A comparative survey of animal-centered Ecocriticism in the works of Sadegh Chubak and Jack London

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Department of Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Language and Literature, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.

10.22059/jor.2024.361507.2437

Abstract

Ecriticism, an emerging criticisms in the world, deals with the issue of environment in literature with crisis-oriented perspective and has many sub-branches. One of these branches is animalism. Following the aggravation of environmental crises after the industrial revolution, many writers in the world emphasized the importance of animals and saving them. One of them is Jack London, an American writer, and his outstanding works "White Fang" and "call of Wild" are examples of this trend. In the same way, Sadegh Chubak has published several animal-centered works in Iranian literature.

This research examines the similarities and differences of the works of these two authors from the perspective of animal-oriented ecocriticism, taking into account the criteria of eco-oriented ethics, and deals with the deep ethical concerns of eco-oriented ideologies, especially regarding the complex relationships between humans and animals. It explores reflection of two types of intimate and hostile relationship between humans and animals in their works. The results of the research show that both authors have depicted various forms and multifaceted narratives of animalism and anti-animalism in their stories and emphasize their intrinsic value regardless of the human-oriented utilitarian point of view. Both London's and Chubak's views are realistic, however, Chubak presents a darker vision of the future of nature and the plight of animals and sees no clear path to save them. Seeking to contribute to the scientific discourse of animalism, this research sheds light on the deep links between literature, environmental awareness and the complex dynamics between humans and animals.

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Research in Contemporary World Literature
Volume 30, Issue 1
March 2025
Pages 217-243

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