Environmental virtue ethics for the Anthropocene in Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Dreams

Human intervention on earth’s macrosystem has ushered in the age of the Anthropocene, prompting introspection among humans. This epoch demands a reawakening of human conscience and inner motivation to shape the trajectory of the Anthropocene. Environmental virtue ethics claims that the fundamental cause of environmental crisis lies in humans themselves. This study adopts a textual analysis approach to examine emotions and actions exhibited by Codi Noline, the protagonist in Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Dreams. These traits are constitutive of making her environmentally virtuous, reflecting Kingsolver’s ethical contention as a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. This paper is informed by Ronald Sandler’s responsive virtues and productive virtues, which are, specifically, openness and courage. Additionally, originated by Aristotle, practical wisdom is employed to examine how courage better functions combined with practical wisdom. As a tentative practice in applying environmental virtue ethics to examine environmental virtues for the Anthropocene, this study reveals Kingsolver’s endeavor of setting environmental virtue exemplars from fictional characters to inspire humans’ long-term and stable contribution to a promising future.

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