Browsing by Subject "paikka"

My master`s thesis is a comparative study in which I study the role of the forest in classical and modern literature – similarities and differences. The sub-questions focus on the forest as a place, symbol, and allegory. As material, I use four Finnish fiction works; two of them represent classic literature and two represent modern literature. The works are: Seitsemän veljestä (1870) by Aleksis Kivi, Havukka-ahon ajattelija (1952) by Veikko Huovinen, Uniin piirretty polku (2009) by Helena Waris and Kultarinta (2014) by Anni Kytömäki. The theoretical starting point is ecocriticism, which means the representation of human and non-human relationships. The work also features material ecocriticism, which focuses on non-human agency and the liveliness of matter. The research method is close reading, where the work is analyzed in detail and systematically with the help of text samples. Regarding the results, in Kultarinta (2014) the concern about the destruction of the biosphere was the most visible. The different attitudes related to climate change can be seen in the forest relationships of the main characters. For example, in Seitsemän veljestä (1870), the forest is more the scene of events and an adventure environment. On the other hand, already in Havukka-ahon ajattelija (1952), the forest is equated with the fate of the nation.