An Interpretation Of Timequake From The Perspective Of Ecologism

Ecologism arises under the pressure of the global ecological crisis and the inspiration of the modern environmental movement,along with the transformation from the spirit of the industrial civilization era to the spirit of the ecological civilization era.It regards caring for nature as its sacred mission and makes painful and profound criticism and reflection on the modernity of promoting modern industrial civilization.Kurt Vonnegut,an American writer,is in the industrial age when the ecological crisis is prevalent.He has witnessed the destruction of the natural environment by industrial development,and has also experienced the darkness of capitalist society and the cruelty of war.As a writer,he is sympathetic to the spiritual predicament of mankind and the decline of art.His novel Timequake seems relaxed and humorous,full of irony and mockery in language,but it profoundly expresses Vonnegut’ s deep concern and concern for the whole society and human beings.This paper will interpret the natural,social and spiritual ecological crises in Timequake from the perspective of eco-criticism,and then analyze Vonnegut’s ecological thought and his solution to the crisis.This paper is divided into five parts.The first part is an introduction,which briefly introduces the writer Vonnegut and writing background,basic content and research status at home and abroad of Timequake.The second part mainly introduces the origin and development of eco-criticism,as well as the significance and characteristics of the three ecologies.The third part will analyze the destruction of human activities,industrial development and other threats to the environment and the survival of animals from the perspective of natural ecologism,showing Vonnegut’s criticism of human blindly developing industry and launching war regardless of ecological balance and natural environment.He hopes that human beings can live in harmony with nature,and not only that,he also expresses his yearning for natural life.The fourth part will analyze this novel from the perspective of social ecology.All kinds of political,economic and war problems embodied in Timequake in the post-industrial era of the 20 th century,which shows Vonnegut’s desire for fair capital distribution and extended family,his strong opposition to war,and some socialist ideas put forward by him to solve these problems.The fifth part will explain from the aspect of spiritual ecology that in such an era of vigorous development of science and technology and capital,people’s spiritual worship and dependence on scientific and technological products,and their blind obedience to the idea of capitalist money supremacy have resulted in the “void” and “materialization” of human spirit.He hopes that human beings will attach importance to the spiritual world and regain their free will.And he also hopes to improve the status of art.In short,Vonnegut strongly criticizes the natural,social and spiritual ecological crises caused by science and technology,war and capitalism in Timequake.He proposes to solve the problems faced by the United States and the world at that time by living in harmony with nature,socialism and the return of free will.