AN ECOCRITICAL EXPLORATION OF RUSKIN BOND’S SELECTED SHORT STORIES*
MANORAM SEN
Research Scholar, Ranchi University, Ranchi, India
https://doi.org/10.33329/rjelal.7119.22

Abstract

The development of modern civilization endows humans with all amenities. The gradual urbanisation unfolds many opportunities and makes life more comfortable. But at the same time it snatches away the beauty of the green world making life prone to various diseases, and resulting in the jeopardy of ecological balance. Ecocriticism has turned a new vista in re-evaluating our attitude towards the world .It focuses on the shift from anthropocentric to biocentric attitude as major critics of ecocriticism accentuate. Ruskin Bond (b.1934) has performed a major role in arousing environmental and ecological concerns through his plethora of literary creations. He delineates the harmonious coexistence of man and nature in his oeuvre, where panthers and humans live in mutual trust, where the unnoticed objects of natural world have their significant roles to perform in the exquisite design of God. In today’s world of mass urbanisation and industrialisation Bond's works hammer home a very suggestive note: Do we stop all development in the name of preserving the environment? Or do we move on regardless? Proceed with caution would be rational person's answer. But are human beings really rational? (Rain 236) This paper focuses on re-evaluating Bond’s short stories with the lens of ecocriticism.
Keywords: Ecocriticism, Nature, Ecology, Environment, Ruskin Bond, Urbanisation, Industrialisation.

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