Considering All (Non) Living Things: A Biocentric Orientation in Blair Richmond’s The Lithia Trilogy

Abstract

This article elucidates the perspective of The Lithia Trilogy, written by Blair Richmond, towards environment. This research is executed based on ecocriticism, a literary approach which focuses on the exploration of environmental issues in literary works. The theory is taken from Laurence Buell on the meaning of ecocriticism. From the analysis of the structure of the novels, it is found that the trilogy presents the idea of biocentrism, an assumption that the earth and all of the living things on it have the right to fulfill their needs without any molestation from the other, especially from humans. Biocentrism is the opposing concept of Anthropocentrism, both of which are studied in environmental ethics. Two issues of conflicts are presented in this trilogy: herbivores versus omnivores and environ-mentalists versus capitalists. The result of the research reveals that the novels suggest not to eat animals to save fauna and socialize Gaia hypothesis to save all living and non-living things on the earth. As one work of young adult literature, this trilogy explicitly teaches those suggestions to young readers.