Criticism Of Oppression And Construction Of Harmony

Based on detailed analysis of the text, this thesis attempts to explore the relationship among human beings, nature and races in Alice Walker's The Color Purple from the perspective of ecofeminism. In this novel, Walker depicts the existential dilemma of African American women living under the simultaneously triple oppressions of patriarchal ideology, colonialism and racism and discloses males'exploitation of nature. By placing human beings and nature on the same moral par, Walker conveys her outlook on interconnectedness among all things. Obviously, Walker takes an ecofeminist stand. As this thesis argues, the ecofeminist thought in The Color Purple enables us to see how African American women and nature resist against the triple oppressions of androcentrism, racism and colonialism and reconstruct a harmonious world.As one of the most important movements took place in the 1980s, ecofeminism has become a prominent critical approach combining ecological criticism and feminism. Ecofeminism is both"feminine"and"ecological". In the analysis of the complex relationship of women and nature, the kaleidoscopic lens of ecofeminism takes into consideration all kinds of social oppressions, such as racism, colonialism, militarism, sexism, etc. In this novel, the exposure of oppression over women and exploitation of nature inflicted by patriarchal society and colonialism is consistent with the task of ecofeminist criticism.An ecofeminist study of this novel will reveal previously unnoticed elements by narratology, ecocritism and womanist criticism and reexamine all dualistic oppressive relationships in the text. Except introduction and conclusion, this paper consists of three chapters:Chapter one probes into the interconnectedness of various dominations originating from patriarchal ideology. Walker's female characters, who deeply love nature, cannot immune from the persecution of patriarchy and colonialism, nor can nature escape from the colonialist exploitation. This chapter is divided into two parts. The first one analyses the connectedness of men's domination over women and nature; the second one focuses on the interconnection of colonialism and the exploitation of nature. Through the above-mentioned analysis, it is obvious that Walker not only criticizes the patriarchal society that oppresses women and nature, but also shows her concern about the oppressed.Chapter two aims to illustrate the strategies adopted by women, nature and men to resist against oppression. These strategies include the alliance of women as counter-power, nature as counter-power, and black men as counter-power.Chapter three elaborates on the establishment of harmonious community. With the reference to her creative intention and personal experience, this chapter probes into Walker's ecofeminist awareness, including cultural diversity, pantheistic spirituality and restoration of ecofeminist partnership.This paper is expected to shed light on the research of the novel and raise people's ecological awareness. Viewed from ecofeminist perspective, it can be concluded that Walker, having stood in front of time, is conscientiously preoccupied with the ecofeminist cause of criticizing men's twin dominance over women and nature and providing an ideal model for construction of harmonious relationship among women, men and nature.