Narrating The Anthropocene: An Interdisciplinary Study Of Environmental Consciousness In Margaret Atwood’s The Year Of The Flood

This study critically examines The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood as a literary response to the ecological and ethical crises of the Anthropocene. The primary objective is to assess how the novel, as a work of speculative climate fiction (cli-fi), reflects and engages with real-world environmental challenges such as climate change, ecological collapse, and biotechnology. Employing an interdisciplinary methodology, the study integrates insights from literary ecocriticism, climate science, science and technology studies (STS), cognitive psychology, and environmental ethics. The scope of the research includes a detailed analysis of the novel’s speculative elements, bioengineered species, pandemics, and systemic environmental degradation, positioning them as narrative representations of contemporary environmental anxieties. By juxtaposing fictional scenarios with empirical environmental data, the study reveals how Atwood’s narrative not only mirrors scientific concerns but also prompts ethical reflection and cognitive engagement among readers. Through structured tables and figures, the research maps the novel’s character development, narrative arcs, and moral complexities to demonstrate how these literary strategies elicit emotional resonance and critical thinking. The findings suggest that The Year of the Flood functions as both a cultural artefact and a pedagogical tool, capable of enhancing public environmental awareness. Thus, the study contributes to current debates on climate fiction (cli-fi) by demonstrating how literature can serve as both a warning and a pedagogical tool in public environmental discourse.