Introducing ecocriticism with films allows for easy layering of materials.
Ecocriticism is one of my favorite literary analysis tools. (I am quite partial to socioeconomic and gender as well.) The study of literature, especially with older students, can invite students to our content, especially with a interdisciplinary point of view.
Since environmental issues and the Earth are everywhere, you can take an intentionally broad approach in connecting stories to the real world. You can also narrow your presentations as necessary.
Introducing ecocriticism with films?
Students might be familiar with socioeconomic and gender literary lenses, but ecocriticism will probably be a new concept for them. Using films or clips to introduce the concept alongside definitions and examples. If you want to switch up literary criticism, this post is for you.
Teaching critical lenses.
When I teach The Great Gatsby, we cover historical, archetypal, and socioeconomic lenses. For my population, those theories make sense in application to literature. They understand that looking at characters (for instance) in a historical context will provide deeper depth. Learning that authors rely on archetypes to mold characters can show young readers how writers reveal characteristics of real humans—and allow those young readers to question those molds. Socioeconomic is probably the easiest for my students because they know society and they know money!
Ecocriticism invites in a new approach: the study between literature and the natural world. With this critical theory, students can explore the environment, animals, and pollution. Students who perhaps are more inclined toward science have the opportunity to explore literature in a new way.
The interdisciplinary nature of ecocriticism invites students into an English class who might not see themselves as passionate about our courses.
Covering climate change.
Our world is on fire. The study of the impact of human activity on ecological destruction belongs in a humanity’s classroom.
Teaching an interdisciplinary concept like environmental concerns connected to literary texts can open doors for research and discussions.
What are some common methods for analyzing environmental messages in popular films?
To me, any film will work for looking at human beings and their interactions with environmental activism, ecological issues, or the overall physical world. Literary critics can look at the absence of attention to the physical environment, but of course, mother earth is still in movies. (Maybe not space odysseys, but with a variety of approaches, an ecocriticism reader can gather why humans are in space.)
From movies about the EPA catching the bag guys to nature flicks, looking at stories through an ecocriticism lens will bring forth new discussions and ideas.
Would you like a free movie guide?
I want you to get started with introducing ecocriticism with films! If you join my mailing list, I will share a free movie guide for the film “Civil Action.”
What books work well with ecocriticism?
The beauty of literary analysis lenses is that most can be applied to any book. Most literary works spend time establishing a setting that can be looked at with an environmental literary criticism. In graduate school, we read The Overstory by Richard Powers and completed an ecocritical analysis.
I’m hoping that the movie guide gives you a start, but if you are looking for a short story, I suggest “There Comes Soft Rains” by Ray Bradbury.