The Interpretation Of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone-From The Perspective Of Ecofeminism

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone has been popular throughout the world since its publication. The writer J. K. Rowling was awarded the British Book Award for Children's Book of the Year, British Book Awards and Birmingham Cable Children's Book Award, etc. Then Harry Potter series gained an amazing success all over the world. In more than ten years, Harry Potter series entered the study vision of growing number of scholars. Up until now, their studies have been diversified.Reviewed the studies on Harry Potter series at home and abroad, they are mainly concerned with the children's literature, theme, narrative structure, writing skills,cultural background, religion, morality perspectives, and so on. However, there are rare researches from the perspective of ecofeminism.Because Rowling's special experience, the female's distinctive thinking and humanistic feelings deeply affect her writing, she unconsciously expresses thinking and concern about the fate of woman, nature and the vulnerable groups in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. As a new kind of feminism and ecologismcombined critical theory, ecofeminism emphasizes the interrelationship between women and nature and criticizes the patriarchy values system. It advocates sexual equality, environment protection and ecological harmony.Rowling is a writer with ecofeminist awareness and expresses her deep concern about the relation between human and nature, the conflicts between men and women,men and nature in the novel. The thesis tries to analyze Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone based on several important viewpoints of ecofeminism: ethic culture, patriarchal dualism, logic of domination, etc., and it tries to discover the new aspects of the text based on the previous studies. By exploring the ecofeminist awareness from the novel, this thesis helps to give readers enlightenment that human beings should rethink the fate and position of women and nature. It also helps to advocate constructing the equal and harmonious relationships among men, women and nature.This thesis is divided into six chapters. Chapter One is the introductory part which starts with introduction to J. K. Rowling,her growth, living environment and the introduction of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Then, there are literature review of the novel, theoretical foundation of ecofeminism. Last, it introduces the methodology, goal and the significance of the thesis.Chapter Two to Chapter Five illustrate Rowling's ecofeminist awareness with specific studies in her novel based upon the viewpoints of ecofeminism respectively.Chapter two analyzes the values of women characters and nature to emphasize both of them are indispensable parts of the whole ecosystem. Chapter Three puts stress on close interconnection between nature and women, which illustrates from three aspects:women's close link to nature, women's identity with nature in soul and women's sensitivity to destruction of nature. Chapter Four accuses patriarchal oppression.Firstly, it shows relationships of imbalance to criticize patriarchal culture. Secondly, it discloses the double oppression from patriarchy, criticizes that men's excessive desires cause natural problems, and advocates the rebellion of women and nature.Chapter Five explores the ideal relationship among men, women and nature. It reads Rowling's wish to construct a holistic and diverse world with love and harmony.The last chapter is the conclusion part which is a summary of the full thesis,makes brief description of the main points, research method and result. It points out the significance of the study: with special life experience and female identity,Rowling forms her ecofeminist awareness and expresses it in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Moreover, Rowling attempts to wake up human beings' reconsideration of the fate of women and nature by criticizing the traditional male-centered thinking mode, and advocates the construction of an equal and harmonious world. Through the ecofeminist study of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, this thesis will, hopefully, make contribution to the study of Harry Potter series.