Ecological sublimity in Pearl S.Buck's The Good Earth and Arundhati's Roy's The God of Small Things
Date
2022
Authors
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Publisher
Department of English
Abstract
This research explores and analyses the sense of ecological sublimity the
protagonists from Pearl S. Buck's The Good Earth (1931) and Arundhati Roy's The
God of Small Things (1997) go through. The Good Earth tells a story of a protagonist
named Wang Lung, who realizes the richness of the land despite its maltreatment
caused by modern development in China. The God of Small Things deals with the
characters Rahel and Estha who are moved by the water pollution in the River
Meenachal because of the expansion of the tourism industry in Kerala, India. Both the
novels project the interconnection of human beings and nature through land and water
resources. These protagonists and other characters from both novels claim that
mistreatment of land and water resources brings pain to human life. They speak for
the need of harmony and integration with nature as the harbinger of joy and bliss. This
research aims to highlight and explore the ecological sensibility the protagonists live
through. For this, a systematic exploration of the fiction with the eco-critical insights
envisioned by Aldo Leopold and Paul W. Taylor has been taken. The protagonist, in
both novels, rises above the aftermath of materialistic rupture during their journey.
They display their abundance of love for natural resources like land and water
resources. Otherwise, they would have neither coped up with the modern
development nor shown a tribute to River Meenachal. From the perspective of
protagonists, eco-critical vision is a gateway to experience the sublime world and
attain blissful pride.
Description
Keywords
Ecological sensibility, Ecological sublimity, Encroachment, Integration