Conserving the Environment
I think ecocriticism is a study of how the environment is reflected in literature. As such, it is not limited by the need for experimentation and observation to verify its conclusions. Instead, it would seem to me to be an attempt to understand our attitudes toward the environment as they are expressed in written works. This is not a science, but rather a more philosophical pursuit where one hopes to discover some connections between written works and the attitudes of the people who wrote them, as well as the prevalent attitudes at the time of their writing. This is a study in the humanities rather than the sciences, which rely heavily on the investigation through direct observations and experimentation to justify their claims. I suppose that the scientific approach to ecology and the environment, despite its objectivity, might at least be impacted by the attitudes of those who are doing the research and the prevailing thoughts of the time so ecocriticism might provide some insight into the how and why humans have elected to study the environment and perhaps shed some light on the development of the science as our understanding grew over time. It’s a philosophical study of how our knowledge and understanding of the environment has changed and grown rather than a scientific study of the environment itself.
The main argument of the book chapter is the society being destructive to nature (environment). Ecocritics gives a sense of environmental ethics as it advocates for protecting and maintaining the ecosystem, supporting the conservation efforts, and animal rights. The ecosystem has to be protected because it(ecosystem) is already stressed, and if it collapses, a significant portion of life on earth will die, including most, if not all, humans. Klages noted that “science has determined how plants and animals species live in certain ecosystems, and what happens when those ecosystems are changed” (Klages, 145). Additionally, humans have to support nature conservations. “ Just like gender, race, and class, all contribute to the construction of identity so too could place” (Klages, 147). Furthermore, most humans disregard the fact that animals have got rights and end up abusing them. According to Klages, “Others have charged the imperial tradition with engaging in environmental racism.” Environmental ethics are incorporated with a wide range of disciplines, for example, legislation and policymaking, ecology, sociology, and economics. Also, animals have rights and have to be respected. I would apply this theory in the literary text in helping humanity to comprehend the essence of conserving the environment.
Questions
What are the efforts enacted by humanity in conserving the environment?
What are the essences of such conservation?
Work Cited
Klages, Mary. Literary theory: the complete guide. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017.