An Ecofeminist Reading Of Maryaustin's The Land Of Little Rain

Mary Austin was an American novelist, essayist, mainly writing on American Indian culture and social problems. The Land of Little Rain was her masterpiece. My thesis attempts to interpret this text in ecofeminist perspective.This thesis consists of three parts: introduction, body and conclusion. The introduction, firstly, reviews the significance of Mary Austin and her works. Secondly, it summarizes the previous study on her works. Then it briefly interprets the concept of ecofeminism, ecofeminist theory and ecofeminist critical approach. From the above it comes to the conclusion that it is of feasibility, originality and significance to interpret the text in ecofeminist perspective.The body consists of three chapters. The first chapter tries to explore how Mary Austin becomes an ecofeminist, which is analyzed respectively from her social background, personal experience, and her writings and statements. She lives in an era when feminism and environmentalism are booming. These movements influence her a lot, and she takes an active part in them; unequal status in family and unhappiness in marriage life force her to rebel against convention and seek nature for comfort. All these ideas integrate in her writings, which make her an early ecofeminist.The second chapter mainly explores Austin's special desert of an ecofeminist sense. Her desert is a hero, which not only overturns the literary tradition that men are heros while women and nature are merely subordinate to men, but presents"a special viewpoint on the world": communicating with women, fighting against patriarchal product industrial civilization, and treating all creatures on equal terms. Her desert is a female, a mother, who cares for women, nature and other marginalized people. Her desert is also a mediator, who coordinates various contradictions and helps to set up a harmonious community. From the above it interprets that Austin's desert has an ecofeminist sense to fight against dualism and patriarchy, and it attempts the establishment of a harmonious relationship between human and nature. The third chapter interprets people's response to the desert. In Austin's writing, people in this desert try their best to acclimate its environment, and every one loves and respects nature. Now it proves that Mary Austin has set up a harmonious system, in which human respects nature, and nature cares for human.The last part is the conclusion. From the above we can conclude that Mary Austin is an early ecofeminist, and her The Land of Little Rain can be read in ecofeminist perspective. Mary Austin has constructed a harmonious society between human and nature out of anthropocentrism and patriarchy. It enlightens us that modern people should abandon the concept of anthropocentrism and patriarchy to get close to nature and melt into nature. Only in this way can we solve present ecological crisis and keep the healthy development of our society.