Exploring the Tree- Based Archive in Richard Powers’ The Overstory

Abstract

Eco-literature plays a crucial role in bridging literature and ecological awareness by blending imaginative storytelling with environmental themes. In The Overstory, each tree species selected by the author holds specific significance, highlighting the intricate relationship between humans and trees. This paper aims to explore the nuanced connection between humanity and the natural world, as represented through the “arboreal archive” in Richard Powers’ novel. This archive contains memories, feelings and experiences people have with trees and is intended to show the bond between the two. It is a unique combination of science, aesthetics and philosophy. Power tackles the environmental issues of today and asks readers to picture a better world than what we have today. It is hypothesised that this narrative serves as a platform for analysing the Arboreal Archive in Richard Powers’ The Overstory. As such, the objectives of the research article are to examine the concept of the tree-based archive, investigate human-nature relationships, identify environmental and ecological themes and analyse the role of storytelling in ecological awareness. Through the narratives Powers examines the consequence of human actions on the natural world, the power of activism and the resilience of life.