This revelation is just another experience Will has that chips away at his outer shell of being "Taker" to reveal the "Leaver" that is within. While talking with Bert one night, Will's perception of his world and the Ecotopian world are put into a different perspective: "Our system meanders on it's peaceful way, while your has constant convulsions. I think of our as like a meadow in the sun. There's a lot of change going on -plants growing, other plants dying, bacteria decomposing them, mice eating seeds, hawks eating mice, a tree beginning to grow and shat the grasses. But the meadow sustains itself on a steady-state basis -unless men come along and mess it up."Will begins to see that the Ecotopian way of life can seem like it changes constantly, but if you look at it from a bigger perspective, you'll see that it's not so hectic and that in fact, it's the American way of life is the truly hectic one. All of these experiences slowly pushed Will toward thinking and acting like a "Leaver", but the final push that put him over the edge happened during his kidnapping. Will decided to "kill some time by putting [his] clothes in order". He took out his American suit and laid it out on the bed. Then, just fooling around, he decided to put on his shirt to see what he looked like. He finished up by putting on the whole two-piece suit. As he caught his reflection in the mirror Will says, "I looked awful. I didn't look human. I finished tying the tie, and put on the jacket besides, and went over to the mirror again. This time the ugly American me was almost sickening- I really thought I might have to throw up." After six weeks of being surrounded by the Ecotopian society, beginning to feel at home, and adopting many of the "Leaver" characteristics; Will puts on his old clothes and is reminded of how he used to be. He was the ugly American who upheld all the beliefs of "Takers". And when he sees himself again after living in the "Leaver" world he...
