Anthropocentrism in Children’s Literature: Michael Bond’s The Tales of Olga da Polga

The purpose of this research paper is to explore anthropocentrism in Michael Bond’s The Tales of Olga da Polga. The journey of an anthropomorphized central character, Olga, when she moves from a pet shop to Sawdust family, the unbelievable self-created adventurous stories and attempts to sustain her usual sangfroid, form the narrative of the book. These events show how human beings are connected to their environment. The theoretical framework that is applied to aanalyze the text is ecocriticism which highlights the relationship between man and his environment. The focus of this research paper, in particular, is to trace anthropocentric features in the text. Anthropocentrism is the belief that human beings are the only significant entity among other creatures of the world. The paper introduces the text and the author. It then presents the description of the theoretical framework and how it has evolved. It also gives an overview to children’s literature and how animals are significant in helping children understand the underlying meaning of human existence. The paper explains the term ‘anthropocentrism’ in detail and how it intersects with the ecological lineage. It ends by evaluating the relationship between man and his environment in accordance with the text. This work aims to show how human being’s mindless urban and industrial enterprises have destroyed most of the natural world around them.