Carson asserts the tragic abuse and suffering of all life due to the use of pesticides. The most notable of deaths are the birds, being described as a “pitiful heaps of many hued feathers”. This strong imagery as well as descriptive diction bring life to once many beautiful birds. Noting the “heaps”, enormous piles of feathered remains, not their corpses, give evidence to the tragic acts brought upon them. This strikes the audience’s pathos as they feel sympathy for these poor birds. Carson reveals the destruction of Parathion further, as she asks, “Does Indiana still raise any boys who roam through woods or fields…?” She uses a rhetorical question enveloped with imagery to emphasize the tragic results of Parathion. The imagery also invokes