Environmental Degradation in Manian’s The Coloured Curtain: An Ecocritical Study

Abstract

Environment, which is a basic necessity of life, is in state of decline in the fast changing society. Environmental crisis has become a hot topic of discussion and debate in the literary field since the birth of Ecocriticism (Literary Theory) in the English speaking world. It has become a ubiquitous issue globally. The writers from non-English speaking world, too, touch upon environmental issues. Hence, the present study aims to examine and assess the treatment of environmental crisis in Manian’s English translated novel, Chayathirai (The Coloured Curtain), employing Ecocriticism as a theoretical framework. The study employs qualitative research methodology: relevant data is taken from the selected text, and is examined and interpreted in the light of Ecocritical theory. Ecocriticism is a theoretical tool to analyze a literary text with a view to exploring man-environment interaction, environmental degradation, and propagating eco-awareness.  The findings of the study reveal that environmental crisis is one of the most alarming issues around the globe, and man is one and only factor behind environment crisis. Dominated by anthropocentric ideology and appetite for economic progress, man blindly overuses natural resources resulting in environmental crisis. Projects in the name of development, by overusing the natural resources, jeopardize environmental sustainability. Urbanization, commercialization, and industrialization are the forces behind environmental collapse, as depicted in the novel, The Coloured Curtain. Future researchers will surely benefit from the present research, when conducting research on environmental crisis. On the basis of the findings of the present study, it can be recommended that similar research could be conducted on other genres of literature of any language.