Ecocriticism

 

            In Literary Criticism, Bressler explains that Ecocritics are concerned with how people interact with their environments upon a multitude of levels including working and eating.  Ecocritics argue that humans and the natural world are interconnected, so they study how literature portrays this relationship based on an “earth-centered approach.”  Ecocritics don’t just sit around contemplating the natural world.  They want people to become active participants in caring and respecting the natural environment.

            Ecocritics also argue that “nature writing” shouldn’t simply be pastoral and merely focus on the aesthetic beauty of the natural world.  Instead, Ecocritics emphasize the necessity of the natural world and the need for people to be committed to protecting it.  They also believe that the humanities and sciences are interconnected and should maintain a discussion about the planet.  Ecocritics focus on the relationships between characters and their landscape to illustrate how each affects and interacts with the other.

            Ecocritics may use a variety of approaches for analyzing literature.  They may concentrate on geographical areas or question the meaning of what is wild in nature.  Ecocritics may take a historical approach and consider how nature is depicted in a certain time period and how the people of that time thought about nature.  Ecocritics may also consider how social class and gender are related to landscape.