| Rachel Carson(1907-1964)is a milestone figure in the history of eco-literature both in America and in the world.It is rarely known to the public that Carson is also an outstanding marine biologist.Her earlier books Under the Sea-Wind(1941),The Sea Around Us(1951),and The Edge of the Sea(1955)are altogether called the "Sea Trilogy",which thoroughly depict marine life,the sea itself and various types of coasts.Embedded in the "Sea Trilogy" is Carson’s increasingly elaborated ecological thinking,which paves way for the success of her later masterpiece Silent Spring(1962).It is worth mentioning that Carson’s rich ecological thoughts in her "Sea Trilogy" did not receive its due attention.Therefore,there lies necessity for a further study.This thesis consists of three parts:the Introduction,the body part including three chapters and the Conclusion.The first part briefly introduces Carson’s family background,her school life and work experience,trying to present the sources of Carson’s ecological awareness.In addition,literature review relevant to Carson herself and her "Sea Trilogy" from both foreign and domestic scholars is presented.Chapter One analyzes Carson’s ecological thinking of holism by exploring how she constructs the ecological whole of the sea,and discussing the specific manifestations of her reflection on anthropocentrism.Carson compares the marine ecosystem to the "web of life" from an ecological overall view,emphasizing the interconnectedness of all living things as well as the immortal materials cycling in this web with the basis of the laws of ecology.Meanwhile,Carson depicts the sea and marine life with scientific langue and acute observation,avoiding the anthropocentric perspective.Carson also criticizes the opposition between human beings and nature with an advocacy for people to overcome the narrow sense of superiority and self-centeredness.Chapter Two demonstrates how Carson appreciates the sea with her distinctive ecological aesthetics.Different from the traditional aesthetics of disinterestedness and subjectivity,the ecological aesthetics revealed in the "Sea Trilogy" is one of engagement and intersubjectivity.On the one hand,considering the initiative of the human subject and the significance of engagement,Carson comprehensively adopts multi-sensory experiences and actively involves her emotional thinking to fully present the ecological aesthetics of engagement.On the other hand,innovatively employing Bakhtin’s polyphony theory in the intersubjective aesthetics,this thesis reveals how the marginalized creatures appear as independent subjects with full validity and explores how the coordination between different components of nature achieves the stability and prosperity of the ecosystem.Chapter Three examines the ethical thoughts presented in Carson’s "Sea Trilogy"and interprets the new paradigm of the relationship between human beings and nature This chapter clarifies the significant influence of the principle of "reverence for life"on Carson’s ethics,and analyzes how Carson includes all forms of life in ethical field through her writing of the sea.In addition,Carson maintains the position of human beings to be the subject of responsibility in life community and advocates that people should actively assume corresponding ecological responsibilities in the technological era.In conclusion,this thesis interprets the ecological thoughts in Rachel Carson’s"Sea Trilogy" from the perspectives of ecological holism,ecological aesthetics and ecological ethics,aiming to enable people to understand the sea more comprehensively and improve the public’s awareness of protecting marine environment.With the severe global ecological crisis and increasingly prominent environmental problems,it is of great practical significance for people to live in harmony with the sea and nature through an intensive study on Carson’s ecological thoughts in her "Sea Trilogy". |
