This thesis explores the portrayal of identity construction and expression through the protagonist Mikage's relationship with food in Banana Yoshimoto's novel "Kitchen," employing the framework of...Show moreThis thesis explores the portrayal of identity construction and expression through the protagonist Mikage's relationship with food in Banana Yoshimoto's novel "Kitchen," employing the framework of ecocriticism. By analyzing Mikage's interactions with food and the kitchen, this study investigates how she nurtures her identity, fosters interpersonal connections, and experiences nostalgia. Through tea times, kitchen scenes, and dining experiences, Mikage forms deep emotional bonds with others, using food as a medium for intimacy and solace. However, amidst her nostalgic reflections, Mikage's limited awareness of food production processes underscore a disconnect between her emotional attachment to food and its ecological implications. By examining Mikage's culinary journey, this thesis sheds light on the complex interplay between food, identity, and environmental consciousness, offering insights into the ways in which our relationships with food shape our sense of self and our connection to the natural world.Show less
Bachelor thesis | Film- en literatuurwetenschap (BA)
closed access
Deze scriptie biedt een ecokritische, literatuurwetenschappelijke lezing van de oergeschiedenis in de Hebreeuwse Bijbel en het Oude Testament, zoals beschreven in Genesis, en onderzoekt de...Show moreDeze scriptie biedt een ecokritische, literatuurwetenschappelijke lezing van de oergeschiedenis in de Hebreeuwse Bijbel en het Oude Testament, zoals beschreven in Genesis, en onderzoekt de relevantie daarvan voor hedendaagse discussies over klimaatverandering. Daarbij maak ik gebruik van een theoretische lens om drie belangrijke verhalen uit het Bijbelboek te analyseren: de scheppingsdaad, de paradijsvertelling en het verhaal over Noach en de zondvloed. Deze lens stel ik samen aan de hand van begrippen uit de theorieën van milieufilosofen Arne Næss en Bruno Latour en gaat uit van een specifiek begrip van ‘Schepping.’ Deze notie van ‘Schepping’ benadert de wereld in Genesis met behulp van een driehoeksverhouding tussen God, de Aarde en de Mens om zo de verbanden en de onderlinge afhankelijkheid van deze figuren uit te lichten. Zo komt naar voren hoe de tekst patronen van interconnectiviteit vertoont, en een beeld bevat van de wereld als cyclisch proces waarin alle elementen van belang zijn. Dit beeld nuanceert en compliceert het antropocentrische dualisme tussen mens en natuur dat de Bijbel volgens historicus Lynn White vertoont, en dat volgens hem een oorzaak is voor de ecologische crisis van nu. Door tegelijkertijd theologische lezingen van de tekst te bespreken en in de interpretatie van God in de Genesiswereld genoeg ruimte te houden voor een religieus begrip van God, blijft deze ecokritische lezing in het midden tussen religie en wetenschap. Dit zijn twee domeinen die op veel manieren tegenover elkaar lijken te staan in een debat dat door Bruno Latour wordt aangehaald, en dat ook in deze analyse centraal zal staan. Door de dialoog tussen deze twee domeinen in stand te houden, poogt deze lezing aan te tonen waarom religieuze wereldbeelden zoals dat in Genesis relevant kunnen zijn in wetenschappelijke discussies over klimaatkwesties.Show less
Many disciplines have set out to address the environmental crisis as people witness the impact of decades-long negligence and exploitation of nature. In some cases, this directly affects not only...Show moreMany disciplines have set out to address the environmental crisis as people witness the impact of decades-long negligence and exploitation of nature. In some cases, this directly affects not only their personal health but also livelihoods, security, and development. As the WMO report on climate change from 2021 shows, the distribution of the negative impact of environmental crisis is considerably unequal, and certain communities become much more vulnerable. One such example is the Gikuyu community in central Kenya. This thesis will focus on the indigenous epistemology of the environment by closely studying the Gikuyu creation myths in order to illustrate how these sources of oral tradition represent the relationship between humans and nature, and thus highlight the value of nature in African cultures. The main conclusion leading from an ecocritical analysis of the myth will demonstrate how oral tradition can serve as a propagator of ecological values in a particular community.Show less
In this thesis, I argue that the folklore in Alan Garner’s The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and The Moon of Gomrath is an active part of the landscape in which the protagonists live (Alderley Edge,...Show moreIn this thesis, I argue that the folklore in Alan Garner’s The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and The Moon of Gomrath is an active part of the landscape in which the protagonists live (Alderley Edge, Cheshire). I use Jung and Macfarlane to define the concepts of mythology and ecocriticism. Chapter 1 focuses on locality and the concepts of time and place. Bakhtin’s chronotope links archaeology to the imagination and to literature, which results in an analysis of the development of magic through place and time. This leads to the conclusion that Garner uses maps as time-machines. Chapter 2 applies my research to The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and discusses how the book uses landscape descriptions to create an awareness of local folklore and nature. All mythical creatures have their own place in the landscape, and the protagonists are pulled into the magical world through exploring this landscape. In chapter 3 applies these concepts to The Moon of Gomrath, in which not only the mythical creatures live in the landscape, but the landscape itself comes to life as the Old Magic, based on moonlight and natural energy, is woken. Both novels allow readers to be immersed in the landscape of the area without being there, and confirm that nature speaks to the imagination.Show less
In this thesis I analyse T. S. Eliot's ""The Waste Land"" in an ecocritical manner. By making use of contemporary theory on the relation between human and environment I shed new light on the...Show moreIn this thesis I analyse T. S. Eliot's ""The Waste Land"" in an ecocritical manner. By making use of contemporary theory on the relation between human and environment I shed new light on the conceptualization and representation of the environment in ""The Waste Land."" I do this by close reading descriptions of the environment in the poem, analyzing the struggle between the material and the spiritual, and analyzing language and agency.Show less
