Eco-psychological Reading of Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Dreams

Introduction: Issues and topics related to nature and the environment has attracted the attention of a large number of theorists and critics. What has made the human mind focus for a long time is the importance of preserving nature, plant and animal species, which play a very essential role in maintaining the health of the human soul. Since the conflation of humanities and natural sciences results in the investigation of the relationship between man, nature and their intimacy, the research aims to reveal the deep and unbreakable bond by focusing on the novel of Animal Dreams. The present article, by adopting the ecopsychological approach, examines the novel and attempts to elaborate on the positive effects that intimacy with the environment has on the human psyche. The study aims to identify and heal the damage caused by the separation of man from nature and its serious mental and psychological consequences by using concepts such as biophilia, ecological unconscious and ecopsychology, which were first proposed by Theodore Roszak, and Edward, O. Wilson in the field of ecopsychology. 
Background of the Study: Considerable investigation has been done on Animal Dreams (1990), Barbara Kingsolver’s outstanding work. Despite the abundance of existing findings from the perspective of ecocriticism and ecofeminism, no research has so far attempted to analyze this novel with an ecopsychological approach. In this section, we will limit ourselves to mentioning several cases. Marwa Hussein Ahmed Abdelfattah, in his dissertation titled “An Ecocritical Reading of Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Dreams and Prodigal Summer”, using Bakhtinian dialogics and Timothy Morton’s ecological theory examines these two novels. Theda Wrede, in her article titled, “Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Dreams: Ecofeminist Subversion of Western Myth” (2012), which printed in Feminist Ecocriticism: Environment, Women, and Literature, reviews the myth of the West in Animal Dreams and studies its impact on the formation of the land, women, and cultural minorities. In The Ecofeminist Power of Metamorphosis: Mythic Bonds between the Feminine and the Natural in Barbara Kingsolver’s Fiction, Hayley Knowlton, illustrates how women strives to restore and improve the environment of their hometown, rather than try to pursue a utopia. Priscillia Leder in her prominent book entitled Seeds of Change (2010), provides a complete summary of Barbara Kingsolver’s life. Referring to different periods of her life, the author reviews her literary works, including her novels, articles and poems. Many critics blame Kingsolver for her hopeful outlook which is accompanied by bitter realities. Catherine Himmelwright in her article “Gardens of Auto Parts American Western Myth and narrative American Myth in The Bean Trees”, expands her argument on how Kingsolver re-imagines and retells patriarchal myths. Himmelwright illustrates how Kingsolver in The Bean Trees uses Native American myths to neutralize the traditional contradiction between a liberal and adventurous western man and a passive, static, domestic woman. Pamela H. Demory in her article entitled “Into the Heart of Light: Barbara Rereads Heart of Darkness” (2002), introduces Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible as a reflection of Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. She believes that in both novels, the white agents of foreign powers are often soulless and corrupt. Both novels present an Africa which is both seductive and dangerous; a completely alien land for Western and deadly for those who cannot adapt to it (181). Nanthinii M. and Dr. V. Bhuvaneswar in their conspicuous article “Rethinking Climate Change: Cli-fi Dynamic in Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behaviour” (2015), seek to investigate Kingsolver’s prominent climate fiction. They combine the story with real climate change in the world and express beliefs and disbeliefs to explain the global catastrophe. Such perceptions help to revise existing beliefs about climate change as well as symbolically induce an urgent need to solve environmental problems.
Methodology: In recent decades, a field called ecopsychology has emerged for studying the relationship between our psyche and both nature and environmental crisis. The historian, Theodore Roszak (1933-2011), is credited for coining the term ecopsychology. Roszak argues that “its goal is to bridge our culture’s long-standing, historical gulf between the psychological and the ecological, to see the needs of the planet and the person as a continuum” (qtd. in Worthy 115). Ecopsychology deals with how emotional connections to nature are developed and gives feeling, harmony, eternity and stability. This approach examines ancient and modern cultures that have a history of being embraced by nature such as Buddhism and Hinduism. According to Darlyne G. Nemeth “Ecopsychology: The interaction between psychology and environmental protection is an inspiring concept” (2015 x). Ecopsychologists believe that the widespread destruction of the environment causes great sorrow and aggravation in people and intensifies their frustration
Conclusion: The findings of this article propose a new perspective from which Animal Dreams (1990) can be read and analyzed. In this work, Kingsolver has depicted relationships between the characters and their varied views towards nature from a new perspective. While proving the effects of closeness, friendship and living in nature on human psyche, the study for the first time introduces new concepts such as ecopsychotherapy and ecotherapy in the field of literary criticism. The researcher believes that by combining other theories from the field of psychology with ecological approach, a new theoretical model can be invented for studying literary works from an environmental perspective. Relying on the two key concepts, proposed by Theodore Roszak and Edward O. Wilson, which are ecological unconscious and biophilia, the researcher admits that the surrounding environment, living conditions, cultural level and social status of people are very important in the formation and development of these two inherent phenomena. The researcher believes that, since the ecological unconscious is present in all humans from birth, man’s condition and lifestyle overshadows the active or passive nature of this phenomenon. Dr. Homer and his daughters are somehow connected with nature in one way or another, and this deep connection always has a healing effect for their souls. The bond of the doctor’s family with nature is unbreakable and very colorful. Nature is the consolation of their pains and suffering; moreover,  playing the role of ecopsychotherapy. Dr. Homer tries to minimize the great sadness of losing his wife by taking photographs and being in nature. Cody fights environmental destruction in Greece, and Holy the youngest daughter moves to Nicaragua to train farmers and restore nature which is a kind of ecotherapy. The presence of ecological unconscious and biophilia is quite evident in Dr. Homer’s family, while in Emiliana’s family, the situation is just the reverse. The researcher considers the lifestyle of Emiliana’s family as the reason for their passive interest in nature. In order to earn money, they cut the heads of peacocks and prepare their feathers for sale. The indiscriminate hunting of peacocks has put them at risk of extinction, while this issue is not the least important for Emiliana’s family. Kellen, Kirti and Meysen mercilessly cut peacocks’ heads off in an attempt of non-inert brutality. Animal Dreams, is the pioneer of the ecological awakening of novelists such as Barbara Kingsolver, in which the relationship between man and nature is reflected very deeply and seriously, introducing a value system based on nature.