Analysis of Moth Smoke in Light of Ecocriticism
The following study dissects the debut novel of Mohsin Hamid on basis of ecocriticism or as we call it green criticism in Europe. Defined by Cheryll Glotfelty as a study of relationship between literature and environment (Glotfelty 1996), ecocriticism examines the biosphere within a setting of any literary work, and then raises questions to highlight the subtle hints left by authors to draw parallels between settings and mental states of characters. The novel is set in Lahore, which is probably the most polluted zone of Pakistan. According to a study conducted by Pakistan Environmental Agency in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency, the suspended particulate matter in air of Lahore is 6.4 times higher than the suggested guidelines of WHO (Yaqoob 2010). The story of Hamid’s first novel revolves around a guy named Darashikoh (Daru), who loses his job, starts selling drugs in Lahore’s elite circle, commits adultery with his best friend’s wife, and end...
