An ecocritical reading of Melo by Sevim Ak and The Iron Woman by Ted Hughes: Exploring human and non-human entanglement

Abstract

Children’s literature, an amazing, captivating and instructive genre of literary texts, mostly written for children today, is an effective tool for raising children’s awareness of environmental issues. Children’s literature often includes vivid depictions of nature and its beauty, which can inspire love and respect for the environment. However, in recent years, the themes of children’s novels have also diversified and included human impact on environmental pollution, such as global warming, ocean acidification, mass extinction, biodiversity loss and ecological crises. Moreover, the novels’ protagonists begin to play the roles of active participants in environmental crises rather than passive observers. Similarly, the protagonists in Melo (2018), a realist novel, by Sevim Ak and The Iron Woman (2005), a science fiction novel, by Ted Hughes act as conscious citizens and environmental stewards. This paper explores both novels from an ecocritical perspective by exploring the entangled relations between human and non-human beings. Both authors’ ecocritical perspective delves into the entangled nature between humans and the nonhumans, highlighting the significance of environmental consciousness. The story of Melo follows the transformative journey of an eight-year-old girl who progresses from a state of timidity, fragility and insecurity to one of self-assurance. She finds solace in befriending a fish named Pıtır, as she believes animals are more sensitive to her emotions than humans. On the other hand, The Iron Woman (1993), serving as a sequel and companion to The Iron Man (1968) by Ted Hughes, narrates Iron Woman’s pursuit of ecological revenge, as she transforms men over eighteen into animals as a consequence of their pollution of the seas, lakes, and rivers. The protagonist, Lucy, a young girl, endeavors to thwart the ecological threat by raising awareness among the populace. Unquestionably, the two novels depict the entangled relationships between humans and non-humans. Thus, this paper explores how both novels address the issues of environmental pollution and the loss of biodiversity in the seas or rivers. This paper also argues that the characters in both novels pass through the maturation process and reach an «ecological self», growing their self-identities and identifying themselves with the other beings, either living or non-living. In both novels, the entangled relations between humans and non-humans narrate that there is no hierarchy among the different types of species and that each contributes uniquely to maintaining the planet. Both novels challenge readers to shift their perceptions from an anthropocentric to a more sustainable approach by raising awareness of ecological crises and instilling a biocentric perspective.