Restoring Hope: An Ecofeminist Analysis Of Women And Nature In Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye And A Mercy

Toni Morrison won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993,becoming the first black female writer in American history to receive this honor.As a black female writer,Morrison represents the cultural,gender,and racial oppression suffered by black women in various traditional backgrounds through reviewing history.She enables black women to voice their own experiences to reveal social injustice.Psychoanalysis,feminism and narrative perspective have become the main theoretical hotspots in the study of Morrison’s novels.Based on ecofeminist literary criticism,this thesis analyzes Morrison’s presentation of women and nature in different historical environments in The Bluest Eye and A Mercy.It discloses the maltreatment of women and nature in a patriarchal society,and then reflects on how to build an equal relationship between people,between humans and nature.Besides,ecofeminist thoughts embodied in the novel are deeply explored as well.This main body contains three chapters besides the introduction,theoretical framework and conclusion.The introduction is about Morrison’s life and her two works The Bluest Eye and A Mercy,and it discusses the current research of the two works at home and abroad,and then it elaborates the research purpose of this thesis.The theoretical part briefly introduces ecofeminism and Karen Warren’s oppressive conceptual framework.The first chapter mainly analyzes the exploitation of women and nature.It exposes the “naturalization” and “animalization” of women,and the“feminization” of nature in patriarchal society,which has further strengthened the domination of women and nature.The second chapter explains the oppression of women and nature through oppressive conceptual framework,and it clarifies Morrison’s thought of anti-patriarchy.Morrison opposes the traditional negative portrayal of women and nature;thus,she tries to reconstruct the positive image of women and nature and recognizes the subjectivity of women and nature.The third chapter interprets Morrison’s hope for building a harmonious society from the perspective of ecofeminist spirituality.Women tries to resist the domination.They draw spiritual power from their traditional culture,nature,and female community to reconstruct themselves,which heals their wound caused by the patriarchal society.The caring relationship between women and nature is based on respect and understanding and should not be a reason for exploitation.The quality of care is significant for establishing a harmonious society whereby individual subjectivity is respected,and the similarities and differences between one and the others,including the earth other are recognized.This healthy system rejects all ideas of domination and subordination.Through analyzing the portrayals of women and nature in The Bluest Eye and A Mercy,this thesis reflects on Morrison’s ecofeminist consciousness.Morrison opposes essentialism and believes that the passivity and powerlessness of women and nature are socially rather than naturally constructed.The perseverance and tenderness of women,as well as the vitality and diversity of nature are neglected in a patriarchal society.Women should perceive their own strength,identify themselves with their national culture,and care for each other in order to achieve a complete self.Moreover,Morrison opposes dualism and patriarchy,and believes in the interconnectedness of all lives instead of a Top-Down hierarchical relationship.Human should embrace a close,equal,and respectful relationship with nature.