Date of Award

5-25-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

English

First Advisor

Janet Graham

Committee Members

Brad Modlin; Mary Harner; Susan Honeyman

Keywords

Ecocriticism;Hiking;representation;trials;wild;Wilderness

Abstract/Description

This thesis examines how humans have constructed the idea of wilderness through literature in the United States. I argue that the concept of wilderness evolves over time and continues changing due to technological advances, climate change, reflections of the past, and the romanticization of ordinary people who venture out into the wilderness for an extended period. The definitions of the wilderness are elusive and individual. The wilderness can be viewed as a place for solitude, or as a space to reflect on the past and reconcile with the present. However, there is a collective view of wilderness that emerges from writers, journalists, politicians, and other creators. This view of wilderness informs our present as well as our future constructions of the wilderness. In this thesis, I primarily explore this idea of wilderness by incorporating hiker narratives and memoirs, and how these writings can influence an outdoor community in addition to reaching new audiences with the success of subsequent Hollywood films. There is no end to the evolution of wilderness as more people seek the trails while organizations work to elevate past voices into the present, further transforming the future of the wilderness.

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