Edward Abbey's work in Desert Solitaire represents a distinctive yet interconnected voice among Western naturalist writers. Despite his often militant tone, Abbey acknowledges his literary forebears, while striving to articulate a unique spiritual essence of the desert landscape. His exploration of this terrain reveals a contemplative journey similar to those of earlier naturalists like Henry David Thoreau, John Muir, and Mary Austin, who each sought a deeper understanding of humanity's relationship with nature.

The Quest for Transcendence

Abbey’s endeavor to unearth a transcendental truth within the desert echoes a longstanding tradition of nature writing. Much like Thoreau’s quest for enlightenment at Walden Pond, Abbey seeks the "bare bones of existence" within the arid stretches of the Arches. His pursuit is not merely about capturing the desert's physical characteristics but unraveling the "peculiar quality" that sets it apart from other landscapes, a task he admits might be an illusion.

Influences and Anticipations

The attempt to bridge the human spirit with the natural world is a recurrent theme across many naturalists’ works. John Muir, for instance, saw immersion in nature akin to a spiritual baptism, where science and mysticism enhance one another. Abbey, while not a naturalist in the scientific sense, brings a similar depth of observation to his writing. His detailed descriptions of rocks and ecology serve not only as scientific observations but also as poetic explorations, capturing a truth greater than mere facts. Yet, unlike Muir, Abbey stops short of full mysticism, focusing instead on the tangible realities of the natural world.

Mary Austin's Deep Self

Mary Austin’s writings, especially in The Land of Little Rain, showcase the discovery of self through nature, a theme Abbey seems to follow. Austin's concept of the "Deep-self"—a realization of unity with the environment—finds echoes in Abbey's work as he observes and meditates on a juniper tree. Through this process, he aims to penetrate the essence of the desert, ultimately finding that the surface reality of the tree becomes his existential foundation. Unlike Austin, who envisions a harmonious future between civilization and nature, Abbey is grounded in the "brutal fact of the observable," steering clear of romanticized interpretations of nature.

The Prophetic and the Pragmatic

Abbey’s literary ancestry also includes the prophetic voice of Mary Austin, who stood against environmental degradation, such as the construction of Boulder Dam. However, while Austin's hope for a harmonious civilization tempered her stance, Abbey’s response is more urgent and unrestrained. His writing channels the sacred rage of a prophet, warning of the consequences of commercial and industrial encroachments. Abbey’s voice resonates as a clarion call to action, echoing the concerns of other contemporaries like J. Frank Dobie and Roy Bedichek, who decried the loss of natural land to modern civilization.

A Call to Action

Abbey’s Desert Solitaire is more than just a reflection on the natural beauty of the desert; it is a passionate plea to preserve what remains of the American Southwest's unspoiled land. His work is a testament to his sacred rage against the destruction wrought by human expansion, embodying a voice of grief for the wilderness that is increasingly lost. Like the Old Testament prophets, Abbey emerges from the desert, urging society to recognize and retaliate against the forces that threaten the natural world. His writings inspire a new generation of naturalists and conservationists to view the desert not as a barren wasteland but as a sacred part of Earth's ecological tapestry.