LANGUAGE, NATURE, AND HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY: REFRAMING ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS IN RICHARD POWERS’ THE OVERSTORY

Abstract

This study explores how language reshapes environmental ethics by analyzing ecological themes in Richard Powers’ The Overstory. It examines the use of linguistic devices like metaphor and symbolism to reveal the connection between language, nature, and human responsibility. Applying Arran Stibbe’s eco-linguistic theory, the research highlights how characters address ethical issues such as deforestation and conservation through language that promotes environmental activism. The novel challenges readers to reconsider their ethical duties toward nature, demonstrating literature’s vital role in fostering environmental awareness and influencing societal attitudes