Harmony of the Wild: Embracing Deep Ecology in Barbara Kingsolver’s Prodigal Summer

Abstract

This paper aims to delve into the manifestations of deep ecology in the novel Prodigal Summer, specifically seeking to unravel the intricate connections between humans and the non-human entities. Notably, discussions within the story focus on the lives of coyotes, moths, and chestnuts, which serve as a medium that advocates for the preservation of these species. Through various narrative threads, the author emphasizes the need for interconnectedness of all living and nonliving elements. Prodigal Summer emerges as a literary work with profound ecological considerations, and hence proposes a deep ecological reading of the novel.