ZOOCRITICISM: Definition and Explanation

ZOOCRITICISM

·  Hello everyone! Today, we are going to talk about Zoocriticism and we will discuss about the role of literature in creating awareness about the rights of animals.

·  If we talk about human rights, women’s rights, don’t you think we must also talk about animal rights?

·   This is precisely what Zoocriticism is all about.

·   First of all let’s see what Zoocriticism is.

·      Zoocriticism is the study of how animals are represented in literature, art, and culture. It looks at how humans write about animals, how humans think about animals, and how they treat animals.

·      Actually, Zoocriticism is a part of ecocriticism, which studies the relationship between literature and the environment.

·      Humans and animals are sharing equal parts in environment. Then why should we keep the discussion of aniomals apart? We must discuss and discuss seriously about the animals in our art and in our literature.

 

·      Zoocriticism asks important questions like:

·        How are animals portrayed in our stories, novels and poems?

·        Are they shown as real, living beings or just as symbols?

·        Do these writings influence how we treat animals in real life?

·        Does our literature talk about the rights of animals on this planet?

Animal Representation in Literature

·        Writers have always used animals in different ways. Sometimes, animals are given human qualities, like in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, where pigs represent political leaders. Other times, animals are shown as part of nature, like in Jack London’s White Fang, which explores the life of a wild wolf-dog.

·        But Zoocriticism is not just about how animals appear in stories. It must also connect to animal rights.

·        Literature and Animal Rights

·        Some books and poems make us think about how we treat animals in real life. For example:

·        Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty (1877) tells the story of a horse and how humans treat it—good and bad. This novel helped people understand that animals have feelings and they deserve kindness.

·        J.M. Coetzee’s The Lives of Animals (1999) raises deep moral questions about eating animals and using them for experiments.

·         ·        These works don’t just describe animals; they make us think about their rights and our responsibilities.

·        Why is this Important?

·        Literary criticism, or the way we analyze books, is not just about what is written but also about why it matters. When we study animal representation, we are also questioning whether animals are treated fairly in our society. Should they be used for entertainment? Should they have legal rights? Literature helps us reflect on these issues.

Conclusion

·        Zoocriticism believes that literature should not be about  only storytelling but also about ethics and justice to animals.

·        True literature must focus on creating awareness about the rights of animals and it must awaken emotional awareness about the co-existence of humans and animals together on this planet earth.

·        Thank you for watching! If you have any thoughts on this topic, feel free to share them in the comments. See you next time!