Subversion And Introspection

Peter Dickinson is one of the most representative authors in England since 1970 s.Beginning with his first children's novel The Weathermonger,almost every book of his is enjoyed by the readership and acknowledged by numerous children's book awards.And the dystopian science fiction Eva is one of his most influential works.In a way of dystopian scientific narrative,the novel pictures a world in near future that human pursuits a highly advanced technological ideal world at the price of sacrificing the nature.However,the end of world crisis is making people rethink of the mutual relationship between man and nature,culture and nature in reality.This paper is based on this kind of introspection and takes the perspective of ecocriticism to analyze the binary opposition of man and nature,culture and nature in the text of Eva and its further connotations.Chapter one looks into the binary opposition of man and nature and the subversion of this kind of opposition.In this chapter,three typical characters,Eva's father,Grog and Eva in the book are carefully examined.It shows that man and nature are gradually put into antagonistic positions with the development of human society.However,when this binary relationship centering on human goes beyond a reasonable degree,it will be restored in balance by nature in some way.Chapter two explores the binary opposition of culture and nature and the subversion of this kind of opposition.Owing to the rapid development in urbanization,man lives in the city,the modern capital living space.Eventually,the alienation of people and survival crisis are coming and the only way to avoid that is to return to nature.The author presents an adventure story escaping from city to nature by the way of wilderness narrative.It signifies that the continuing development of human culture should be based on the respect for nature.Chapter three discusses the binary opposition of anthropocentrism and ecocentrism and the introspection.The binary oppositions of man and nature,culture and nature are rooted in the traditional value of anthropocentrism.However,the contemporary concept of ecocentrism in ecocriticism fully rejects anthropocentrism.Ecocriticism disapproves of the traditional western value system and welcomes the concept of ecocentrism in the time of our age.It provides a new way of thinking for man about how to live along well with nature and develop in balance.All in all,by the way of dystopian scientific narrative,Peter Dickinson's Eva profoundly reveals the binary opposition of man and nature,culture and nature and gives a second thought about the traditional western value of anthropocentrism and affirms the value of ecocentrism in contemporary time.