The journey to the end of the earth summary
Tishani Doshi is a poet, journalist and dancer from India. She has published some books of poetry and fiction. She has been widely appreciated for her essays, poems and short stories. She has travelled a lot and her most exciting journey was to Antarctica.
Summary of Journey to the End of the Earth
Six years ago, Canadian Geoff Green launched the "Students on Ice" program, offering high school students the opportunity to visit Antarctica for an inspiring educational experience. The program aims to foster greater environmental awareness and respect for the planet. It has been successful as students witness firsthand the collapsing ice shelves and retreating glaciers, making the reality of global warming undeniable.
Antarctica, with its simple ecosystem and lack of biodiversity, is an ideal place to study how small environmental changes can have significant impacts. In The Journey to the End of the Earth summary, the author describes her voyage aboard the Russian research vessel "Akademik Shokalskiy" with a group of students. Her journey began 13.09 degrees north of the Equator in Madras and took her across nine time zones, six checkpoints, three oceans, and numerous ecosystems before she finally reached Antarctica after 100 hours of travel. She marvelled at the isolation of the continent and reflected on a time when India and Antarctica were part of the same supercontinent, Gondwana.
Around 650 million years ago, Gondwana existed as a massive southern landmass with a warm climate and diverse flora and fauna. Over 500 million years, it gradually broke apart, and after the extinction of dinosaurs, the landmasses drifted into their present forms, shaping the world as we know it.
Antarctica provides insights into Earth’s history, human evolution, and the planet's future. It also highlights geological phenomena like Cordilleran folds, pre-Cambrian granite shields, and environmental concerns such as ozone depletion and rising carbon levels.
The author spent two weeks in Antarctica, where 90% of the planet’s ice is stored. She was surrounded by vast icebergs, and wildlife like mites, midges, and blue whales, and experienced the surreal 24-hour daylight of summer. The silence, broken only by the sound of icebergs splitting, was awe-inspiring.
Humans, having existed on Earth for only 12,000 years, have drastically altered the environment by building cities and megacities, leading to deforestation and overpopulation.
The increasing demand for resources, rising global temperatures, and expanding carbon dioxide levels have created a concerning environmental crisis. The narrator reflects on questions about climate change, such as the potential melting of the West Antarctic ice sheets and the possible disruption of the Gulf Stream, wondering what the future holds.
Antarctica plays a vital role in understanding and addressing these issues. Even small changes, such as the thinning of the ozone layer, can disrupt the entire food chain, starting with phytoplankton, which supports marine life and impacts the global carbon cycle. The narrator’s encounter with crabeater seals and the untouched expanse of ice left her in awe of the planet’s fragile beauty.
Tishani Doshi concludes with a sense of hope, believing that while many environmental questions remain unanswered, the next generation, driven by idealism and a desire to protect the planet, can make a positive difference.
Journey to the End of the Earth Short Summary
Journey to the End of the Earth is a travelogue by Tishani Doshi, featured in the Class 12 English book Vistas. It narrates her unforgettable journey to Antarctica, a land that holds 90% of the Earth’s ice.
Doshi travelled for 100 hours aboard the Russian research vessel Akademik Shokalskiy, beginning her expedition from Madras and crossing time zones, oceans, and ecosystems. Stepping onto Antarctica’s icy expanse brought her a sense of relief after the long journey.
Six years earlier, Canadian Geoff Green launched the "Students on Ice" program to give high school students a chance to experience Antarctica firsthand. By witnessing melting glaciers and collapsing ice shelves, the students gain a deeper understanding of climate change and the urgent need to protect the planet.
Antarctica’s simple ecosystem, with its lack of biodiversity, makes it the perfect place to observe how even small environmental changes can have far-reaching effects.
Doshi reflects on the history of Gondwana, the ancient supercontinent that existed 650 million years ago, long before humans. Over time, Gondwana broke apart, giving rise to today’s continents.
Antarctica offers a unique lens into Earth’s past and a warning about its future. Doshi stayed for two weeks in Antarctica, surrounded by vast icebergs, midges, blue whales, and crabeater seals. The 24-hour daylight, the eerie silence, and the sound of icebergs cracking left a lasting impression.
She ponders how, despite humans being on Earth for just 12,000 years, we have drastically altered the planet with cities, deforestation, and carbon emissions. The rising global temperature and thinning ozone layer threaten the delicate balance of life, starting with microscopic phytoplankton that sustain marine life and regulate the carbon cycle. Antarctica holds vital clues about the impact of these changes, such as the potential collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet or the disruption of ocean currents.
The story emphasises the interconnectedness of life and the significance of preserving nature. Doshi finds hope in the younger generation, who are driven by a desire to protect the planet. Her journey concludes with awe-inspiring moments, like watching seals basking on ice, while she reflects on whether this pristine beauty will endure or be lost to human negligence.
Significance of the Chapter - A Journey to the End of the Earth
The story depicts a huge change in climate with passing years. The place has lost a lot of flora and fauna. Moreover, for over 500 million years, Gondwana flourished. The extinction of the huge living beings, the dinosaurs, Antarctica and India got separated. This story is a brief encounter of everything that would happen and that happened. An overview of how it can affect mankind to a larger extent.
Themes Explored:
Friendship and Loyalty: Tenzing's commitment to fulfilling his promise to Captain Wangmo demonstrates the depth of friendship and loyalty.
Nature's Power: The story vividly portrays the awe-inspiring yet formidable power of nature, reflecting the resilience of the human spirit against its challenges.
