Frightful's Mountain

Throughout the novel, George highlights issues endangering falcons and offers several examples of ways people can take action to protect falcons and birds of prey in general. Conservationist activism is a motif that supports the theme of The Capability of Young People.

One example of activism in the novel is writing letters to those in authority to inform them of situations that are endangering falcons. Thus, while Jon Wood writes to the utility company asking them to adjust utility pole wires in order to prevent electrocuting birds, the children of Delhi write to the New York governor informing him of Frightful’s nesting on the Delhi Bridge and asking him to postpone bridge repairs. The letter writing works in both situations to some extent, and George offers this as an example of a form of activism that virtually anyone can do.

The children of Delhi also organize a parade to raise awareness about Frightful on the Delhi Bridge, and this gets the community to pay attention to the situation. The children win over their parents and even succeed in getting several of the bridge repairmen on their side. This activism does not directly lead to a change for Frightful, but it shows the importance of educating people and spreading awareness. Jon and Susan Wood’s efforts to spread awareness about birds of prey by visiting schools with their birds could also be considered activism. Without their practice, many of Delhi’s children may not have been informed about or interested in birds of prey, and other instances of activism, such as the letters and parade, may not have occurred.

The novel also repeatedly mentions the pesticide DDT, such as when Drum’s mate’s eggs do not hatch because the shells are too thin and weak from the DDT in the food chain. By presenting this issue to readers, George encourages them to pursue conservationist activism, not only to protect peregrine falcons, but also to fight for any cause they care about.

Throughout the My Side of the Mountain series, George shows that companionship and communication between humans and animals is attainable. This connection is often presented as a marvel to be cherished, such as when Sam soothes the peregrine eyases in Chapter 15 and the onlooking officers are amazed; the motif thus indirectly highlights The Beauty and Wonder of Nature. Perhaps no other human-animal relationship shows this better than Sam’s relationship with Frightful. Sam learns from observing Frightful’s body language, and he is able to understand her calls. At various points in Frightful’s Mountain, he calms her, calls her, and “talks” to her by using bird calls she understands. The connection is not one-sided. Frightful has a hard time leaving Sam to migrate for the winter, and she constantly thinks of Sam and the mountain where she was raised. While animal instinct fuels their relationship, George also demonstrates how instinct can override it. For example, Frightful feels loyalty toward Sam because he raised her. She knows he will take care of her and feed her, so part of their connection is due to her survival instincts. Still, when Sam takes Oksi from Frightful, she is ready to attack him. As much as she trusts Sam and feels comfortable around him, her instinct to protect her young is stronger than her loyalty to Sam.

The connection between humans and animals also appears through other characters, such as Jon and Susan Wood, who care for and talk to their birds and share a special bond with them. Frightful can sense their trustworthiness, just as she can sense that Bate and Skri are not trustworthy. Perry Knowlton’s character, too, demonstrates connection with animals as he raises young falcons and releases them into the wild. In addition, Mole, the dog, develops a relationship with humans, even though poor treatment in the past has made him suspicious of them. With time and Sam’s ability to sense that Mole prefers freedom to a leash, Mole comes to feel at ease around Sam. Multiple characters and examples show that humans and animals have the capacity for connection and communication, a point that in turn contributes to the novel’s message that nature should be protected and preserved.