ECOLOGICAL CRISIS AND HUMAN RESILIENCE IN CAMP ZERO: AN ECOCRITICAL STUDY

Abstract

This study examines Michelle Min Sterling's Camp Zero (2023) through the theoretical framework of ecocriticism, with particular emphasis on the representation of ecological crisis and human resilience. The study explores how the novel portrays the consequences of climate change, industrialization, environmental degradation, and anthropocentric exploitation of nature. Using qualitative textual analysis, the research analyzes the novel's language, imagery, metaphors, symbolism, and narrative descriptions to investigate the relationship between humans and the natural environment. The findings reveal that Camp Zero presents nature as a damaged yet significant force that reflects the long-term consequences of human negligence and unsustainable development. Images of polluted skies, contaminated water, melting ice, industrial expansion, and declining biodiversity highlight the severity of the ecological crisis and demonstrate the interconnectedness of environmental, social, and economic challenges. At the same time, the novel portrays human resilience through the characters' capacity to adapt, cooperate, and endure in the face of environmental uncertainty. Rather than depicting resilience as the complete triumph over ecological collapse, the narrative emphasizes adaptation, hope, and collective responsibility as essential for survival. The study concludes that Camp Zero functions as a powerful critique of environmental exploitation while advocating ecological consciousness and sustainable coexistence between humanity and the natural world. It contributes to contemporary ecocritical scholarship by offering a critical interpretation of a recent climate-fiction novel.