Authors : Manesh N. Thakur
Page Nos : 73-76
Description :
The degradation of the environment is the key concern of the contemporary world. Our Mother Earth provides us with food, shelter and most of our requirements. Despite her kindness to us, we humans are being cruel to our earth with our selfish activities. Ecocriticism emerged as a literary theory towards the end of the 20th century. It is a study of the relationship between nature and literature. Various ecological movements have been taking place to fight environmental issues. Literature is also shifting its focus on ecological matters. Ruskin Bond is one of the most prominent novelists and short story writers of recent times. He resides in Mussoorie, at the foothills of the Himalayas. The region is blessed with an abundance of scenic beauty, flora and fauna. He is primarily considered as a nature writer. Being a nature lover, Bond is able to bring out the essence of the environment in his writings. He is concerned about the degradation of the environment at the cost of urbanization and development. His concern is reflected in his short stories. The present paper aims to study Ruskin Bond’s environmental concern in his short stories in the light of ecocriticism. It would shed ample light on how Bond portrays the relationship between man and nature in his works.
