ABSTRACT
The American West’s significance as a pillar of the modern American mind-set is undeniable. The expansion westward brought with it the domination of humans over nature, even if some areas, like the desert of the American Southwest, remained wild to some extent. Edward Abbey opposed this domination over wilderness and showed a deep love for that desert in his works. The Monkey Wrench Gang depicts an American West in which nature and life are respected and valued by some, while others want to exercise power over the land and destroy wilderness. The aim of this chapter is to analyze from an ecocritical perspective the relationships between humans, industrial and capitalist powers, and the desert in the novel. First, the focus will be put on Abbey’s representation of the desert and on the relationships that occur with it. Among these, the exploitation of the desert should be highlighted. Thus, such exploitation and the direct action against it will be analyzed. Finally, and considering the different human–natural relationships that develop through the novel, special attention will be paid to Abbey’s own perspective of the American West.