Cultural Exploration: Through Tenzing's interactions with the locals, the narrative offers a glimpse into the rich cultural tapestry of Ladakh, emphasizing the importance of cultural understanding.
Self-Discovery: Tenzing's journey becomes a metaphor for self-discovery, as he learns more about himself and the world around him.
Conclusion
"Journey to the End of the Earth" is a poignant and evocative tale that transcends the physical boundaries of Antarctica to explore the depths of human emotion and connection. Tishani Doshi's narrative weaves together themes of exploration, self-discovery, and familial bonds, creating a story that resonates with readers on a profound level. Through the lens of this Antarctic adventure, the narrative encourages reflection on the complexities of relationships and the enduring spirit of human exploration.
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FAQs on The Journey to the End of the Earth Summary: A Travel Tale
1. What is the Significance of the Title ‘Journey to the End of The Earth’?
The title assumes significance as the author travels to Antarctica, which is the southernmost part of Earth and almost appears at the end of it. This chapter is a memoir of the author’s journey to Antarctica with high school students on board a Russian Vessel. The two poles North and South virtually signify two ends of the planet Earth. The journey takes the author across nine time zones, three water bodies, three ecosystems and six checkpoints, which implies that almost the whole of the planet has been travelled before one reaches to the end of it. As Antarctica is at one end of the planet, it is without human existence, there is no biodiversity, no sign of billboards or trees. It is a place far far away from the crowd noise and pollution. Thus, ‘Journey to the End of the Earth’ is an apt title.
2. How are Men Responsible for Creating a Negative Impact on Earth in a Short span of 12 Thousand Years?
In a short span of human history, man has managed to destroy nature and create villages, towns, cities and megacities. Rapid human population growth and limited resources exert pressure on land. Burning of fossil fuels has only helped in increasing the average global temperature. Melting of ice-caps, depletion of ozone layers and global warming are the real and immediate dangers for making but they have been created by mankind only.
3. What are Phytoplanktons? How are they Important for the Earth’s Survival?
Phytoplankton is a single-celled plant of the sea. These grasses of the sea feed the entire marine life of the Southern Ocean. These microorganisms require a low degree of temperature for their survival. Their existence is threatened due to the overheating and depletion of ozone layers. This chapter sends a message to the readers that humans need to take care of small things so that bigger issues will fall in place.
4. What was the Objective of the “Students on Ice Programme”?
The objective of this programme was to offer the future generation of policymakers a life-changing experience at an early age. At this age, the students were willing to learn and absorb the information and most importantly act towards it. Mr Geoff Green provided high school students with an opportunity to understand and develop a respect for our planet.
5. Why does the author say that a lot can happen in a million years but what a difference a day can make?
By the following lines, the author implies that a lot of changes have been established in the past millions of years and a lot of changes are going to come with the coming millions of years. But in this long period of time, a small step of change per day can lead to a huge difference in the near future because the global climate is changing and depleting. The change can be good or bad. The situation will work accordingly. The changes will come over according to the situation.
6. What does the author mean by a journey to the end of the earth?
Journey to the end of the Earth is a travelogue. Along with other students, the author visited Antarctica. The author learnt that this is the only place in the world where the human population is never sustained. Except for the scientists, no human life exists on it., making it the "end of the earth". Moreover, for over half a million years the landmass holds the old carbon records embedded in its layer.
7. What was the first emotion of the narrator on facing Antarctica?
The landmarks of Antarctica were beautiful. The dazzling white and vast landscape holds the eyes. After such a long journey, the author was so relieved and pleased to set her foot on a landscape and a wonderful continent bestowed with beauty, named Antarctica. The sense of amazement was wonderful and the feeling of getting knowledge about the wondrous place was priceless.
8. Why is Antarctica a restricted place?
Antarctica is treated as a reserve. Moreover, it is considered a privilege and as well as a responsibility to its visitors to travel this wonderful landscape which is embedded with the most wondrous things present on earth. The Antarctic treaty protocol on environment protection has set some rules that every visitor has to follow as the continent is a natural reserve. It is considered as a jewel to the Earth that is still present and hence a restricted place and needs the permission of higher authorities to travel and overview it.
9. What is the central theme of Journey to the End of the Earth?
The central theme of Journey to the End of the Earth is environmental awareness and the need for sustainability. The author, Tishani Doshi, uses her visit to Antarctica to highlight the impacts of climate change and the fragility of Earth’s ecosystem.
10. Give a Journey to the End of the Earth Summary in points.
Purpose of the Journey: Tishani Doshi travels to Antarctica as part of Geoff Green’s "Students on Ice" program to raise awareness about climate change.
Antarctica's Significance: The continent holds 90% of the Earth’s ice, with a simple ecosystem, making it ideal for studying the effects of environmental changes.
Historical Reflection: Doshi reflects on Gondwana, the ancient supercontinent that broke apart 650 million years ago, forming the current continents.
Unique Experiences: She describes 24-hour daylight, vast icebergs, silence broken by cracking ice, and sightings of wildlife like blue whales and crabeater seals.
Environmental Impact: The author highlights how humans have caused immense damage to the planet through urbanisation, deforestation, and carbon emissions in just 12,000 years.
Climate Change Concerns: She raises concerns about melting ice sheets, ocean current disruptions, and the crucial role of phytoplankton in maintaining the marine food chain.
Key Message: Doshi emphasises the need to understand that small changes in nature can lead to major consequences and finds hope in the younger generation’s efforts to protect the planet.
