Resistance to the Invasion of Land in Sarah Joseph’s Gift in Green

Abstract

This research work makes an attempt to explore the idea of resistance to the invasion of land in Gift in Green, by Sarah Joseph by applying ecofeministic perspective. The male characters such as Dinakaran, Kumaran, Markose and Ambu involving in the so-called developmental works through constructions and the encroachment of the resources of the island turning its agricultural lands into concrete jungles. The female characters such as Ponmani, Kunjootan, and Shailaja, Karthiyani, who love and feel of being attached themselves with farming, fishing and cultivating. They have passionate attachment with the mother earth. They do not do any harm to the land of Aathi. They never imagine leaving the island. They hate people who come to buy the fertile land there. They also do not like people who sell and lease their productive land for money and job. They have special attachment with the water and land of Aathi. They have also protested and defied against the idea of constructing bridge destroying and devastating the productive land of Aathi. They also love animals and birds of the island. They are in a sense living in a perfect harmony with the nature and its beauty. In fact, female characters are striving and aspiring to keep the ideal of Aathi intact by performing their eco-friendly activities. While their male counterparts simply perform the so-called eco-inimical activities, that finally bring destruction and devastation in the island. Women have soft corner and regard land as an organic entity while men are seen exploiter of the land and consume land as an inorganic object. Therefore, nature is seen as the embodiment of all the characteristics that women possess.