Motifs : A Peer Reviewed International Journal of English Studies
Year : 2022, Volume : 8, Issue : 1
First page : ( 26) Last page : ( 31)
Print ISSN : 2454-1745. Online ISSN : 2454-1753.
Article DOI : 10.5958/2454-1753.2022.00004.6

Eco-critical Reading of Selected Short Stories of Ruskin Bond

Shekhawat Santosh Kanwar

Assistant Professor, Department of English, MGS University, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India, Email id: santoshkshekhawat@gmail.com

Online Published on 21 October, 2022.

Abstract

Many Indian-English writers have chosen to depict various shades of nature in their literary works but Ruskin Bond stands head and shoulders above others in capturing nature through his works. Nature not only occupies an important place in his novels and short stories; it is the backdrop against which the stories develop, rather it sometimes becomes a character. His outlook on nature is a rare blend of an artists’ eye for beauty and a scientists’ concern for environmental issues. His mesmerising descriptions of the flora and fauna of the Himalayas are scattered in his more than 100 short stories, essays, novels and poems. Bond is a keen observer of nature therefore, his descriptions of the scenic beauty of the Himalayas are some of the finest instances of nature described in the world of literature that beckons the readers to have a first-hand experience of such scenes to satiate their hunger for natural sightseeing. He has captured the enchanting and enthralling biodiversity of the Himalayan foothills with a zeal and fervour which is un-equalled in the world of literature. His presentation is not only artistic but also realistic and it is so skilfully woven in his works that it has become a part and parcel of his narrative. He not only describes the mesmerising scenic beauty of the Himalayas but also shows his concern for the deteriorating environment due to overpopulation, irrational exploitation by man and the avarice of human beings. His works also inspire the readers to work for the restoration of environmental treasures which are on verge of extinction. The present paper focuses on the presentation of nature with its splendour and bounty in the collection of stories by Ruskin Bond entitled A Town Called Dehra.

Top

Keywords

Biodiversity, Environment, Himalayas, Short stories, Nature.

Top