Toxic Discourse: Hegemonic Oppression and Environmental Disequilibrium

Abstract

With ecological changes taking place at a very fast pace and affecting all forms of lives on earth, Pakistani writers have also begun to address  how human activities, especially humans’ exercise of power for grabbing resources and territories on earth, has done irreparable damage to our environment. This paper reflects on the environmental crisis that the selected novels hint at. The theoretical stance of the study is informed by Lawrence Buell's theory of Toxic Discourse. Making use of textual analysis as a research method, the study attempts to examine Kamila Shamsie's Kartography (2001) and Uzma Aslam Khan's Trespassing (2003). Elements of toxic discourse have been highlighted which are the outcome of different forms of hegemonic oppression. The analysis provides substantial evidence of falling apart environs that ground David and Goliath’s situation.