An Ecological Analysis Of E.B. White's Children's Books

E.B. White is a famous American writer, known for his crisp, graceful, relaxed style. "No one can write a sentence like White," James Thurber once stated. As a main writer of The New Yorker, White laid a profound "New Yorker style". But what really made him famous around the world was the creation of his three children's books, Stuart Little, Charlotte's Web and The Trumpet of the Swan, hailed as the most beloved fairy tales of the twentieth century.Since Joseph Meeker first introduced the term "literary ecology" in his book The Comedy of Survival:Studies in Literary Ecology in 1972, more and more attention has been paid to the study of literature and ecology, and the concept of ecocriticism has been gradually accepted by people as well. By applying the theories of ecocriticism, this thesis attempts to explore White's ecological ideas reflected in his three masterpieces, namely Stuart Little, Charlotte's Web and The Trumpet of the Swan. By tracing the origin of White's literary ecological ideas, it is believed that his early sense of place, his childhood in the age of nature study, and his affinity for animals have a profound influence on White.By combining Gary Snyder's idea on "place" and the inspiration from Meeker's The Comedy of Survival, this thesis analyzes Stuart Little and considers it as place-based adventures. By using the concept of sense of life, the ecological view of life and death and White's thought and pursuit of rational life are explored in Charlotte's Web. By applying the concept of wilderness, the relationship between human and the natural wilderness is interpreted in The Trumpet of the Swan. On the basis of the discussion of White's natural and social ecology, this thesis attempts to throw light on White's principle and purpose of writing, namely his prospect to break anthropocentrism and build ecological harmony with respect to life and nature.Through the above analysis, it's not difficult to discover White's subconscious ecological thoughts as expressed in his books, as well as his deep love of the natural biological blend, which makes the ecological implication fully presented.