Reinforcing Ecological Ethics: An Ecocritical Study in Select Fiction of Arundhati Roy’s, “The Ministry of Utmost Happiness” and Ruth Ozeki’s, “My Year of Meats”

Abstract

Nature has never failed to render its blessings to man in the olden days as it envisaged the significance of preserving the environment.  Whereas, modern man, with his anthropocentric attitude, causes adverse impacts to the ecosystem.  The paucity of ecological ethics that has caused havoc to nature by human beings is expanding at a high rate in the exploration of ethical dilemmas recorded by the global environmental crisis. In this study, an attempt has been made to analyze the global environmental crisis caused by man and his roles and responsibilities towards nature for maintaining a better living environment through the fiction, “Ministry of Utmost Happiness” and “My Year of Meats” by Arundhati Roy and Ruth Ozeki respectively. The unethical practices of man towards the environment presented in the novels are culled out and displayed to create awareness of the adverse effects caused to the ecosystem thereby, emphasizing the exigencies in the conservation of the ecosystem for the well-being of all species on earth by adhering to ecological ethics. It also reinforces bringing out the hidden and forgotten ecological values that would nurture the relationship between man and nature through the lens of ecocriticism for expediating sustainable developed planet.