AN ECO CRITICAL READING OF REBECCA NJAU’S THE SACRED SEED

Abstract

Environmental degradation is a global issue that threatens sustainability of human life; thus
it has attracted scholarly attention globally over the years. This paper discusses the depiction of ecological themes in Rebecca Njau’s novel The Sacred Seed. The main argument is
that Njau’s novel employs multifarious literary strategies and character representations to
open up a discussion on the role of literature in the discourse of environmental conservation.
Through negative representations of perpetrators of environmental degradation the novel
castigates perpetuation of crimes against nature such as: deforestation and encroachment on
natural resources. The moral vision of the author is evident in the way the text highlights the
benefits of nature to humanity, such as the viability of herbal medicine as a possible alternative to contemporary medicine. This study is based on the understanding that since literature
bears the potential of influencing the attitudes of its consumers; exposure to ecologically
conscious texts such as The Sacred Seed is likely to sensitize society on the need for preservation of nature.