Exploring the Symbiosis of Nature and Culture in Caribbean Literature through Ecocritical Prisms: Insights from De Lisser’s Jane’s Career and Selected Poems of Derek Walcott

Abstract

This research examines Claude McKay De Lisser’s novel Jane’s Career and selected poems by Derek Walcott in the context of Caribbean cultural history, contemporary situations, and environmental contexts using ecocritical methods. This study investigates the effects of the second wave of ecocritics, who expanded the definition of “environment” to encompass urban landscapes, drawing inspiration from Caribbean peoples’ deep connection to their surroundings. This study uses ecocriticism to examine how humans and nature influence the urban environment, including built and undeveloped spaces. Human culture is contextualised within the urban natural environment to examine characters’ environmental views and behaviours. This study covers a range of nature attitudes, from exploitative to pro-nature. Ecocriticism clarifies Caribbean literature’s complex relationship between nature and culture. This scholarly investigation invites readers to better comprehend and appreciate these literary works by examining their motifs of environmental exploitation and harmonious cohabitation. Thus, this work enriches ecocritical studies by offering new insights into Caribbean literature and ecological challenges.