THE ECOLOGICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF THE ECOLOGICAL THEMES IN THE AMERICAN TRANSCENDENTALISM LITERATURE: A CASE STUDY OF PRAY TO WHAT EARTH DOES THIS SWEET COLD BELONG BY HENRY DAVID THOREAU

Abstract

This study aims to analyze and interpret the ecological themes expressed in the American Transcendentalism Literature, Pray to What Earth Does This Sweet Cold Belong, by Henry David Thoreau. Three kinds of analysis: structure analysis, rhetorical devices analysis, and theme analysis, were conducted within the Ecocriticism framework. Componential Analysis (CA) was applied to identify the semantic domain of themes and the ecological themes’ network was discovered. It is found that the ecological meanings and themes expressed in the discourse involve the relationship between human beings, animals, plants, and other organisms in the natural environment. Ultimately, most of the themes in the poem are of the nature theme.