Eco-critical Awareness in John Steinbeck's The Pearl

Abstract

This research paper examines the mutual relationship between human beings and nature in John Steinbeck's The Pearl. Furthermore, it expands the eco-critical awareness in the protagonist Kino when he forgets his Mexican ecological awareness: respect, devotion, responsibility to protect the nature (Pearl) and departs to American individualism to satisfy his/her materialistic desires: food, cloth, education, marriage and consumption of commodity which results unhappiness and ruin. For the analysis, this paper uses theories of biocentrism of Paul W. Taylor, Lawrence Buell, and William Rueckert. Likewise, the theories of life-centered system of ethics and reverence of life are by Paul .W. Taylor and Albert Schweitzer. The examination of these ideas concerning biocentrism, life-centered systems of ethics and reverence of life lead to a finding that Kino who forgets his Mexican Indian ecological awareness and departs to excessive individualism which leads him to face crisis to his family and lives. Hence, Kino regains his previous happy, peaceful, communal life, and tie with nature by showing deep respect, reverence, devotion and responsibility to nature. Through this paper, it examines the happiness and prosperity does not lie in American materialism. Rather, it lies in Kino's own Mexican Indian community, culture, ritual, moral values and ethics towards the nature. Key words: nature, anthropocentrism, reverence of life, ethics.