Marco Madureira

Ecocriticism in Disney / Pixar: Wall-e and the De-greening Cycle Marco Madureira

For the human species, migration has not only been a matter of survival, but also, for example, of empowerment. In the case of North America, the European migration translated into colonization. The "exotic garden" we recognize nowadays as the U. S. A. was at times occupied peacefully, other times with aggression. Gradually, the idea of natural abundance would become associated with wealth, democracy, and consumption. Other than the necessity to move in space, the human also longs for movement in time. For those who "suffer" from nostalgia, movement in space eases the anxiety. The consensus exists that the contemporary society is not satisfied with the status quo and that going back in time to compensate for something is a widespread desire. Nostalgia and imagination may lead to the creation of mental utopias. The motion picture Wall?E (Disney/Pixar 2008) shows how a utopia of the Earth comes to exist after the humans have abandoned and forgotten about it as a result of extreme pollution. The concept of the de-greening cycle that I developed is partially depicted in the movie. Anybody who craves knowledge may have wondered, (how) will planet Earth really die?