The Nature Faker
Richard Herrick, a wealthy young man with a gentle disposition, becomes enamored with nature after being rejected by the woman he loves, Miss Catherweight. He dedicates himself to transforming an abandoned farm into a model estate, complete with a game preserve where he nurtures local wildlife. Herrick believes that nature offers a pure and fulfilling love, unlike human relationships, which can lead to heartache. His friend Jackson, who enjoys the company of women, mocks Herrick's devotion to nature. During a night out in New York, Herrick is appalled by a vaudeville show featuring trained bears, which he views as a degradation of their natural state. This experience ignites a passionate desire in him to rescue the bears from their life of performance. Despite his friends' skepticism about the practicality and morality of his plan, Herrick decides to purchase the bears and release them into his game preserve. After acquiring the bears, Herrick invites friends to witness their release. Despite initial reluctance and skepticism from his companions, he successfully opens the cages, and the bears joyfully explore their new environment. Herrick feels a sense of triumph, believing he has restored their freedom and happiness. However, his celebration is short-lived. As he revels in the success of his endeavor, the bears are seen performing their tricks on the terrace, revealing that they have not forgotten their training and enjoy the attention. The story culminates in Herrick's realization that his idealistic view of nature and freedom is flawed. The bears, despite being freed, revert to their learned behaviors, highlighting the complexities of domestication and the impact of human influence on wild animals. Herrick's journey reflects the tension between romantic ideals of nature and the harsh realities of animal behavior, ultimately questioning the authenticity of his connection to the natural world.
By Richard Harding Davis · First published 1896 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Satire, Nature Writing · 5,594 words
First lines
Richard Herrick was a young man with a gentle disposition, much money, and no sense of humor. His object in life was to marry Miss Catherweight. For three years she had tried to persuade him this could not be, and finally, in order to convince him, married some one else. When the woman he loves marries another man, the rejected one is popularly supposed to take to drink or to foreign travel. Statistics show that, instead, he instantly falls in love with the best friend of the girl who refused him. But, as Herrick truly loved Miss Catherweight, he could not worship any other woman, and so he became a lover of nature. Nature, he assured his men friends, does not disappoint you. The more thought, care, affection you give to nature, the more she gives you in return, and while, so he admitted, in wooing nature there are no great moments, there are no heart-aches. Jackson, one of the men friends, and of a frivolous disposition, said that he also could admire a landscape, but he would rather look at the beautiful eyes of a girl he knew than at the Lakes of Killarney, with a full moon, a setting sun, and the aurora borealis for a background. Herrick suggested that, while the beautiful eyes might seek those of another man, the Lakes of Killarney would always remain where you could find them. Herrick pursued his new love in Connecticut on an abandoned farm which he converted into a "model" one. On it he established model dairies and model incubators. He laid out old-fashioned gardens, sunken gardens, Italian gardens, landscape gardens, and a game preserve.
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The Nature Faker is listed on Textopian as a short story by Richard Harding Davis, dated 1896 CE.
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- Work type: Short story
- Author: Richard Harding Davis
- Date: 1896 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Satire, Nature Writing, Drama, Comedy
- Length: 5,594 words
- Structure: 1 section, 63 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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Genres
- Literary Fiction — The book explores complex themes of nature, human emotion, and societal expectations through rich character development and narrative style.
- Satire — The story critiques societal norms and attitudes towards nature and animal treatment, using humor and irony to highlight the absurdity of human behavior.
- Nature Writing — The protagonist's deep connection to nature and the detailed descriptions of the natural world emphasize the themes of environmental appreciation and the human-nature relationship.
- Drama — The narrative contains dramatic elements, particularly in the conflict between Herrick's ideals and the reality of the bears' situation, leading to emotional tension.
Tags
Biography · Autobiography · Memoir · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · American Literature · 19th Century Literature · Non-Fiction · Essay Collection · Travel Writing · Adventure