Contends that classic wildlife films often portray animal protagonists living in families modeled on an ideal of the human nuclear family and working in communities that resemble an ideal of bucolic human society. In these stories--presented as documentaries--animals are motivated by human emotions and conduct relationships according to human customs. This imposition of culturally satisfying narrative patterns upon the lives of animals has not only led to the misrepresentation of the natural world; it has promoted the notion that our values, our moral vision, our models of society and family structure derive from nature, rather than being cultural formations.
Derek Bousandeacute; received his doctorate from the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, and is currently a filmmaker residing in Austria.
Quite brilliant... This fascinating book will interest all audiences.-Choice