Representation of Human and Animal Proximity in Zake Mda's The Heart of Redness and The Whale Caller

Abstract

The paper examines human and animal proximity in the novels of Zake
Mda namely The Heart of Redness and The Whale Caller. The study
also examines the relationship between humans and animals in the
aforementioned texts from an ecocritical perspective. Critical attention
is paid to Cajetan Iheka's strand of ecocritcal theory which is peculiar to
Africa and Nigeria in particular. The study considers animals as an
important part of the environment irrespective of human activities that
are detrimental to the lives and living conditions of animals in our ecosystems. While animals are exploited in the novels, on the other hand,
they are indispensable to man as they are fundamental to biodiversity
and the ecosystems. Major ecological issues are illuminated in the
study. In conclusion, humans and animals cannot be totally separated
and the researchers recommend that further critical research should be
conducted on ecocritical studies globally.