# Nature and the Environment in News from Nowhere

> Theme guide for News from Nowhere by William Morris.

The narrative celebrates a restored, pastoral England where cities have been 'de-cockneyfied,' the Thames is clean, and the landscape is treated as a garden for pleasure and livelihood, contrasting with the polluted, degraded environment of the industrial past.

## Where it surfaces

- [Discussion and Bed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/i-discussion-and-bed): The narrator's mood shifts upon encountering the moonlit river and clear sky, contrasting the oppressive urban environment with the beauty of nature.
- [II: A Morning Bath](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/ii-a-morning-bath): The narrator marvels at the clear water, blooming gardens, and absence of industrial smoke, highlighting a restored natural environment.
- [IV: A Market by the Way](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/iv-a-market-by-the-way): The landscape is transformed into sunny meadows, garden-like tillage, and a rescued creek with gay boats, emphasizing harmony with nature.
- [Children on the Road](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/v-children-on-the-road): Kensington Wood is depicted as a romantic, wild space where children and adults live in tents during summer, emphasizing a life integrated with nature.
- [An Old Friend](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/viii-an-old-friend): The chapter contrasts the old crowded city with the new green spaces, gardens, and tree-lined lanes.
- [X: Question and Answers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/x-question-and-answers): The transformation of England from 'a country of huge and foul workshops' into 'a garden, where nothing is wasted and nothing is spoilt' is a central theme, with villages revived and towns blending into the countryside.
- [XVIII: The Beginning of the New Life](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xviii-the-beginning-of-the-new-life): The new spirit of the age is described as an intense love of the earth and its surface, and nature is bettered rather than worsened by contact with mankind.
- [XXI: Going Up the River](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xxi-going-up-the-river): The sunny morning, the Thames river, the noble trees, and the beautiful waterside houses create a pastoral setting that enhances the joy of the journey and the hayfield work.
- [XXIII: An Early Morning by the Runnymede](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xxiii-an-early-morning-by-the-runnymede): The chapter opens with a vivid description of the riverside at dawn, emphasizing the beauty and harmony of the natural world, which is central to the new society's values.
- [XXV: The Third Day on the Thames](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xxv-the-third-day-on-the-thames): The chapter highlights the rich wildlife and the villagers' deep knowledge of flora and fauna, contrasting with the ignorance of past country folk.
- [XXVII: The Upper Waters](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xxvii-the-upper-waters): The beauty of the Thames landscape and the restoration of natural surroundings after the removal of railways and industrial blight highlight the harmony with nature.
- [XXVIII: The Little River](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xxviii-the-little-river): Ellen and the Guest marvel at the small scale and beauty of the upper Thames, contrasting it with the careless past.
- [The Journey's End](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xxx-the-journey-s-end): The beauty of the river and its banks is celebrated, with emphasis on careful stewardship that blends utility with natural aesthetics.
- [XXXI: An Old House Amongst New Folk](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xxxi-an-old-house-amongst-new-folk): Ellen's profound love for the earth, seasons, and the old house embodies the theme of harmony with nature.
- [The Feast's Beginning … The End](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/chapters/xxxii-the-feast-s-beginning-the-end): Dick expresses a passionate love for the earth and the changing seasons, contrasting with the old world's distaste for nature's drama.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/themes/nature_and_the_environment
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/news_from_nowhere_se/themes