Reflections on "Lifelike" by Susan Orlean

In her essay "Lifelike" Orlean writes about her experience attending the 2003 taxidermy championships. She enters the subculture as an outsider, observing all of the gadgets and techniques that are the latest and greatest in the world of taxidermy. She refers to taxidermy as "the questionable enterprise of making dead things look like live things." (Pg. 244)

Orlean chronicles the history of taxidermy noting that this particular craft was popularized by the Victorians who seemed to appreciate, "any domestic representation of wilderness." (Pg. 243) She also tracks the history of the subculture of taxidermy evolving from pub meetings in 1882 to a comprehensive convention in 2003. Modern technology allows fellow taxidermists to communicate and exchange information like never before. The blogosphere can be credited with helping with the exchange of information , even allowing for conduction of business and self promotion. "I have a very nice small raccoon that's frozen whole. I forgot he was in the freezer...very cute little one." (Pg. 246) Orlean explains how taxidermists must know quite a bit about zoology, stating that every taxidermist "knows the particular creature literally and figuratively inside and out." (Pg. 245) Orlean notes that taxidermists have a passion for their craft and do love animals, "Taxidermists seem to make little distinction between loving animals that are alive and loving ones that are not." (Pg. 245) As taxidermy techniques have progressed, and become more advanced, the creatures become more lifelike than their earlier lumpy, expressionless counterparts as "the ultimate goal of taxidermists is to make the animal look as if it never had died." (Pg. 247)

There is a camaraderie and competitive nature among the members of the taxidermy convention. They want to hone their craft and put their best work before their peers. It is at this convention that their work will gain the greatest amount of notoriety and appreciation. The taxidermists even goes so far as to recreate an endangered or extinct species such as the panda. It is clear that the taxidermist takes their work very seriously. This is especially evident by the grooming station. Reading about the grooming station reminds me of something one might find at a dog show. Personally I have always been a little creeped out by taxidermy, especially birds. Orlean does not interject her opinion of taxidermy but rather presents the trade show as it comes to her. She takes a subculture that might be considered odd by some and shows the passion behind it. At the conclusion of her essay, Orlean walks through the convention hall taking note of the assorted menagerie before her, now understanding the great deal of skill that it took to instill life in the lifeless, "the stillborn Bengal tiger cub magically revived, its face in an eternal snarl, alive-looking although it never had lived." (Pg. 251)