The Heart of Redness: an Ecocritical Point of View on Zakes Mda’s South Africa

Abstract

The Heart of Redness is one of Zakes Mda’s significant novels of South African contemporary literary production, which explores the interconnection between present and past. Dealing with issues related to environmental and human rights, sustainability and exploitation, the plot of the novel is built on two different temporary level, demonstrating that historical events remain relevant to reflect on many current issues. This thesis examines how literature can contribute in raising awareness on contemporary environmental issues: the first chapter gives a brief historical background of the environmental humanities, analyzing the interconnections existing among ecocriticism, postcolonialism and environmental history. The second chapter focuses on the analysis of The Heart of Redness, exploring its historical context and the ecological theme. The third chapter is concerned with the connection that exists between colonialism and landscape and the dichotomy nature-culture, while the fourth is dedicated to the topics of activism, ecological knowledge, ecotourism, sustainability and environmental justice.