The Power of Children’s Literature in Promoting Environmentalism: an Ecocritical Analysis of The Lorax and its Turkish Translation

Year 2023, Issue: 19, 67 - 81, 15.12.2023

Kübra Çelik , Halise Gülmüş Sırkıntı

https://doi.org/10.26650/iujts.2023.1360351

Abstract

Literature can act as a mediator in educating readers on environmental issues, raising awareness, and inspiring them to take action. In the context of how literature can be used to address environmental issues, ecocriticism emphasizes the ways that literary works can offer insights into the interaction between humans and the environment. Each of the eco-philosophies that have emerged in line with ecocriticism can provide a distinct ecocritical approach and one of them is the deep ecology movement. This present study investigates the picture book, The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss and its Turkish translation within the framework of deep ecology. How ecological perspective is depicted in The Lorax and how those ecological concerns are rendered in its Turkish translation are questioned with a descriptive analysis. The findings show that deep ecology perspective is obvious in The Lorax, and this standpoint is mirrored in the translation as well. Deep ecology stance is emphasized in both works with the usage of literary devices such as repetition, rhyming, hyperbole, and made-up words. It is considered that research on environmentalist books and especially on their translations, which make the dissemination of knowledge and awareness of environmental issues possible, can play a significant role in creating environmentfriendly societies.

Keywords

ecocriticism, deep ecology, translation of children’s literature, Dr. Seuss, picture book

Çevreciliğin Aşılanmasında Çocuk Edebiyatının Gücü: The Lorax ve Türkçe Çevirisinin Ekoeleştirel Analizi

Abstract

Edebiyat, okurları çevresel konularda eğitme, farkındalık yaratma ve eyleme geçmeyi teşvik etme konularında aracılık edebilir. Edebiyatın çevresel sorunları ele almak için nasıl kullanılabileceği bağlamında ekoeleştiri, edebî eserlerin insan ve doğa arasındaki etkileşime içgörü sağlayabilme yollarına vurgu yapar. Ekoeleştiri doğrultusunda ortaya çıkan her bir ekofelsefe farklı bir ekoeleştirel yaklaşım sunar ve bunlardan biri de derin ekoloji hareketidir. Bu bağlamda mevcut çalışma Dr. Seuss’un The Lorax adlı resimli kitabını ve Türkçe çevirisini derin ekoloji çerçevesinde incelemektedir. The Lorax adlı eserde ekolojik bakış açısının nasıl yansıtıldığı ve bu ekolojik kaygıların Türkçeye ne şekilde aktarıldığı betimleyici bir yaklaşımla sorgulanmaktadır. Yapılan inceleme neticesinde The Lorax adlı eserde derin ekoloji bakış açısının açıkça yer aldığı ve bu duruşun eserin Türkçe çevirisinde de yansıtıldığı görülmüştür. Her iki eserde de derin ekoloji anlayışı; tekrar, kâfiye, mübalağa ve uydurma sözcükler gibi edebî araçların kullanımıyla vurgulanmıştır. Çevresel konularda bilginin yayılmasını ve farkındalık yaratmayı mümkün kılan çevreci kitaplar ve bilhassa onların çevirileri üzerinde yapılan çalışmaların çevre dostu toplumlar yaratmada önemli bir role sahip olduğu düşünülmektedir.

Keywords

ekoeleştiri, derin ekoloji, çocuk edebiyatı çevirisi, Dr. Seuss, resimli kitap

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