Environmental Apocalypse and Human Survival in The Death of Grass by John Christopher

Anabela Romaito Pangaribuan; Henrikus Joko Yulianto

doi:10.34050/nvyrp984

Authors

Anabela Romaito Pangaribuan Universitas Negeri Semarang
Henrikus Joko Yulianto Universitas Negeri Semarang

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34050/nvyrp984

Keywords:

Environmental Apocalypse, Ecocriticism, Survival Behavior, Post-Apocalyptic Literature, The Death of Grass

Abstract

Environmental crises have increasingly become a major concern as they threaten both ecological systems and human survival. Literary works often portray these concerns by imagining the consequences of environmental collapse and its impact on human behavior. This research examines the portrayal of environmental apocalypse and its impact on human survival behavior in The Death of Grass by John Christopher. The study employs a qualitative descriptive method and applies Greg Garrard’s (2004) ecocritical concept of apocalypse to analyze the representation of ecological catastrophe and survival behavior in the novel. The findings reveal that environmental apocalypse in the novel is portrayed through three major aspects: the spread of the Chung-Li virus, the inability of human institutions to control the crisis, and the collapse of natural and food systems. Furthermore, the environmental catastrophe significantly shapes the characters’ survival behavior through acts of violence, distrust, moral division, and self-preservation. The study concludes that the novel portrays environmental apocalypse not only as the destruction of nature but also as the transformation of human behavior and morality under conditions of extreme scarcity and social collapse.

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