Converging stories
race, ecology, and environmental justice in American literature
Jeffrey Myers
188 pages | ~5 hrs
Converging stories
race, ecology, and environmental justice in American literature
By Jeffrey Myers
In this thought-provoking exploration, Jeffrey Myers reveals the hidden connections between racial oppression and environmental destruction in nineteenth-century American literature. Drawing from an era marked by intensified violence against communities of color and massive ecological devastation, Myers examines how writers of the time grappled with the understanding that white supremacy and disconnection from the natural world emerged from shared roots.
The study begins with Thomas Jefferson's complex agrarian philosophy, demonstrating how the same ideas could simultaneously support both environmental stewardship and ecological harm, democratic ideals and racist structures. Myers then applies this dual lens to beloved works, examining Henry David Thoreau's writings through a racial justice perspective while exploring Charles Chesnutt's and Zitkala-Sa's stories through an environmental framework. This innovative approach uncovers how these authors developed powerful forms of resistance against both racial and ecological domination.
The analysis extends to include Ralph Waldo Emerson, John Muir, and Willa Cather, before connecting these historical voices to contemporary writer Eddy L. Harris. Through this literary journey, Myers traces the evolution of an antiracist, egalitarian relationship with nature that challenges traditional power structures.
For readers seeking to understand how social justice and environmental consciousness intertwine, this scholarly work offers valuable insights into the spiritual and philosophical foundations that continue shaping our relationship with both human communities and the natural world.
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore History and criticism
- ✓ Explore timeless philosophical wisdom
- ✓ Explore Environmental protection in literature
- ✓ Explore Racism in literature
- ✓ Explore Environmental justice
- ✓ Explore Forests in literature
- ✓ Explore Forests and forestry in literature
- ✓ Explore American literature
Topics
Details
- Published
- 2005
- Publisher
- University of Georgia Press
- ISBN-10
- 0820327441
- Pages
- 188
- Language
- EN
