Of what was plastic made? What died? He knew it was a product of petroleum, of oil, and so he assumed plastic was made out of the very lifeblood of the planet. When all the oil was drained, he imagined the planet quaking and shrinking in on itself, like a squeezed orange that has been sucked to death. He
The narrator reflects on the origins of plastic, pondering its composition and the implications of its connection to petroleum. He acknowledges that plastic is derived from oil, which he sees as vital for the Earth, likening it to the planet's lifeblood. This association leads him to conceptualize a future where, once all the oil is depleted, the Earth might wither and collapse under the strain of its loss.
This imagery evokes a powerful sense of dread regarding environmental degradation, emphasizing the destructive impact of resource extraction on the planet's vitality. The visualization of the Earth as a squeezed orange symbolizes the consequences of human activity and the urgency to reconsider our reliance on fossil fuels.