Transcript Wendell Berry - Moeller American Literature, Mr. Eble

Matthew Schlager, Max Sharpe, Will Hack, and Jonny
Mannhardt
 Born on August 5, 1934
 Farming Family
 University of Kentucky
 He published his first novel, Nathan Coulter in April of
1960
 Teaching Career
 Returning to the Farm
 Life on the farm
 Hooked to the energy corporations
 He does almost all his work on his farm with horse-
powered machines
 Pencil/pen and paper
 His wife uses typewriter bought in 1956
 She is his “best critic”
 Says he isn't impressed at computers becoming as
common as tv's
 People tell him he could improve things by buying
computer, he wont do it, 3 major reasons
 He hates to think his work as a writer "could not be done
without a direct dependence on strip-mined coal"
 Doesn’t see computers as bringing us one step nearer to
anything that matters to him
 Thinks that computers cost him more than just money
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Should be cheaper
Should be at least as small
in scale
8.
Should do work that is
better
Less energy
9.
If possible, should use
solar energy
Should be repairable by a
person of ordinary
intelligence
Should be purchasable
and repairable as near to
home as possible.
Should come from a
small, privately owned
shop or store
Should not replace or
disrupt anything good
that already exists
 Discarding the old things.
 Technology vs. Simplicity.
 He would never buy a computer because of his wife.
 He believes that if he switched to a computer, that he
would not need her for any help.
 Prove his point of simplicity and non-conformity.
 He is showing simplicity by sticking to the basics
 Pencil and paper
 His wife help with any editing
 In a way you could say he has intuition, trusting in himself,
and going by what he says would be right for him.
 Simplicity through his non-technological life style
 Power of nature seen through writings
 Nonconformity seen in his ability to resist modern day
technology