Apology to the ecosystem: A Stylistic Analysis of Linda Hogan’s "Song for the Turtles in the Gulf"

  • Mohammed Ansar Hunan Normal University
  • Zuo Meiling
Keywords: Stylistic analysis ecocriticism, ecopoetic, poetic diction, ecological awareness

Abstract

This paper conducts a stylistic analysis of Linda Hogan's eco-friendly poem “Song for the Turtles in the Gulf,” examining its ecological concerns through the exploration of tone, symbols, images, personification, and intertextuality. Against the background of the 2010 BP oil spill, this poem issues a reflection on the disastrous impact of human endeavouring and development on the environment and, more specifically, sea turtles. This paper provides an analysis of how Hogan uses literary elements to appeal to the emotions and raise awareness about the environment to show that the poem challenges contemplation and rightful action in view of the raging environmental degradation. The analysis emphasizes the turtle as a symbol of vulnerability and environmental degradation. Moreover, the paper also analyzes some selected techniques of Hogan, such as personification and intertextuality, which make the reader think more about the ecological context and humanity’s critical position on it. In conclusion, this research benefits the field of ecocriticism by showing that close reading of literature enriches the moral and affective calls of environmental literature.

References

Abdullayev, S., & Kholbekova, B. (2023). Exploring stylistic devices: A deep analysis of figurative language in literature. Journal of Innovations in Scientific and Educational Research, 6(6), 158-162.

Buell, L. (1995). The environmental imagination: Thoreau, nature writing, and the formation of American culture. Harvard University Press.

Carter, R. (2010). Methodologies for stylistic analysis: Practices and pedagogies. Language and style, 55-68.

Cuddon, J. A. (2013). The Penguin dictionary of literary terms and literary theory (4th ed.). Penguin.

Devrim, F., & Bektas, H. (2016). Symbolism in environmental poetry: A case study of selected poems. Eco-literature Journal, 4(2), 89–101.

Gaard, G. (1993). Ecofeminism: Women, animals, nature. Temple University Press.

Garrard, G. (2014). Ecocriticism (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Gebauer, A. B. (1987). Stylistic analysis: A critical review of concepts, models, and applications. Journal of danish archaeology, 6(1), 223-229.

Glover, B., & Albrecht, S. (2012). Imagery in eco-poetry: The natural world as representation. Environmental Literary Review, 5(3), 22–35.

Heise, U. K. (2016). Imagining extinction: The cultural meanings of endangered species. University of Chicago Press.

Hogan, L. (2000). The Woman Who Watches Over the World: A Native Memoir. Norton & Company.

Huggan, G., & Tiffin, H. (2015). Postcolonial ecocriticism: Literature, animals, environment. Routledge.

Kristeva, J. (1980). Desire in language: A semiotic approach to literature and art. Columbia University Press.

Leech, G. N., & Short, M. H. (2007). Style in fiction: A linguistic introduction to English fictional prose. Pearson Longman.

Moulton, A. A., & Salo, I. (2022). Black geographies and Black ecologies as insurgent ecocriticism. Environment and Society, 13(1), 156-174.

Published
2025-01-31
How to Cite
Ansar, M., & Meiling, Z. (2025). Apology to the ecosystem: A Stylistic Analysis of Linda Hogan’s "Song for the Turtles in the Gulf". Educalitra: English Education, Linguistics, and Literature Journal, 4(1), 67-75. Retrieved from https://jurnal.unupurwokerto.ac.id/index.php/educalitra/article/view/430
Section
Articles