Speaker
Description
Sarah Hall’s The Carhullan Army (2007) depicts a near-future dystopia shaped by environmental collapse, energy crises, and authoritarian control. In this devastated England, women’s reproductive rights are restricted, food and energy scarcity dominate daily life, and urban centers reflect the failures of industrial modernity. The protagonist, Rith, escapes this patriarchal and ecologically degraded society to join the Carhullan community, a group of women living sustainably in the mountains. In Carhullan, survival is inseparable from a careful, symbiotic relationship with nature. The women establish governance and ethical practices outside male-dominated structures. This paper examines the novel through an ecofeminist lens, highlighting how Hall parallels the exploitation of women’s bodies with the exploitation of the environment. Carhullan becomes a space of resistance where ecological awareness and political autonomy intersect. Nature functions both as a refuge and a site of struggle, reflecting the challenges of creating sustainable and equitable communities amid social and ecological collapse. The novel also critiques industrial modernity, portraying urban life as alienating and destructive, while emphasizing the ethical and practical imperatives of reconnecting with ecological systems. By focusing on gendered responses to environmental crisis, The Carhullan Army exemplifies how literature can articulate the intertwined oppression of women and nature. The novel offers insight into eco-political resistance, sustainable living, and feminist ethics. It shows that environmental awareness extends beyond scientific or political concerns to encompass cultural and imaginative dimensions, prompting readers to reflect on the ethical implications of ecological collapse. Hall’s work thus stands as a key example for understanding contemporary climate fiction and ecofeminist narratives, demonstrating literature’s capacity to engage critically with the climate crisis.
| Keywords | Sarah Hall, The Carhullan Army, ecofeminism, climate fiction, dystopian fiction, gender and environment |
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| f.gamze.erkan@gmail.com |