Barbara Piórkowska's Gaia. True Story in the mirror of climate fiction

Abstract

This article is devoted to the analysis of the novel Gaia. True Story (2023) by Barbara Piórkowska in the context of climate fiction. In this novel we will notice the influence of ecofeminism, in presenting the dualistic concept of the world. The men's world is identified with culture and science, while the women's world is the space of nature. The story's narrators are mainly women who share a mysterious bond with nature. The ecological catastrophe is not the result of a sudden climate breakdown. By locating events in the past, present and future, the author emphasizes that the catastrophe resulting from a warming climate is a consequence of a process spread over time, which is why observing disturbing signals sent by the natural world and taking actions to eliminate them is of key importance.