The Overstory

The novel’s main focus is the environment. The stories of the various characters, while seemingly unrelated at first, are drawn together through a shared relationship with the environment and a desire to avert the rapid deforestation occurring around the world. There are those who choose to act in a direct manner (Nick, Olivia, and the other protestors) and those who choose to act in their own, subtler fashion. Of the latter characters, for example, Neelay tries to replicate his fascination with the environment in a video game, while Dorothy and Ray allow their garden to become overgrown and wild. The actions of each characters reflect a growing belief in the importance of environmentalism and the essential need to act.

The character who best embodies this theme is Patty. For years, she preaches about the vitality and the importance of forests. She is an academic environmentalist whose ideas were too far ahead of her time; scorned and abused by the academic community, she wandered the country only to find validation and huge success in later life. As environmental conditions worsen, her work becomes even more important. She dedicates her life to environmentalism even though she suffers for her beliefs. Her book connects with characters and converts them to the cause.