On Study Of "Wilderness" Thoughts Of American Eco-literary Writers

Since the industrial and technological revolution, ecological crisis have beenmore and more intensified. In the long history, what human on the planet do? Facingthe serious ecological disasters, Human beings should be how to think, how to do, isright? American eco-writers exploring and thinking extremely hard and bitter for it,they are always seeking the answer for establish the human happy life order. Thethesis mainly studied the "wilderness" thoughts in American eco-literature withacross-cultural, interdisciplinary and text reading methods. It includes representativeAmerican eco-writers, for example, Henry David Thoreau, John Burroughs, JohnMuir, Aldo Leopold, Sigurd F. Olson, Edward Abbey, Gary Snyder, Holmes RolstonⅢ, etc. The paper intends to analyze the core elements of "wilderness" thoughts intheir ecological perspective. Mainly on three aspects from the poetics and aesthetics,values and ethics, practice and protection of wilderness, do the carding, analysis anddemonstration. In order to find out the common, internal consistency and difference,for grasp the "wilderness" ideas and rheological process of American eco-writers.The dissertation is composed of five parts.In the "Introduction" part, mainly includes the origin of the thesis and itssignificance, researching status at home and abroad, limitations and enlightenment,research methods and possible innovation points.In the first Chapter, the part of "Source and Evolution of "‘Wilderness’ Concept", from the perspective of Etymology，the paperintroduced source and evolution of "Wilderness" concept in thoughthistory，and analyzed the evolution of the wilderness concept. Meanwhile,The paper explained the connection of wilderness, nature and ecology.In the second Chapter, the part of "Poetics and Aesthetics of Wilderness",the paper mainly discussed the cultural context and elements of Thoreau’sWilderness Poetics, the John Burroughs’ wilderness idea, Gary Snyder’sWilderness Poetics, Sigurd F. Olson’s wilderness idea and Land Aesthetics.In the third Chapter, the part of "Values and Ethics of Wilderness",thepaper studied Aldo Leopold definition of wilderness and wilderness values,andthen, reviewed Holmes Rolston Ⅲ’s Wilderness ethics.In Fourth Chapter, the part of "Practice and Protection of Wilderness",thethesis described the rise of Wilderness Preservation Movement that led by John Muir, and studied Edward Abbey’s ideas of wilderness adventure, wildernessprotection and Eco-defense, etc.The word of "wilderness" is the core concept of the American ecologicalliterature, is also the key to enter American ecological-literary writers’ thoughts. Inconclusion of the dissertation, the author think that American ecological-literarywriters build out a full range of "wilderness" thought, such as,"In Wildness is thePreservation of the World","In God’s Wildness Lies the Hope of the World","National Parks","The Wilderness Preservation Movement", Pilgrimage to"Fresh Fields","Land Ethics","Wilderness Society","Land Aesthetics","Eco-defense","The Practice of Wild", and "Philosophy Gone Wild", etc.The American eco-literary Writers’"wilderness" ideas have multipleconnotations,"wilderness"--that includes "Walden","Cape Cod", Wilderness"University","God’s wildness","Fresh Fields","The Sand County","The SingingWilderness","Desert","Turtle Island", etc. Wilderness is a pure, true and beautifulplace, and a natural home that filled with infinite vigor, vitality and hope, Wildernessalso is a poetic dwelling for the human spirit, culture and dreams. The idea of"wilderness" is a sparkling gem that embedded in the crown of American ecologicalliterature. Wilderness thought is that the precious spiritual heritage that Americanecological-literary writers contribute to the world.The American eco-literary writers’"wilderness" thoughts are from traditionalcultural background of Christianity and freedom, that under the modern wave, formedtension relationship with industrial civilization and multi-culture. Human need to getthe survival value and significance in the "wilderness", also need to build a healthy,pure, holy, and spiritual "wilderness". In wilderness, full of awe, humility, listening,respect, tolerance, non-violence, freedom, goodness and love, and that is preciousspiritual quality and universal values. Human "diseases"--War, killing, slavery, hatred,loneliness, selfishness, indifference, evil in human nature, and technology, perhapsonly may be healed and cured in the wilderness that full of vigor and vitality. If anyindividuals or groups’ behavior deviate the "wilderness" spirit, they will not find theway back. In the boundless vitality Wilderness lies the whole secret to solve theparadox of modern human survival and spiritual dilemmas."Wilderness" is a key tounlock the eco-literature research, is also a key to open the door of the human mind.