-Stage 4.2-

Geology Through Literature

Where classic literature is used to help explain geological concepts.

       I am trying to read the 100 Hundred Books ever written (you can check that out HERE) and I have come across several instances where there is geology placed into the books. Sometimes it is a description of a place, sometimes it is to give a background of a town, but it always something that gets me thinking, "Hey, I wonder if that is true". So I check it out, do some research, and before long I have an assignment ready to be given out to a class. Here is the compilation of that work, piece by piece. As I come across a topic I will add to this page.

Available Work Packets -

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Our Town

Walden

Using The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

While seeming to offer no geological significance, several works can still be used to describe the beauty available in the natural world. One of those works is The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde where in one portion of the book the title character becomes obsessed with gems and minerals. This leads to a rather lengthy discussion and listing of several varieties of gems, minerals, precious metals, and a host of other things (some of which I still am not sure what are).  

Project Description

Directions:

Read Chapter 11 (around the middle of the chapter, begins “On one occasion he took up the study of jewels” of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. There are approximately 35 different varieties of gems, minerals, and precious metals mentioned in the text. The minerals mentioned in the text are listed out on the provided sheet.  

Questions:

(A website that might be of some use is: http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/minerals/dorian.htm, but I recommend using Google and Yahoo! as a back-up as well since that website does not always give the correct answers)

1. Several of the gems and minerals have multiple colors listed in the text. Write down the colors mentioned on the chart under the Color Variations column.
2. Several of the gems and minerals also list special properties in the text. Write down the special properties on the chart under the Special Properties column.
3. Gem names are often specific colored varieties of certain minerals (i.e. purple quartz is called amethyst). List what the mineral name is for the open boxes on the chart under the Alias column. (The red boxes I am unable to determine so I will not expect anyone else to determine them either. See Bonus Question 1.)
4. There are 4 different varieties of Quartz (or chalcedony, which is a variety of quartz) mentioned. What are those gems mentioned?
   1.  
   2.  
   3.  
   4.  
5. According to Mohs Hardness Scale, which of the minerals/gems mentioned are on the scale? (Fill in the blanks below, multiple blanks means multiple answers)
   1. 1 – Talc
   2. 2 – ___________
   3. 3 – Calcite
   4. 4 – Fluorite
   5. 5 – Apatite
   6. 6 – ____________; ____________
   7. 7 – ____________; ____________; ____________; ____________;
   8. 8 – ____________;
   9. 9 – ____________; ____________;
   10. 10 – ____________;
6. Looking at all the duplicates in the Alias column (i.e. garnet, quartz, etc.) what is the principle difference, other than color, between the different varieties of the same mineral?
7. What is the difference between Balas Rubies and regular Rubies?
8. Amethyst is mentioned that it “drove away the fumes of wine”. What did the ancient Greeks do with amethyst that helped corroborate this claim?
9. Which of the three gems mentioned are not inorganically formed but biologically produced?
   1.  
   2.  
   3.  

Bonus Questions (i.e. harder than normal):

1. Fill in the dark red boxes for Aliases of the 3 unknown gems (aspilate, hydropicus, and meloceus)  And if you do know what these are let me know as well.
2. What is the difference between Turquoise and Turquoise de la vieille roche?

 Click below for the The Picture of Dorian Gray directions in pdf format

Answers can be obtained by directly emailing me at Jazinator@hotmail.com

Using Our Town by Thorton Wilder

Geology is not only useful for a scientific purpose but it can also be used as a scene setter. That is how it is used in Our Town. To give the audience a sense of time and place the narrator of the story describes the history and location of the town including the geology and anthropology. The purpose of this project is to take his description and determine whether it is valid or not. Or could this just be a case of the author taking geological and anthropological words and imputing them into a story, whether they make sense or not?

 Project Description

1. Read Our Town by Thorton Wilder.

2. Write down all of the important sentences and phrases that describe both the geology of the town and it’s location on a map. You will use this information along with some references from the internet to determine what is correct and what is made up.

3.Use that information to answer the following questions:

 Questions

1. What is the name of the town and the state that the story takes place in?
2. Does this town actually exist?
3. What town is closest to the coordinates given in the text? Is it the town named? Note: The coordinates are given in NAD27 which is an old system but the difference to the more recent NAD83 is only about 10 meters so it should not matter.
   1. Use the coordinates from the text on the website: http://atlas.mapquest.com/maps/latlong.adp. You have to place a negative “-” in front of the longitude since it is in the Western Hemisphere, otherwise you will get a result in Russia.
4. The play mentions four different types of rocks that the town lies on. List the rock types and their respective ages. Note: One does not have a given age.
5. Place the rocks in the cross section below with the oldest on the bottom and the youngest on top. Assume the one rock layer without an age is the second youngest.

6. Does the comment “I may say it’s some of the oldest land in the world.” make sense regarding the rock that they are speaking about? Why or why not? I recommend using a geologic time scale for this one.
7. Using the geology map at http://www.nhgeology.org/nhbedrock.htm (there is a larger pdf on the site) does the age of the granite make sense? Why or Why not?
8. Using the above geology map what is the oldest age the granite could actually be. Hint: You should probably look up what rocks make up the Massabesic Gneiss Complex and the Rye Complex.
9. Assuming the town is southwest of Manchester, is it possible that one of these rock units could be what was actually described?
10. Which one would be most likely?
11. Rearrange the rock units with the corrected age of the granite below. Assume the rock unit without an age is now the youngest.

12. Is the basalt mentioned logical? You might want to check out http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/LivingWith/VolcanicPast/. Why or why not?
13. The text mentions some fossils. Which of the four units could be the likely source of the fossils? There may be multiple correct answers.
14. Anthropology – What is the name of the Amerindian tribe mentioned in the story that originally occupied the region?
15. What is the range this tribe actually covered and does it cover the area given in the story?
16. What state is mentioned where the marble building stone comes from?
17. Can you get marble here?
18. If you can get marble here what is a formation it could have come from? Keep in mind the transportation distances, closer to the town the better. There may be multiple correct answers.

I recommend using this site: http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/geo/resourceinx.htm to find where they dig for the marble.

And this site: http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/geo/centmap.htm to find the name of the formations.

Click below for the Our Town directions in pdf format

Answers can be obtained by directly emailing me at Jazinator@hotmail.com

Using Walden by Henry David Thoreau

            Science is not a new invention. People have been performing science for many thousands of years. Often they build on research of those before them and sometimes they start from scratch. The purpose of this project is to use a scientific study from the 19^th century to produce a current contour map of lake depth.  

The study being described is in Walden by Henry David Thoreau, written before 1854. The book is typically considered “philosophical” literature but in this case he performs the basis of science. He identified a problem, determined how to solve the problem, and then executed the research.

His Problem

Often people would describe the depth of Walden Pond as bottomless. He wished to prove them wrong and determine the actual depth.

His Method

To determine the actual depth of the lake he used the simple method of a rock and string.

His Solution

That’s where you come in.

Project Directions

1. Read the “The Pond in winter” chapter of Walden by Thoreau.

2. Write down all important sentences and phrases that have to do with the depth and shape of the pond.

3. Summarize these into only the important points (like the location and depth of the deepest point.

4. Use one of the outlines of Walden Pond provided to start and outline the important features (deepest point, sand bars, etc.) in pencil.

5. Make a contour depth map with 20ft contours. The shore of the lake will be your 0 contour (provided). Then erase all of the mistakes and non-important items on the map so you just have a finalized contour map left.

Click below for the Walden directions in pfd format

Answers can be obtained by directly emailing me at Jazinator@hotmail.com

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