Fictional “stories to live by” : an ecolinguistic perspective

Abstract EN

This paper aims to introduce the theoretical Ecolingustic concept in the area of studying literary works especially novels as almost all of human's experience and daily situations are always portrayed in this genre.

Bahaa Taher's Sunset Oasis is selected to be the source of the data as it contains many explicit stories between its characters and the surrounding ecological system.

The selected data is analyzed in the context of Appraisal theory to show the stance embedded in each selected extracts.

The function of each stance shows the story each character lives by whether it is destructive, ambivalent or beneficial according to the ecolinguistic approach.

The result shows two different stories; one is destructive related to Mr.

Abd el Zahir's stance as the main character of the novel, and the second is beneficial related to his Irish wife's stance.

The study aims to positively appraise the beneficial stories which value nature to create a more equal society according to ecolinguistics as there is no point in creating an equal society without having a positive attitude towards nature and its ecosystem.