Self-Identity Pursuit In Nature

In this paper the present writer intends to explore the relationship between nature and human beings through analyzing The Shipping News from the perspective of ecocriticism. Annie Proulx, born in Connecticut, is a notable contemporary American literary writer. She achieves her reputation as a fiction writer at the age of fifty-eight with the publication of her first novel Postcards (1992) which earns her the PEN/Faulkner Award in 1993. The Shipping News, as her second and most widely accepted and acclaimed novel, brings her more honors: National Book Award for Fiction in 1993 and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1994. So far, she has published two collections of short stories, four novels, etc., arousing wide attentions from critics and researchers both at home and abroad.The appearance and development of ecocriticism are greatly owing to more and more serious environmental crisis around the world. The concept of"ecocriticism"was first proposed by William Rueckert in the article named"Literature and Ecology"in 1978. As an increasing number of literary researchers realize the importance of ecological problems and their own ecological responsibilities, the study on ecological literature becomes much broader. Ecocriticism turns to be one of the main forces in the field of literary criticism. Ecocritics call for the combination of literature and ecology and emphasize that literary critics should have ecological vision. In an era that technology and industry develop so rapidly, human attitude toward nature and the relationship between them deserve further discussing.Proulx is something of geography determinist, believing that regional landscapes, climate and topography dictate local cultural traditions and kinds of work. Her works mainly focus on the historical and economic changes of rural areas in the west. She says that"I have been interested in the disappearance of dairy farms in New England, the collapsing fishing industry in Atlantic Canada and the slow fade of cattle ranching in the west". (Proulx, 2005: 129) The Shipping News is just set in Newfoundland of Atlantic Canada. By the time she finished the novel, she had made nine trips to this island and devoted herself to learning the inhabitants'history, culture, lore and language. Just as she once said the island is a place of"deepest personal significance". As a matter of fact, in her writings place has a curative power. Quoyle and his new family left the city for a rural island where generates their ancestors. Through the change of living environment, Quoyle gradually learns to value himself and finds his identity in the community. Therefore, Quoyle's travel from city to the rural island is actually a journey from one ideology to another. Proulx emphasizes the necessity and possibility of the harmonious relationship between human beings and nature, which is exactly in accordance with the purpose of ecocriticism. This thesis is divided into six chapters:In Chapter One, the author makes a general introduction of Annie Proulx, content of The Shipping News, and literature review of the novel.Chapter Two is the presentation of the development, definitions and theoretical basis of ecocriticism.Chapter Three is an analysis of Quoyle's loss of identity both in family and community. Under the social circumstance dominated by anthropocentrism, the expansion of material desires causes the alienation between human beings and nature, as well as among individuals. Quoyle, who is considered to be a total loser, is alienated by his family and community. However, he does not realize his sufferings are rooted in people's indifference to nature.Chapter Four presents the possibility that Quoyle pursues self-identity during the course of interaction with nature with the help of Leopold's land ethic. Persuaded by his aunt, Quoyle and his family move to Newfoundland, which is an island far from modern civilization but closer to nature. Quoyle gradually overcomes the fear of water, boat and the sea. He not only realizes an equal relationship between man and nature, but also takes the responsibility of protecting the environment around them bravely. His sense of self-confidence and self-identity grows in the process of his interaction with nature.Chapter Five mainly discusses that Quoyle is able to find his identity within both family and community through returning to nature. As time goes by, impacted by people around him, Quoyle has fallen in love with the place with an uncertain climate, the sea, the inhabitants and his job. He feels a sense of integration with the nature and harmonization with family members and other individuals. This is just in accordance with the theory of deep ecology advocated by ecocritics.In the last part the author draws the conclusion that true civilization and progress lie in the harmonious relationship between man and nature. Therefore, nowadays, if human beings want to truly return to the harmonious relationship with nature, they have to completely acquire the ability of solving the severe environmental pollution and resource exhaustion generated in the process of industrialization and commercialization.