Imbalance and Alienation: An Eco-Critical Interpretation of Shuggie Bain

Abstract

Since its publication in 2020, Shuggie Bain, the debut novel by Scottish author Douglas Stuart, has attracted scholarly attention for its unique ecological perspective. Utilizing the theoretical framework of eco-criticism and drawing on the tripartite division of ecology proposed by Chinese scholar Lu Shuyuan, this paper provides an in-depth interpretation of the novel Shuggie Bain in three dimensions of natural ecology, social ecology, and spiritual ecology, aiming to reveal the ecological imbalance and human alienation in Glasgow, a major industrial city in Scotland during the 1980s. This interpretation will also provide readers with a new research perspective for analyzing Shuggie Bain, enhancing their understanding of the rich ecological implications of it.