AN ECOCRITICAL ANALYSIS: SELECTED FICTIONS OF DHRUV BHATT AND MARGARET ATWOOD A Thesis submitted to Gujarat Technological University for the Award of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in Humanity – English Discipline By MANSI AHISHKUMAR JOSHI 139997571005 Under Supervision of PROF. (DR.) AMI UPADHYAY GUJARAT TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY AHMEDABAD January – 2021 © [Mansi Ashishkumar Joshi] DECLARATION I declare that the thesis entitled An Ecocritical Analysis: Selected Fictions of Dhruv Bhatt and Margaret Atwood submitted by me for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy is the record of research work carried out by me during the period from 2013-14 to 2020 under the supervision of Prof. (Dr.) Ami Upadhyay and this has not formed the basis for the award of any degree, diploma, associateship, fellowship, titles in this or any other University or other institution of higher learning. I further declare that the material obtained from other sources has been duly acknowledged in the thesis. I shall be solely responsible for any plagiarism or other irregularities, if noticed in the thesis. Signature of the Research Scholar: Date: 29/01/2021 Name of Research Scholar: Mansi Ashishkumar Joshi Place: Ahmedabad i CERTIFICATE I certify that the work incorporated in the thesis An Ecocritical Analysis: Selected Fictions of Dhruv Bhatt and Margaret Atwood submitted by Shri/Smt./Kumari Mansi Ashishkumar Joshi was carried out by the candidate under my supervision/guidance. To the best of my knowledge: (i) the candidate has not submitted the same research work to any other institution for any degree/diploma, Associateship, Fellowship or other similar titles (ii) the thesis submitted is a record of original research work done by the Research Scholar during the period of study under my supervision, and (iii) the thesis represents independent research work on the part of the Research Scholar. Signature of Supervisor: Date: 29/01/2021 Name of Supervisor: Prof. (Dr.) Ami Upadhyay Place: Ahmedabad ii Course -work Completion Certificate This is to certify that Mr./Mrs./Ms. Mansi Ashishkumar Joshi enrollment no.139997571005 is a PhD scholar enrolled for PhD program in the branch Humanities – English of Gujarat Technological University, Ahmedabad. (Please tick the relevant option(s)) He/She has been exempted from the course -work (successfully completed during M.Phil Course) He/She has been exempted from Research Methodology Course only (successfully completed during M.Phil Course) √ He/She has successfully completed the PhD course work for the partial requirement for the award of PhD Degree. His/ Her performance in the course work is as follows - Grade Obtained in Research Methodology Grade Obtained in Self Study Course (Core Subject) (PH001) (PH002) BC BB Supervisor’s Sign (Prof. (Dr.) Ami Upadhyay) iii Originality Report Certificate It is certified that PhD Thesis titled An Ecocritical Analysis: Selected Fictions of Dhruv Bhatt and Margaret Atwood by Mansi Ashishkumar Joshi has been examined by us. We undertake the following: a. Thesis has significant new work / knowledge as compared already published or are under consideration to be published elsewhere. No sentence, equation, diagram, table, paragraph or section has been copied verbatim from previous work unless it is placed under quotation marks and duly referenced. b. The work presented is original and own work of the author (i.e. there is no plagiarism). No ideas, processes, results or words of others have been presented as Author own work. c. There is no fabrication of data or results which have been compiled /analyzed. d. There is no falsification by manipulating research materials, equipment or processes, or changing or omitting data or results such that the research is not accurately represented in the research record. e. The thesis has been checked using <Urkund > (copy of originality report attached) and found within limits as per GTU Plagiarism Policy and instructions issued from time to time (i.e. permitted similarity index<10%). Signature of the ResearchScholar: Date: 29/01/2021 Name of Research Scholar: Mansi Ahishkumar Joshi Place: Ahmedabad Signature of Supervisor:……… ……………………… Date: 29/01/2021 Name of Supervisor: Prof. (Dr.) Ami Upadhyay Place: Ahmedabad iv v PhD THESIS Non-Exclusive License to GUJARAT TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY In consideration of being a PhD Research Scholar at GTU and in the interests of the facilitation of research at GTU and elsewhere, I, Mansi Ashishkumar Joshi having(Enrollment No.)139997571005 hereby grant a non- exclusive, royalty freeandperpetual license to GTU on the following terms: a) GTU is permitted to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part ( referred to collectively as the “Work”) anywhere in the world, for non-commercial purposes, in all forms of media; b) GTU is permitted to authorize, sub-lease, sub-contract or procure any of the acts mentioned in paragraph(a); c) GTU is authorized to submit the Work at any