Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Nature as an uncontrolled space in George Orwell’s 'Nineteen Eighty-four' and Aldous Huxley’s 'Brave New World'

Hugsén, Jonna LU (2023) ENGK03 20231
English Studies
Abstract
This paper suggests that dystopian fiction should receive more attention within the environmental advocacy space. Despite the genre’s ability to provoke the reader, it is rarely interpreted in an environmental context. This paper aims to fill this research gap through an ecocritical analysis of two of the most famous dystopian novels: George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-four and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. It explores and highlights that environmental themes are an underappreciated part of the novels’ interrogation of modernity and human individuality. The rulers in both novels view ‘nature’ as separate from humanity, and consequently externalise and subjugate it. However, manifestations of ‘nature’ provide a lens through which the reader... (More)
This paper suggests that dystopian fiction should receive more attention within the environmental advocacy space. Despite the genre’s ability to provoke the reader, it is rarely interpreted in an environmental context. This paper aims to fill this research gap through an ecocritical analysis of two of the most famous dystopian novels: George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-four and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. It explores and highlights that environmental themes are an underappreciated part of the novels’ interrogation of modernity and human individuality. The rulers in both novels view ‘nature’ as separate from humanity, and consequently externalise and subjugate it. However, manifestations of ‘nature’ provide a lens through which the reader can see that that suppression of ‘nature’ can lead to the eradication of humanity. As such, ‘nature’ becomes a central force of resistance against sovereignty. The novels depict a second-wave ecocritical approach, showing the interconnectedness of humanity and ‘nature’, thus urging a greater acceptance of their inherent interdependence. Ultimately, this paper seeks to enrich our understanding of ecocriticism. This is done by using ecocriticism as a new and illuminating way to interpret non-environmentalist texts and by exemplifying how ecocriticism can reveal a deeper level of understanding of the relationship between different societies and the natural world in dystopian fiction. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Hugsén, Jonna LU
supervisor
organization
course
ENGK03 20231
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
language
English
id
9138921
date added to LUP
2024-01-26 15:22:13
date last changed
2024-01-26 15:22:13
@misc{9138921,
  abstract     = {{This paper suggests that dystopian fiction should receive more attention within the environmental advocacy space. Despite the genre’s ability to provoke the reader, it is rarely interpreted in an environmental context. This paper aims to fill this research gap through an ecocritical analysis of two of the most famous dystopian novels: George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-four and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. It explores and highlights that environmental themes are an underappreciated part of the novels’ interrogation of modernity and human individuality. The rulers in both novels view ‘nature’ as separate from humanity, and consequently externalise and subjugate it. However, manifestations of ‘nature’ provide a lens through which the reader can see that that suppression of ‘nature’ can lead to the eradication of humanity. As such, ‘nature’ becomes a central force of resistance against sovereignty. The novels depict a second-wave ecocritical approach, showing the interconnectedness of humanity and ‘nature’, thus urging a greater acceptance of their inherent interdependence. Ultimately, this paper seeks to enrich our understanding of ecocriticism. This is done by using ecocriticism as a new and illuminating way to interpret non-environmentalist texts and by exemplifying how ecocriticism can reveal a deeper level of understanding of the relationship between different societies and the natural world in dystopian fiction.}},
  author       = {{Hugsén, Jonna}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Nature as an uncontrolled space in George Orwell’s 'Nineteen Eighty-four' and Aldous Huxley’s 'Brave New World'}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}