Industrialization, a State Regulated Apparatus to Bio-Diversity: An Eco-Marxist Approach to Anita Desai’s The Village by The Sea

Abstract

Since the late 20^th century, ecocriticism has become one of the most significant critical narratives in academic, as a subset of environmental humanism, which addresses the concept of integrated relationship of human being with environment. Ecocriticism analyzes texts to uncover the ways in which they contribute or challenge the prevailing attitudes towards nature. Both ecocriticism and environmental humanism address the correlation between humans and the environment as they are often critiqued as interdisciplinary approaches to literary texts. Ecocriticism tends to focus specifically on literary and cultural representation, while the prior one takes a wider perspective and combines social and political consideration. Ecocriticism within Marxist framework addresses industrialization as a state regulated ideology which works as a major threat for the ecological balance. The Village by The Sea (1982) by Anita Desai is one of the least recognized but major works of the author, portrays the lives of people living in a remote village near the sea. The interdependence and co-relation of humans and other species are represented in a picturesque manner. However, the novel subtly explores the concerns for environmental degradation because of the industrialization and modernization plans adopted by the state. Governmental plan to set up new industries in the village leads the villagers to new economic challenges along with environmental impacts on villagers’ life and other species in Thul. This paper critically explores the tension of Hari, Biju, Sayyid Ali and other villagers with their eventual subordination, subjugation and interpellation to the state governed industrialization policy for the benefit of the capitalist class.