The Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy and Ecological Awareness from Literature: A Case Study of “The Good Earth” by Pearl S. Buck and “A Child of the Northeast or Look I-San” by Khamphoon Boonthawee.

Abstract

The research aims (1) to investigate, and analysis the methodology or persuasive writing techniques. (2) to analyze the Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy and Ecological Awareness from two stories and (3) to study the attitude of the reader after reading. The primary sources such as the document, novel, theories and in–depth interview-form are employed as the instrument of this research.
The results reveal that both novels can answer the three research objectives as (1) Point of view, theme, plot, characterization, dramatic conflict and setting are also persuaded in both novels and portray the relationship between humans, nature and believe in the cultural society by the following details. (1.1) The point of view of the Good Earth is the first person and third person, but In A Child of the Northeast, the objective or dramatic point of view is the main point. (1.2) Two novels have similar themes in earth, homeland and environment. (1.3) The open plot appears in the two novels. (1.4) The characterizations are round or dynamic and flat or statistic. (1.5) The dramatic conflict appears in the Good Earth as; the physical, the elemental, the social and the psychological conflict, but is found as the natural conflict in A Child of the Northeast. (1.6) The two novels have the same setting; the culture, the geography or natural and the outdoors. (2) The ecological insight is characterized by a quality of wholeness and the author’s ecological awareness and holism suggests a sense of unity such as a farmer in the Asian Region, which depends on the weather, natural resources with hope in their land. Moreover, both novels are concerned with the Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy, especially the teaching of the concept “middle pathway of life”. This philosophy transfer from the actions and visions of the main characters as Wang-Lung and Koon’s father from the beginning until the end of the story. (3) After reading, the students admired the valuable concept of ecological awareness and the philosophy of sufficiency economy and it can be assumed that both novels are good examples for the new generation, particularly in the modern era.