Exploring the Wilderness: An Ecocritical Analysis of Kristin Hannah’s The Great Alone

C. Nesavathy
Research Scholar, Reg No. 18223154012005,
Department of English, S.T. Hindu College, Nagercoil-629002, Tamil Nadu, India.
(Affiliated to Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Abishekapatti, Tirunelveli-627012)
Email: nesavathyroydhas@gmail.com

Dr. Karthika Premkumar
Associate Professor, Department of English,
S.T. Hindu College, Nagercoil-629002, Tamil Nadu, India.
(Affiliated to Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Abishekapatti, Tirunelveli-627012)
Email: karthikapremkumar@ymail.com

Abstract
William Rueckert coined the term ‘ecocriticism’ in 1978. The idea of ecocriticism originated as ‘literary ecology’ in Joseph Meeker’s 1972 book, The Comedy of Survival. Ecocriticism is a literary and cultural theory that studies the relationship between literature and the environment. It examines how literature represents the connection between humans and non-humans. It is also known as environmental criticism or green cultural studies. Kristin Hannah is a famous American writer whose novels include Night Road, Firefy Lane, True Colors and Winter Garden. Kristin Hannah’s The Great Alone presents a vivid illustration of nature’s dual role as both nurturing and destructive. The novel, published in 2018, shows the complicated relationship between humans and the Alaskan backwoods. The novel portrays the struggle for survival and the wilderness that lives in both human and nature. This paper explores the theme of survival and vulnerability in the novel. This paper also highlights how nature influences human lives, emotions and identities from an eco-perspective. It depicts the feminine connection to nature by examining the character of Leni. It also represents the influence of human activities on the environment and questions modern society’s detachment from the natural world.

Keywords: Wilderness, Emotion, Identity, Survival, Vulnerability, Ecocriticism.