Kan Rattanachote is an undergraduate student at Mae Fah Luang University, Thailand. E-mail: kankenway2014@gmail.com

Abstract: At present, human beings are concerned about anthropogenic climate change. Literature is a way to either indirectly or directly reflect on how climate change will affect humanity. The Blind Earthworm in the Labyrinth by Veeraporn Nithiprapa is an award-winning Thai novel that reflects on the connection between human activities and nature. It is a great example of raising awareness about the environment through storytelling. The story has a richness of symbols related to the environment. The symbols in the story are mostly plants and flowers with hidden meanings. This study is meant to elucidate the connection between humans and nature from an ecological perspective, especially in the context of the Anthropocene. The study analyzes major literary elements in the novel, including plot, setting, characters, and symbols. It then uses the concept of the Anthropocene and an ecocritical approach to interpret the story. The study shows how humans have a bond with nature and need to rely on each other. In spite of this bond, humans tend to ignore their environment and fail to care for it. Because humans often raise themselves higher than nature, the environment is starting to collapse. The Blind Earthworm in the Labyrinth uses aspects of Thai culture to represent how humans are now living differently from the past. Thai culture teaches everyone to aid and care for each other. While humans change, nature never changes, unless humans interfere with it.

Keywords: Anthropocene, ecocriticism, humans, Thai literature, Veeraporn Nithiprapha, plant symbolism