An Exploration into Change, Balance and Otherness in Herbert’s Dune and Le Guin’s The Word for World is Forest

Abstract

The dissertation analyses the science fiction novels "Dune" and "the Word for World is Forest" by focusing on the themes of change, balance and otherness in the literature. Both stories captures the critical train of thought of the time of their publishing, securing their place among the early work of ecocritical literature. The revolt against imperial powers by the perceived inferior counterpart is a message of not to underestimimate ones enemy, whose radical change has come as a consequence from loss of someone close to them.