The Ecological Imagination of Atlantis: Human–Nature Relations in Polish Young Adult Novels

Employing children’s literature criticism focused on climate literacies and drawing on Timothy Morton’s theorization of “dark” ecologies, this article analyzes representations of Atlantis in Polish children’s and young adult literature as sites of commentary on and critique of human impacts on ecological systems. Atlantis, as a mysterious island inhabited by a highly developed civilization, has usually been examined primarily as a realm of human scientific achievement and their exceptional skills. This article, however, draws attention to a different aspect of the literary portrayal of Atlantis found in Polish works for young readers—the relationship between humans and the natural environment, which is not always harmonious or beneficial. In the writings of authors such as Maria Buyno-Arctowa, Andrzej Marczyński, Władysław Umiński, Maria Kann, and Marian Kuczyński, who creatively reference ancient and Western European interpretations of the Atlantis myth, one can observe interesting connections between human activity in science and politics and the natural world. These works offer literary examples that help young readers become aware of the positive and negative consequences of humans equipped with scientific “tools” on the natural environment (island’s ecosystem). The research hypothesis of this article is that certain mid-20th-century texts, employing the ancient motif of Atlantis and its multidimensional, dramatic history direct young readers’ attention to issues concerning environmental degradation and the harmful influence of human factors (science, civilization) on the state of nature, including land as a source of energy. The application of both dark ecology and ecocritical methodologies makes it possible to emphasize the negative aspects of the human-nature relationship, presenting a potentially effective educational approach for young readers.