The Beak of the Finch Non-Fiction

In “The Beak of the Finch”, Jonathan Weiner is trying to tell the reader that the theory of evolution was brought about in the Galapagos Islands where Darwin first saw the finches. He collected specimens and decided that evolution must have occurred. He explains that many scientists want to literally see evolution and it has therefore been proven my many groups of scientists. The finches are a popular way to glimpse this natural phenomenon because they stay contained on one island making them easier to capture and measure as well as stay safe because they are not being hunted. The book explains that Darwin did not even think highly of the finches when he first saw them, even though they led to the theory of evolution. Weiner proves the fact that people want to see evolution by following the story of the Grants, who, for generations, have measured and observed finches on Daphne Major, an Island. It says on the back cover that ‘’Peter and Rosemary Grant have spent twenty years proving that Darwin did not know the strength of his own theory.” They have been showing just how real evolution is and how it happens even in twenty years. Another way he proves his point is by following Darwin’s journey. He talks about Darwin first arriving to the Island and when he first saw the finches.

Jonathan Weiner wants the reader to feel how important evolution is and how it affects the world and the living things in it. He wants us to think that evolution is such a wonderful thing and the fact that Darwin had this theory has changed the world. His theory became so widely known that it was named “Darwinism”. Jonathan proves his point by talking about how all of the generations of Grants have been measuring and they are seeing evolution in progress. They are literally seeing species in the process of being changed. Just saying this makes me realize how special it is to see this. He also makes me feel how important evolution is not by a specific passage, but through the whole book. If he didn’t think evolution was important, why did he write a whole book about it? This makes me understand how no one would be here without evolution.

I think that the book tells the story of evolution astoundingly and mixes in facts about Darwin’s adventure with the story about the Grants.  I want to know more about how Darwin thought of the idea of evolution in the first place, but I am only partway through the book so it may still talk about that. I found the story very interesting and it definitely added a lot to my knowledge of evolution.  I think that to some people, especially kids, it might be a smidge slow and uninteresting, but it does alter the reader’s thinking about nature. But some people may not be able to see that, so I think that only some people can get a lot out of it.