An Analysis Of Wild Animals I Have Known From The Perspective Of Deep Ecology

Wild Animals I Have Known is Ernest Thompson Seton's masterpiece. The book is composed of 8 short stories about animals. Arne Naess, a philosopher from Norway,created the term “deep ecology”. Critics also call it ecosophy. He forms the term to expound his own life philosophy which aims at realizing ecological harmony. Since deep ecology has been an integral part in ecocriticism, the studies on deep ecology are significant but not enough. Even though Seton has been famous for his animal fictions and Wild Animals I Have Known, scholars abroad pays much more attention to Seton's journal and his life, while scholars in China lay their focuses on the animals' images and the ecological ethics in Seton's works. The thesis aims at analyzing Wild Animals I Have Known from the perspective of deep ecology, which includes two ultimate norms, namely, biocentric equality and Self-realization, and eight principles of deep ecology.The thesis is composed of six chapters.Chapter One consists of three sections which embody an introduction of Ernest Thompson Seton and his novels, literature review and the research significance and purpose.Chapter Two is theoretical basis which includes a brief review of ecocriticism and an overview of deep ecology containing the comparison between shallow ecology and deep ecology, biocentric equality, self-realization and eight principles.Chapter Three gives a detailed analysis of biocentric equality in Wild Animals I Have Known from two perspectives, namely, respect for equal rights and respect for inborn intelligence. Seton shows his full respect for other living things' equal rights to live and occupy homeland in Wild Animals I Have Known. Besides,Seton pays his respect for other species' inborn intelligence, especially the animals' inborn intelligence.Chapter Four makes an analysis of Self-realization in Wild Animals I Have Known from two perspectives, namely, biological diversity and empathy with animals.Seton shows his full respect for biological diversity by giving close observation to wild animals, plants. Even though he devotes his time to observing animals, he never makes his attempt to hurt them. Further more, he empathizes with every animal's suffering and pleasure he depicts in the book. And he commits his energy to knowing wild animals without disturbing their lives.Chapter Five analyses eight principles of deep ecology in Wild Animals I Have Known from two perspectives. That is to say, respect for intrinsic value and criticizing human's excessive interference will be exemplified in this part. Seton shows his full respect for other living beings' inherent value and heavily criticizes humans' excessive interference with the nonhuman world. Seton shows his deep concerns for the environment pollution, excessive hunting and excessive enclosure.The last chapter is a summary and conclusion of the whole dissertation, in which the theme of the thesis will be re-asserted: Seton's deep ecological consciousness concerning biocentric equality, Self-realization and two embodiments of eight principles of deep ecology are well proven in Wild Animals I Have Known.