Abstract

Alice Munro, the 2013 Nobel Prize winner, is widely regarded as the master of the contemporary short-story writer. The eight short stories in Runaway the book discloses the preoccupations of figures who must remain satisfied with momentary illumination rather than life-changing revelations. Munro scholars at home and abroad have mainly focused on Southern Ontario Gothic or feminism in Runaway. The eco-feminist elements in it have been touched upon. However, what is neglected in their analysis of Munro’s Eco-feminist awareness is the reconstruction of ecological harmony beneath the conflicts between woman and nature, society, men, and self hidden in the collection. Therefore, based on Eco-feminism, this thesis attempts to explore the text from two perspectives: the imbalance between women and nature, society, men, and self; the construction of ecological harmony between woman and nature, society, men, and self. The Eco-feminist interpretation of the text will enrich the study of this innovative book. 

Keywords:  Munro; Runaway; feminism; imbalance; ecological harmony

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction-1

1.1 A Brief Introduction to Munro and Runaway-1

2. Literature Review-2

3. Brief Introduction to Eco-feminism-3

4. Munro’s Eco-feminist Awareness in Runaway-4

4.1 The Imbalance between Woman and Nature-4

4.2 The Construction of Ecological Harmony between Woman and Nature-5

4.3 The Imbalance between Woman and Society-6

4.4 The Construction of Ecological Harmony between Woman and Society-6

4.5 The Imbalance between Woman and Man-7

4.6 The Construction of Ecological Harmony between Woman and Man-8

4.7 The Imbalance between Woman and Self-8

4.8 The Construction of Ecological Harmony between Woman and Self-9

5. Conclusion-10

Works Cited-12