Through the Arc of the Rain Forest

Through the Arc of the Rain Forest creates a cautionary message to readers about the irreparable harm humans can cause the planet. To build this message, Yamashita compares the natural world with the industrial. The novel spans a global setting: from New York to São Paulo to the Matacão and beyond, and each time the characters interact with nature, it is a positive experience. At the start of the novel, Chico loves his life living by the ocean in Ceará. He takes only what he needs to feed himself and his neighbors, living harmoniously with his surroundings. When Chico begins his pilgrimages and passes through the cities of Brazil, he observes places “where the sun barely filters through a tight network of skyscrapers trapping a thick layer of carbon monoxide, electric and telephone wires grasping tenaciously at everything,” a harsh contrast to his seaside life (72).

Birds, too, are portrayed in a positive light. Batista and Michelle find great joy studying and caring for birds. When Michelle recounts seeing a rare bird, she recalls “The beautiful black eyes, the soft yellow and green hues tapering into the sky blue of its wings and tail