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Navigating Environmental Grief in The Year of the Flood: Margaret Atwood’s Speculative Ecology
Ms Renu
Abstract:
This paper examines Margaret Atwood's The Year of the Flood through the lens of speculative ecology, a literary approach that extrapolates current environmental concerns into a future context. Atwood's dystopian narrative serves as a cautionary reflection of our present environmental predicament, portraying a world marred by unchecked consumerism and industrialization. Central to the narrative is the exploration of environmental grief, a profound emotional response to the loss of biodiversity and ecological balance. The Gardeners, a central group in the novel, embody a grassroots response to environmental degradation, advocating for biodiversity preservation and sustainable communities. Atwood's narrative also delves into the nuanced relationship between technology and the environment, emphasizing its potential for both exacerbating and ameliorating ecological issues. The characters' resilience in adapting to a drastically altered world serves as a testament to the human capacity for survival and transformation in the face of adversity. Through these themes, Atwood prompts readers to critically engage with the urgency of addressing our current ecological trajectory. The paper draws on established scholarly literature in environmental psychology, eco-criticism, and grassroots environmental movements to provide a comprehensive analysis of Atwood's speculative ecology.