Sublime Wonder: Rachel Carson, Nature Writing, and Human-Nature Connection

Abstract

The sublime and beautiful have historically been distinguished based on scale, emotions involved in the response, and the objects typically associated with each. This article forwards a notion of the environmental sublime that challenges hierarchical distinctions between the beautiful and sublime and between domestic spheres and “wilderness.” I argue that sublime wonder denotes a practice in engaging with the more-than-human world in such a way that raises awareness of humankind’s inability to fully comprehend it. By considering sublimity as a largely accessible yet rare experience, this article contributes to theories of the sublime while offering insights for human-nature interaction.