Mother Nature presented them
they would have not been in that situation. In the end of the novel Gonzales reflects on
importance of embracing natures beauty in survival situations saying, This appreciation not
only relieves stress and creates strong motivation, but it allows you to take in new information
more effectively(Gonzales 289). Gonzales suggests that by intaking natures beauty, it will
positively impact the minds thought process. This suggestion has broughten me closer to
discovering an answer to how nature can positively impact people. Natures beauty can have a
positive effect on our thought process when people appreciate the beauty.
Laurence Gonzales, throughout the book, explores the idea of humans becoming unable
to connect with nature because of our need for others to surround us. Gonzales describes that
most to accidents occur near home because thats where people are most comfortable cutting
corners that lead to mistakes. Gonzales goes on to say, But when you take yourself out of that
environment and go into the wild ... you must evolve new ways of seeing, a new plan(Gonzales
92). When leaving the familiarity of civilization humans have no one to depend on. Humans rely
on other people to get tasks done and when there is no one to do these task people have nowhere
to turn and life falls apart.
Gonzales also compares humans to animals and their ability to adapt to nature, People
are animals with animal instincts, but they lack many of the other survival mechanisms animals
possess . . . People survive better in numbers . . . they use cognition to organize, say, for a hunt,
and to make things. . .(Gonzales 182). Unlike other species humans lack the ability to be selfreliant. This is the main problem people face when in survival situations, instead of trying to get
out of the situation people sit and wait for people to come rescue them. This waiting game is a
risky move that rarely pays off. Those people who do not play the waiting game over work
themselves, people greatly underestimate the need for rest(Gonzales 179). From Gonzales Air
Force training he suggests, in survival situation, only using 6o percent of normal activity level.
With no one rely on people try to do everything and over do themselves. The consequences of
this are just as severe as not doing anything at all. Leaving the familiar environment of
civilization and population is what people fear most about the wild.
The author, Laurence Gonzales uses true and fictional survival stories and his own
experience in Air Force training, to share tactics to conquer the psychological side of surviving in
the wild. This book has helped me to answer my anthology question from a stance I never
thought of. I have always associated a connection to nature being physical and improving
peoples physical well being. Deep Survival opened my eyes to how natures beauty and strength
affects humans psychologically.
Work Cited
Gonzales, Laurence. Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why: True Stories of Miraculous
Endurance and Sudden Death. New York: W.W. Norton, 2003. Print.

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