Essay Questions

Identify and discuss two themes prevalent in the “No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference.”

The first evident theme in the “No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference” is climate change. Most of the speeches of Greta Thunberg are geared towards addressing the issues touching the climate. Global warming has become a threat because it is endangering ecological life and something needs to be done to combat the vise. Through his commitment, Greta has become a great activist of climate change. She backs up proposals that are meant to reduce the human impact on climate change. She has an opportunity to deliver climate change speeches in several European Union and United Nations meetings. The second theme rampant in the story is pollution. The continuous emission of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases does not only affect climate, but also the quality of air inhaled by the living things. Industries continue to emit carbon to the atmosphere, which compromises the quality of air. Therefore, she argues that there is a need to reduce carbon pollution to make the world a better place to live in.

Explain two examples of similes used by the author in the “No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference.”

The author uses similes to help the reader have a clear picture of the situations discussed in the story. The first simile is evident when Greta delivers her speech at the European parliament. She compares human culture as the castle build on the sand. She means that no matter how civilization seems good from outside, the reality is that it is weak because its foundation is built on the sand. The author uses the second simile when she compares celebrities to gods. During her interview in a TV show, Greta confirms, "human beings view celebrities as gods." She means that people worship celebrities. Additionally, she meant that celebrities have a big influence on the masses but have little regard for the negative impact of human beings on the climate.

How does Greta Thunberg use the motif of the burning house to build her themes?

The author demonstrates the immoral consequences of climate change using the motif of the burning houses. Destruction of the environment is immoral because the consequences are harsh. For instance, forest fires are because of climate change and when they occur, massive losses are reported. Forest fires destroy houses and animal habitats. Greta expects leaders to be reasonable and put measures in place to curb climate change to save humans and other creatures living on earth.