From Ego to Eco:
Understanding Suresh Frederick’s Earth-Centred Criticism: Ecocriticism
“Ecocriticism is earth-centred and all the
other approaches are ego-centred”.
— Suresh Frederick
In this powerful and
thought-provoking statement, Indian ecocritic Suresh Frederick urges readers
and scholars to rethink how we interpret literature. Unlike most literary
theories that place human beings and their struggles at the centre,
ecocriticism turns our attention toward the Earth itself. It is a call to shift
our perspective from ego to eco.
What
Does “Earth-Centred” Mean?
To be earth-centred (or ecocentric) means placing nature and the
environment at the heart of our analysis. When reading literature from an
ecocritical perspective, we ask:
·
How
does this text portray nature?
·
Is
the Earth treated with respect or exploitation?
·
Are
animals, rivers, and forests simply background elements, or do they have their
own voice?
Ecocriticism doesn’t ignore
human experiences but insists that the environment is equally vital and worth our attention.
What
Does “Ego-Centred” Mean?
In contrast,
"ego-centred" approaches focus almost entirely on human concerns:
·
Feminism highlights gender and patriarchy.
·
Marxism deals with class conflict and
economics.
·
Psychoanalysis explores the inner world of the
human mind.
These are all valuable, but
they often relegate
nature to the margins,
treating it as scenery rather than a character.
Literary
Examples: Eco vs Ego
✅ Ecocentric Literature
1. Amitav Ghosh – The Hungry
Tide
This novel explores the Sundarbans—a fragile, biodiverse region of India. The
story balances human and non-human voices (such as endangered dolphins) and
emphasizes the importance of living in harmony with nature.
2.
Henry David Thoreau – Walden (1854)
Genre: Memoir / Nature writing
Ecocentric Element:
Thoreau documents his experiment in simple, sustainable living near Walden
Pond. Nature is not a backdrop but a spiritual teacher,
a source of peace, and a model for human life.
“I went to the woods
because I wished to live deliberately…”
3.
Rachel Carson – Silent Spring (1962)
Genre: Non-fiction / Environmental science
Ecocentric Element:
This groundbreaking work exposed the dangers of pesticides, particularly DDT,
and sparked the modern environmental movement. Carson speaks on behalf of ecosystems, birds, and natural cycles
disrupted by human greed.
Nature is the victim, and Carson is its voice.
4.
Barbara Kingsolver – Prodigal Summer (2000)
Genre: Ecofiction
Ecocentric Element:
This novel interweaves human relationships with ecological ones. Trees,
insects, predators, and prey are all essential to the narrative. Kingsolver
shows how human
and ecological survival are intertwined.
5.
Arundhati Roy – The Ministry of Utmost Happiness (2017)
Genre: Literary fiction
Ecocentric Element:
Roy gives space to the
landscapes of India,
the changing climate, and ecological injustice, particularly in urban slums and
Kashmir. Ecology and resistance go hand in hand.
6. Leslie Marmon Silko – Ceremony (1977)
Genre: Native American fiction
Ecocentric Element:
Silko’s novel draws on Native American traditions that emphasize a sacred relationship with the land. The Earth is a living entity, and
harmony with it is key to healing from trauma.
7.
Margaret Atwood – MaddAddam Trilogy (2003–2013)
Genre: Dystopian / speculative fiction
Ecocentric Element:
Set in a future destroyed by bioengineering and environmental collapse, these
novels show the
consequences of ecological neglect. Atwood’s eco-themed dystopia critiques capitalism and
biotechnology’s damage to the natural world.
8.
Herman Melville – Moby Dick (1851)
Genre: Literary fiction / Adventure
Ecocentric Element:
Though often read for symbolism and character, the novel is rich in naturalistic detail—the sea, whales, and the ocean
ecosystem become complex,
morally ambiguous forces.
The whale can be read as nature’s
revenge or nature’s mystery.
9.
Terry Tempest Williams – Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and
Place (1991)
Genre: Memoir / Nature writing
Ecocentric Element:
This book connects the author’s mother’s cancer to nuclear testing in the Utah
desert. Williams weaves her grief with the destruction of a bird refuge,
showing how personal
and ecological loss are interconnected.
10. Richard Powers – The Overstory (2018)
Genre: Ecofiction
Ecocentric Element:
A sweeping novel that follows multiple characters drawn together by their
relationship with trees. Trees are central—not just as
metaphors but as living entities with agency and timeframes far beyond human
comprehension.
❌ Ego-Centred Focus
1. Shakespeare’s The Tempest
A postcolonial reading focuses on Caliban as a symbol of colonization. However,
an ecocritical reading would highlight how Prospero also dominates and
manipulates the natural environment—an allegory for ecological exploitation.
Why
Dr Suresh Frederick’s Insight Matters?
Suresh Frederick’s quote
serves as a wake-up call. At a time of climate change, mass extinction, and
environmental degradation, literary studies must adapt. We need to read literature with the Earth
in mind.
·
✔
To question how texts represent nature.
·
✔
To promote empathy for animals, forests, and oceans.
·
✔
To move from human-centred analysis to planet-centred awareness.
This doesn't mean
abandoning other theories, but rather enriching them by adding an environmental perspective.
Final
Reflection
Without the Earth, there is
no literature—and no readers.
Ecocriticism challenges us
to listen to the voiceless Earth, to rethink our relationship with
the natural world, and to reflect that shift in our reading practices. Suresh
Frederick's statement is not just a theory—it's a responsibility.
Let us read not just for
ourselves, but also for the Earth.
