Botanical Whisperers: Ecofeminism and the Hidden Symbols of Life in Elizabeth Gilbert’s The Signature of All Things

Author(s)	Ms. Merin Varghese, Dr. N Bhuvana
Country	India
Abstract	Literature has long functioned as a medium through which human relations with the natural world are imagined and interpreted. Emerging environmental explorations such as ecofeminism emphasize the interconnectedness of ecological and cultural systems, drawing attention to the resilience of what is often overlooked or dismissed. These approaches not only challenge dominant hierarchies but also highlight the hidden value within the marginal spaces of life. This paper explores Elizabeth Gilbert’s The signature of all things through the story of Alma Whittaker, a nineteenth century botanist whose devotion to moss symbolizes persistence, resilience, and the power of unnoticed. The novel’s guiding idea of “signature of all things” affirms that even the smallest elements of nature carry meaning, aligning with ecofeminist principles that call for recognition of both women’s contributions and nonhuman life forms. By engaging with themes of science, gender, and ecological interdependence, the novel provides a fertile ground for examining how quiet perseverance and undervalued knowledge sustain broader systems of progress.
Keywords	Literature and Ecology, Ecofeminism, Moss, Resilience
Field	Arts
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 6, November-December 2025
Published On	2025-12-11
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i06.62768

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