The Loss of Balance and Far Distance between Humans and Nature

Phattarapol Thongcharoensub

"I saw my black Kitten Cry

, as she heard Humans’ lies

So transitorily could thy Guppy fly

, since she fathomed how much to try"


Should Humans separate themselves from Nature?

        The dynamics between humans and nature in both literature and in the physical wide world have been seemingly fluctuating all along since before the ideology of ecocritical posthumans or as far as anthropocentric homo sapiens era, settling down, invading, and encroaching nature.

Source: Picture, edited from “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” e-book
    

        The revelation of this revolutionary ideas of the loss of balance and distance between humans and nature is postulated in “The tale of Peter Rabbit” too, and it assists to develop the last theme of “distance between humans and nature”. To clarify:

[…] He lost one of his shoes among the cabbages, and the other shoe amongst the potatoes (Potter, 2006, p. 13).

MR. McGREGOR came up with a sieve, which he intended to pop upon the top of Peter; but Peter wriggled out just in time, leaving his jacket behind him (Potter, 2006, p. 17).

MR. McGREGOR hung up the little jacket and the shoes for a scarecrow to frighten the blackbirds (Potter, 2006, p. 26).

        Canonically, ornamentations and outfits to humans are often interpreted to represent and express individuality, integrity, classes, and self-awareness. It would become even more astounding if the use of outfits can connote something significant in “The tale of Peter Rabbit”. Regarding the extracts, outfits are not just some physical comfort but a connotative symbol and metaphor in the world of nature as well. Peter’s shoes and jacket to symbolize and be metaphorically compared to the configurations and parts of nature, which means that each time Peter has lost a piece of his outfit connotes the loss of balance and distance between humans and nature.

Source: Picture, edited from “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” e-book


Source: Picture, edited from “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” e-book

        This clandestine symbolism and metaphor can emerge the theme of “distance between humans and nature”. Expressly, the scene where Mr. McGregor uses Peter’s outfits to make a fearsome scarecrow scare away those unwanted animals exposes how humans would like to alienate and keep distance from nature and its units. To apply ecocritical approach in these scenes, it can explore Mr. McGregor’s actions, practices, and behaviors towards Peter, which is aggressive and antagonistic.



Source: Picture, edited from “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” e-book



                                                              
                                                            "Is too clever our “Nature”

What would “We” learn

When to leave and when to be Stern

But all primality “Nature” earned"




Further Reading:

Potter, B. (2006). The tale of Peter Rabbit (Based on the original and authorized edition). Frederick Warne & Co.


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