A Psalm for the Wild-Built

Through the withdrawal of humans from much of Panga’s natural world, Chambers introduces The Importance of Ecological Sustainability—“fifty percent of Panga’s single continent was designated for human use; the rest was left to nature” (18). Chambers subtly critiques our own modern urbanization of Earth. She does this through Dex, who reflects that “it was a crazy split, if you thought about it: half the land for a single species, half for the hundreds of thousands of others” (18). Humans have occupied and destroyed vast swathes of Earth’s natural habitats, illustrating an entitlement that is in line with pre-Transition Panga and contrasts with the ecologically-conscious Panga post-Transition. The similarity of pre-Transition, or “Factory Age,” Panga to Earth is further established when Dex travels on pre-Transition, asphalt roads—“the road itself was a relic, paved in black asphalt—an oil road, made for oil motors and oil tires and oil fabric and oil frames” (45). A world reliant on oil (as Earth currently is) is for Panga a thing of antiquity, characterized as wasteful, excessive, and unwise.

Chambers shows how one can practice ecological sustainability without sacrificing design or efficiency. Panga’s main city is futuristic, but sustainably designed. “Border walls” carefully protect the natural area outside of the city against destruction from urban sprawl. Infrastructure is designed to incorporate natural elements, such as vine, which covers buildings, and spaces created for plants— “leaves […] spilled lushly from every balcony and center divider” (5). Dex describes the sounds of the city, illustrating how sustainable design underpins the city’s operation. Dex uses onomatopoeia, where the sounds of words mimic their meaning. There is the “electric woosh of monorails, the swoop swoop of balcony wind turbines” (6). The narrative implies that the electricity to power the monorails is attained through the clean source of wind energy, minimizing the impact that the city’s occupants have on the land.

Dex’s wagon further reflects how Panga prioritizes sustainable living. It is made of “reclaimed cedar,” covered with solar panels, and has a “greywater filter” to clean and recycle water. It is powered by a bicycle attached to it which Dex rides, negating the need for a resource-demanding engine.

The woodland village of Inkthorn also demonstrates Panga’s desire to minimize impact on the natural world. For example, most of the village is suspended in trees so as not to disrupt the verdant life on the forest floor. The aerial homes are “roofed with either blooming turf or solar panels or both,” demonstrating the village’s desire to sustainably produce power, as well as to extend, rather than destroy, natural spaces (20). Inkthorn’s farmers utilize naturally occurring and complementary crops to feed the town sustainably—“the outer ring was farmland, packed thick with mixed grazing grasses and fruit trees and spring crops, all working in concern to create chemical magic in the soil below” (20). Chambers reminds readers of the power of working with, rather than against, existing environmental systems.

Through Dex’s work as a tea monk, Chambers explores The Search for Meaning. Dex feels an unnamable restlessness being a garden monk in the monastery in the city, which leads them to change vocation. Dex is restless to prove themself and to find purpose; they are determined to become a respected tea monk through their own grit and effort. Dex’s early struggles and awkward encounter with the grief-stricken woman foreshadow their eventual triumph and mastery of their vocation. However, this will only be a step in their quest for meaning. Ultimately, Dex will learn that joy is not found in mastery, but in simply being.

Dex’s worship of the god Allalae is implied in the prominence of the symbol for Allalae on their wagon: “Depicted large was Allalae’s bear, well fed and at ease in a field of flowers” (10). Allalae’s relaxed and peaceful state alludes to Dex’s role as a tea monk of Allalae; Dex provides comfort and ease to those who visit their wagon.

Through Dex’s desire to leave the city, Chambers explores another key theme, that of Freedom and Adventure. Dex’s sense of longing is particularly evident in their fascination with cricket song—“the urge to leave began with the idea of cricket song” (5). The lack of cricket song begins to feel like a palpable “absence,” illustrating Dex’s restless desire to leave the familiarity of the city and explore new, unfamiliar, and wild spaces. This prompts Dex’s change of vocation; their work as a tea monk enables them to travel through a range of different landscapes: woodlands, coastal landscapes, and shrublands. However, Dex finds that they are still left feeling restless and unfulfilled. Dex remains obsessed with the idea of hearing cricket song, reflecting their yearning to experience wild spaces—“frogs weren’t crickets” (37).

Dex tries to fulfill their need for adventure by leaving the established road network and heading into uncharted territory. Their need for freedom is fulfilled by journeying toward the abandoned hermitage—“nobody in the world knows where I am right now, they thought, and the notion of that filled them with bubbling excitement” (47).

Dex’s pronouns, they or them, establish that they are a nonbinary character. Dex’s nonbinary identity is normalized in the story. No characters comment or are hostile about Dex’s identity, which is not justified or explained to the reader in any way. Panga is depicted as a sexually liberated setting; Dex’s romances are uncomplicated, comforting, and short-lived: “Dex and Brother Baskin had been lovers for a time” (9). Dex has non-monogamous sexual relations that are not portrayed as shameful or promiscuous. For example, they “hooked up with the herb farmer on a few occasions,” which brings “sweetness” (22). Panga’s religious beliefs do not condemn sexuality or relationships. Freedom of choice is a recurring motif which establishes Panga as a utopian society.