Rooted in the Wild: An Ecocritical Reading of Identity and Belonging in The Wild Robot (2024)

Abstract

Ecocritical studies in popular media are becoming more and more pertinent due to the pressing need to address environmental challenges and the changing dynamic between technology and nature. This essay uses Greg Garrard's theoretical framework to examine how identity and belonging are portrayed in Chris Sanders's animated feature The Wild Robot (2024) from an ecocritical perspective. Using a qualitative descriptive-analytical approach, the study gathers information by watching the movie and literature review several times in a methodical manner and concentrating on significant moments, conversations, and visual components that illustrate how technology (Roz) and nature interact. The results show that by showing Roz's journey from an outsider to a caring member of the ecosystem, the movie subverts the traditional lines separating the natural from the artificial, fostering ecological empathy and awareness. By showing how animated films may promote fresh viewpoints on environmental stewardship and peaceful cohabitation between technology and nature, this study advances ecocritical theory. Incorporating ecocritical narratives into educational and cultural discourse can improve public knowledge of ecological challenges, according to the study's conclusion, which also offers suggestions for more interdisciplinary research.