These scholars analyze Sister Carrie from Eco-feminist perspective, but none of them specifically explain the interaction among male, female and nature. This thesis researches how female are related to nature and how these two make an active effect on the patriarchal society and inharmonious world. Unlike Liu Yi’s arguments, the thesis tries to explain that women’ revolt against men is not just a modelling after men. And through research about the inner link of the three elements, the thesis argues that human centralism and paternalism are the resource of ecological and female crisis while Eco-feminism is the way to build a better balance among nature, women and men. 

1.3 Thesis Structure

The thesis will present four ways to testify the Eco-feminism element [ideology] in the novel. The very first one is the way how nature is oppressed by human and nature’s revolt against human. The second one is the way how female is oppressed by male and female’s revolt against male. The third one is the way how female and nature associated with each other. The fourth one is the way how Eco-feminism acts an effect role to the inharmonious society.

Chapter 2 Eco-feminism

Eco-feminism generates feminism and ecocriticism, which believes that there are particular connections between women and nature. The two are united through their shared history of oppression by a patriarchal society. Eco-feminists argue that there is certain connection between the oppression of women and the degradation of nature. They calls upon the reconstruction of the harmonious society with principles of ecology and feminism, which means to break down androcentrism and anthropocentrism. 

2.1 Definition of Eco-feminism

The concept of eco-feminism was first put forward by the French writer Françoise d'Eaubonne  in her book Le Féminisme ou la Mort [1974]. She called women to join in the ecological movement and play a leading role. From arguments that feminist movements correlate with ecologic movements, eco-feminism interprets the repression and exploitation of women in terms of the abuse of nature. However, there is no specific definition of eco-feminism; it is usually considered to deal with a lot of criticism concerning environment ethnics through a feminist approach. At first, eco-feminism studies the intrinsic links between women and nature, which are illustrated through traditional “feminine” values that women and nature are the source for human’s survival and development. Eco-feminists challenge the dualisms that man over women, human over nature, claiming the importance of interrelationships between humans and non-human others. Gradually, eco-feminism extends the study the intersectionality between sexism, racism, speciesism, and other social inequalities.