An Invisible World

Mark A. Smith really likes to observe those little animalcules! He devotes his entire article "Animalcules and Other Little Subjects" to describing his observations and what they mean to him. He explains that these "little subjects" (268), although tiny and seemingly insignificant, are full of life and are constantly in motion. Just because these forms of life are microscopic and invisible to the human eye doesn't mean they're non-existent. Smith explains that one of the main reasons that he likes to observe these animalcules is because they are, to him, representative of human life and, in some ways, necessary to human life. Some of these animalcules are present in our bodies at this very moment. Without them, our bodies wouldn't be able to function as smoothly as they generally do.

To be honest, I was bored while I was reading the majority of this article. Most of it was devoted to describing his observations detail by detail. Microbiology has never particularly interested me, and Smith's describing the particular families and species that each microorganism belonged to failed to hold my attention. However, my interest WAS sparked towards the end of Smith's article. He began talking about how the life at the bottom of the pond is in many ways representative of human life. He explained that although we sometimes cannot see it, "life fills and overfills the world from puddle to ocean, from dirt clod to mountaintop" (272). As simple as most of these creatures are, they live in our bodies, the ground we walk on, and more or less everything else on Earth as well. Smith continues and explains why exactly he finds these observations so necessary. "You should know, then, that what works inside this jar works just as well inside of you" (270). Human beings are houses for these micro-animals, which do serve an important purpose inside our bodies. He also explains that our bodies' make-up isn't really that different from that of these animalcules. Some have exhibited evidence of consciousness and decision-making ability, making them seem more similar to human beings that we may have previously thought.

Although I don't particularly have an interest in the topic he was speaking about, Smith's use of language makes it apparent that he has an extreme love for these animalcules and even for the instruments that enable him to observe these creatures. He describes a simple microscope as if it were the most magnificent object that he has ever owned in his life. These descriptions help drive home his love for the animalcules and indirectly helps explain why he believes these observations are so necessary.