In Charles Darwin’s book, On the Origin of Species, I was very intrigued by a passage that Darwin wrote comparing a tree to life and its “struggle for existence.” I really enjoyed this passage because it was quite different. I was not used to reading a scientific novel that had used metaphors before. I enjoyed this passage because it painted a picture of what Darwin must have been thinking during the time he was coming up with his theory on natural selection. This tree metaphor that Darwin uses helps explain natural selection and is also a good indicator of what he was imaging before he drew his “tree of evolution.” Darwin wrote, “At each period of growth all the growing twigs have tried to branch out on all sides, and to overtop and kill the surrounding twigs and branches, in the same manner as species and groups of species have tried to overmaster other species in the great battle for life” (123). The ones that do not survive are the branches that are “killed.” When branches are “killed” new branches will emerge and take its place. When Darwin says, “great battle for life” he again is talking about the “struggle for existence.” Although this too is a metaphor, Darwin is revealing to the audience that it is the weak that die off, and if your species does not have a strong characteristic that will help you reproduce and survive then your species will eventually die off.

I think another reason why Darwin decided to use metaphors in his book especially this passage, was because this book was intended for the general population, so that they could better understand his belief of natural selection. Darwin writes, “The green and budding twigs may represent existing species; and those produced during each former year may represent the long succession of extinct species” (123). This quote shows how he is trying to describe groups of species like the twigs on the branches. Some species will survive others will not.  I believe this metaphor would have made it much easier for readers to understand what Darwin was trying to explain, especially such a new and inventive topic. I also believe Darwin used a metaphor on this specific idea because he was trying to stress the importance of the concept for the “struggle of existence” and natural selection. Darwin describes this process nicely for the reader due to the fact that he shows that even though species or “twigs” die off others will still survive and continue to create new branches. These branches also show the interconnectedness of his idea of natural selection.