Jon Krakauer’s account of the 1996 expedition to Mt. Everest not only covered the description of the difficult terrain with the extreme climate, but also the health and emotional hurdles that accompanied the group as they attempted the ascent. From the beginning of the book, Krakauer makes it very clear that he feels honored to…
Reading Response, Week 9
K2: The Savage Mountain & Shit Happens
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Instead of “Drama of the Summit” could the week be renamed “Depressing Stories of Mountaineering”? The account of the 1953 attempt of K2 led by Dr. Charles S. Houston is not of conquest, rather it is an account of defeat. Even the authors justify the value of their trip as “a venture made for sport…
Final Papers
Final Paper Topic
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For the final paper, I am going to focus on the imperial aspect of mountaineering and the effects of westernization on the Greater Ranges’ indigenous peoples. When comparing specific European nations, such as Great Britain and France, there exist distinct narratives that accompany their expeditions. I plan on continuing to examine the difference in the…
Week 8
Seven Years in Tibet
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The uncharted territory that is described in Heinrich Harrer’s Seven Years in Tibet aids provides a backdrop that adds to an incredible adventure tale but also provides a view into the mind and soul of the mountaineer at the time. This “window to the soul” provides the reader with a better picture of what the…
Reading Response, Week 7
Week 7
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Maurice Herzog’s Annapurna would have fit well under last week’s discussion theme of “The Drama of Mountaineering” with his highly detailed account of expedition that he led into the Himalayas. His search for Annapurna took the entire first half of the book before even locating the peak. Once his expedition team located Annapurna they struggled…
Reading Response
Week Six
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The title of Heinrich Harrer’s book, The White Spider, evokes emotion on its own without knowing anything about what the story is about. One could assume based on the title that there is some amount of danger involved due to the fact spiders are not exactly considered friends to human and have been prone to…
Reading Response, Week 5
Week 5
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Reading Response, Week 4
Week Four
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Exploration for the sake of understanding objects, specifically for scientific purposes, fueled the past’s interest in mountains. The Mountain describes how from the Enlightenment period to the present, the desire to make sense of an entity has taken over the minds of not only individuals on their quest for fulfillment but entire scientific communities. All…
Reading Response, Week 3
Week 3
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The way early Europeans were conditioned to view mountains had been ingrained in both their literary and religious heritage. Mountains were viewed as being ominous and foreboding, while still have a religious significance. In Mountain Gloom and Mountain Glory, the history behind the cultural significance of the geological structures was explained through the use of…
Reading Response, Week 2
Reading Response #1
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Within the context of mythical mountains and journeys in the pursuit of enlightenment, both Daumal and de Maurier depict Mount Analogue and Monte Verita as the pinnacle of intellectual fulfillment. Like any voyage, there are a series of preparations one must make in order to be “ready” for the expedition. Those unfamiliar with the extreme…