Presenter: Jennifer Lord
Faculty Advisor: Will Rivers
Phone #: 6867, jllord01@stlawu.edu

Poster Presentation

This study examines the role of influence in the life of Barry Lopez. The works of Barry Lopez have made people in society realize the importance of experiencing and appreciating nature because of the strong relationship it has with humans. This view is a direct result of his experiences he encountered while growing up including his childhood, where he grew up, schools attended, family life, etc. There were important events in his life that shaped his view of the natural world, like his vacations with his mother to places like the Grand Canyon. Then it goes on to explore his education and religious influences that affected his views of nature, which lead to his career in nature writing. His style and some important themes in Lopez’s works are discussed in detail with examples from specific works. The different types of writings are discussed with a larger focus on Of Wolves and Men and Winter Count. The influence on myself and other readers of this work, as well as the influence Lopez hoped to have on his reader is discussed with references to book reviews, interviews and more. This suggests that influence has played an important role in developing the beliefs of Lopez and in his success in spreading his message about connections with the natural world.