A Parallel Study Of House Of Earth And Red Sorghum Clan From The Perspective Of Ecofeminism

With the theoretical underpinnings of ecofeminism, this thesis attempts toconduct a parallel study of House of Earth and Red Sorghum Clan. Regardless of thedifferent nationalities and living period of Pearl Buck and Mo Yan, both House ofEarth and Red Sorghum Clan convey humanistic concern over female and nature,which allows this thesis to make a parallel study of two novels.This thesis commences with the exploration of the theoretical framework ofparallel theory in comparative literature and ecofeminism. Then, this thesis proceedsto elaborate on the interconnections between female and nature in House of Earth andRed Sorghum Clan from conceptual, experiential, and symbolic aspects to reveal theinferior status of women and nature. After that this thesis moves to expose theoppression of female and nature by patriarchy and colonizers, including the physicaland psychological exploitation of women and the domination and destruction ofnature. Then, this thesis analyzes the approach to harmony of male with female andnature in House of Earth and Red Sorghum Clan.Through textual analysis, this thesis holds that both House of Earth and RedSorghum Clan reveal dualisms of male and female and human and nature as theconceptual roots which underpin the exploitation of female and domination of nature;advocate a universal harmony of male with female and nature; indicate the universalliterary truth and spiritual values shared across different cultures. Through parallelstudy, this thesis argues that Pearl Buck and Mo Yan address conflicts between maleand female and human and nature according to their different cultural experiences. InRed Sorghum Clan, females make a compromise with patriarchal system in variousforms, which shows Mo Yan’s concerns about his deviation from the reality and hisii justification for this transgression. By contrast, females in House of Earth achieve aharmony within, with males and nature, which unfolds before readers a picture of aharmonious world.