The Development Of Jack London's Ecological Thought In "All Gold Canyon", Burning Daylight And The Valley Of The Moon

Jack London (1876-1916) is an early 20th-century American realistic writer. Londonexpressed his concerns about ecological problems in his later works. Therefore, the presentthesis explores the development of Jack London's ecological thought in his later works"All Gold Canyon" (1906), Burning Daylight (1910) and The Valley of the Moon (1913)from the approach of eco-criticism grounded in deep ecology principles.This thesis consists of four chapters plus an introduction and a conclusion. Theintroduction focuses on a review of the existing research on Jack London abroad and home:especially of the books and essays related to London's ecological awareness, and it thenpoints out the inadequacy of the existing research on London's ecological thought. Inchapter one, several related theories are introduced, especially the principles of deepecology. Chapter two elaborates on how London presents his newly awakened ecologicalconscience through his contrasting descriptions of man's desire-driven action and theecologically balanced valley in "All Gold Canyon". In chapter three, the discussion centerson how London offers the solution to the ecological problem advanced in "All GoldCanyon" through the narration of the hero's ecological Self-realization in Burning DaylightLondon identifies respect for nature and women as the solution. Chapter four probes intohow London presents his further reflection upon the ecological problem through thedepiction of the protagonists' quest for an ecologically sustainable society in The Moon ofthe Valley. In this novel, man's profit-driven plundering of the land is criticized as thedeeper cause that ruins the hope of survival of both man and the earth, and women's role isemphasized as the guiding force leading men to a higher civilization——the ecologicalsociety. The conclusion first summarizes London's ecological thought: shortsightedanthropocentricism is the deeper cause of the ecological crisis, and the solution lies in theshift of the old values that mankind is the master over nature and men are superior towomen to the new values that humankind is part of nature and women have an importantrole in protecting the earth. The conclusion then illustrates the realistic significance of Jack London's ecological thought.