An Analysis Of Characters’ Spiritual Plight In Let The Great World Spin From The Perspective Of Spiritual Ecology

As an Irish-American author,Colum Mc Cann is committed to a kaleidoscopic narrative with multiple storylines and characters.Almost all of his characters face varying degrees of spiritual plight as a result of being separated and adrift,losing their faith,suffering from trauma,etc.They try to reconstruct their lives through a difficult path.Owing to the spirit of hope and optimism,Let the Great World Spin has won the2009 American National Book Award and the 2011 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.The novel portrays a group of people with huge differences in social status.When confronted with spiritual adversity,they are willing to set aside their barriers and conflicts,examine their relationship with the outside world,and ultimately achieve spiritual redemption.The concept conveyed in the novel is in line with Lu Shuyuan’s spiritual ecology theory and the idea of poetic dwelling.By applying Lu Shuyuan’s spiritual ecology theory,this thesis aims to analyze the manifestation,causes,and redemption of the characters’ spiritual plight in the novel,exploring Mc Cann’s idea of spiritual ecology in depth.This thesis is divided into three parts: the introduction,the body part,and the conclusion.The introduction provides a brief introduction to Mc Cann’s life and his work,Let the Great World Spin,as well as the literature review at home and abroad of this novel.Besides,it briefly illustrates Lu Shuyuan’s theory of spiritual ecology and the significance of the study.In the first chapter,the embodiment of the five characters’ spiritual plight is analyzed.This chapter shows the spiritual illnesses of the five characters in the novel,including the vacuum of spirit,the alienation of existence,and the incompetence of behaviour.The vacuum of spirit is reflected in Lara and Claire’s loss of spiritual pursuit and spiritual pillars;the alienation of existence is reflected in people’s alienation from others,from nature,and from their inner selves,in which Corrigan struggles with love and faith,ideal and reality;and the incompetence of behaviour is reflected in Gloria and Tillie’s helplessness against social injustice and the deaths of their loved ones.In the second chapter,the causes of the characters’ spiritual plight are examined.Firstly,human beings are suppressed by materialism,which leads to a spiritual vacuum and their alienation from nature.In the pursuit of material wealth,individuals neglect to explore their inner world and pay attention to nature.Secondly,characters are suppressed by the state apparatus,including the unfair legal system,the inhumane prison system,and the hypocritical government,which leads to their behavioral incompetence and spiritual vacuum.Finally,the great difference in social status is the cause of people’s alienation from others and from themselves.In the third chapter,the ways in which the characters escape their spiritual plight are explored.Characters achieve spiritual redemption by finding inner peace,establishing spiritual community,and yearning for poetic dwelling.Firstly,characters find inner peace,which is reflected in Corrigan’s loyalty to his faith and Tillie’s death for dignity.Secondly,the bereaved mothers and the marginalized characters cross the class and racial divisions to establish a spiritual community of mutual help and resolve the problem of existential alienation.Finally,Gloria and Lara achieve poetic dwelling through artistic creation and pastoral life,thus enhancing the relationship between human beings and nature.The conclusion part summarizes the whole thesis and discusses the significance of this study.Mc Cann’s Let the Great World Spin reflects the loss of traditional values caused by the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal.However,people work together to rebuild their spiritual homes in search of spiritual sustenance.In conclusion,the harmony and stability of the ecosystem require individuals to reflect on the problems of their own spiritual ecology,guide their own behaviour by building a harmonious spiritual ecology,thus getting rid of their spiritual plight.Individuals should utilize a healthy spiritual ecology to guide their behaviors and enhance their relationships with nature and society.