National / International Library, under the authority of their “Thesis Non-Exclusive License”; d) The Universal Copyright Notice (©) shall appear on all copies made under the authority of this license; e) I undertake to submit my thesis, through my University, to any Library and Archives. Any abstract submitted with the thesis will be considered to form part of the thesis. f) I represent that my thesis is my original work, does not infringe any rights of others, including privacy rights, and that I have the right to make the grant conferred by this non-exclusive license. g) If third party copyrighted material was included in my thesis for which, under the terms of the Copyright Act, written permission from the copyright owners is required, vi I have obtained such permission from the copyright owners to do the acts mentioned in paragraph (a) above for the full term of copyright protection. h) I retain copyright ownership and moral rights in my thesis, and may deal with the copyright in my thesis, in any way consistent with rights granted by me to my University in this non-exclusive license. i) I further promise to inform any person to whom I may hereafter assign or license my copyright in my thesis of the rights granted by me to my University in this non- exclusive license. j) I am aware of and agree to accept the conditions and regulations of PhD including all policy matters related to authorship and plagiarism. Signature of the Research Scholar: Name of Research Scholar: Mansi Ashishkumar Joshi Date: 29/01/2021 Place:Ahmedabad Signature of Supervisor:______ ____________________________________ Name of Supervisor: Prof. (Dr.) Ami Upadhyay Date: 29/01/2021 Place: Ahmedabad Seal: Vice Chancellor, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. vii Thesis Approval Form The Viva voce of the PhD thesis submitted by Shri/Smt./kum. Mansi Ashishkumar Joshi (Enrollment No.139997571005) entitled An Ecocritical Analysis: Selected Fictions of Dhruv Bhatt and Margaret Atwood was conducted on 29 th January, 2021, Friday (day and date) at Gujarat Technological University. (Please tick any one of the following option) √ The performance of the candidate was satisfactory. We recommend that he/she be awarded the PhD degree. Any further modifications in research work recommended by the panel after 3 months from the date of first viva-voce upon request of the Supervisor or request of Independent Research Scholar after which viva-voce can be re- conducted by the same panel again. (briefly specify the modifications suggested by the panel) The performance of the candidate was unsatisfactory. We recommend that he/she should not be awarded the PhD degree. (The panel must give justifications for rejecting the research work) Name and Signature of Supervisor with Seal 1) (External Examiner 1) Name and Signature 2) (External Examiner 2) Name and Signature 3) (External Examiner 3) Name and Signature viii ABSTRACT Life with the harmony of nature and environment is an integral part of human life. Many ancient cultures have advocated life in harmony with environment. Many of the rituals i.e. the worship of trees, animals, forests, rivers, and the sun, and considering the earth itself as Mother Goddess may seem meaningless in this modern era. But these rituals and culture have connected humans with environment from ancient ages. In the era of development and industrialization, man has neglected the environment to satisfy his greed. It is sincere urge of the era to find alternate sources of development that can lead a man towards sustainable development. Focus of this research work is to analyze, evaluate and criticize the qualitative efforts of writers like Dhruv Bhatt and Margaret Atwood to sensitize human beings towards environment. The characters in the selected fictions realize their self by surrendering their identity to the environment in which they have prospered. This research emphasizes on the fact that each work consists of environment awareness; without it no art is possible. Each person should perceive every art from the environmental point of view. Through this, preservation of nature can be practiced for sustainable development. Ecologically conscious texts help a man to realize his self and he reverts back toward his roots from external world. Man has roamed about everywhere in search of inner satisfaction and happiness, but the same is actualized in the lap of nature. Dhruv Bhatt as well Margaret Atwood has presented their characters who have achieved the state of tranquility only after surrendering themselves to the Supreme power – Nature, their environment. This research work would be helpful to the students of literature for further research in the area of environmental studies. This research can also be useful to the society to sensitize human race towards environment. ix Acknowledgement It is my humble duty to thank all the people who have helped me in the journey of my research work. I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all who have directly or indirectly supported me to complete my work.