Nature as an Actor: Applying Actor-Network Theory to Temsula Ao's Laburnum for My Head

This study has demonstrated that Temsula Ao's Laburnum for My Head can be reinterpreted through the lens of Actor-Network Theory by recognizing nature as an active participant rather than a passive background. The analysis reveals that agency in the narrative is distributed among both human and nonhuman actors, including the laburnum tree, the cemetery, soil, rainfall, seasonal cycles, Babu, the Town Committee, and Lentina herself. These interconnected actors collectively shape the protagonist's choices, challenge conventional burial practices, and redefine the meaning of remembrance. The laburnum tree emerges not merely as a symbol of hope or renewal but as a nonhuman actor that influences human emotions, decisions, and relationships, thereby transforming the cemetery into a dynamic ecological network. Through this perspective, the story moves beyond anthropocentric assumptions and illustrates that memory and identity are co-created through the interaction of humans and the natural world. By applying Actor-Network Theory, this paper offers a fresh critical perspective that extends beyond existing ecocritical and ecofeminist interpretations of the story. Temsula Ao ultimately proposes an alternative vision of death and remembrance in which living trees replace artificial stone monuments, emphasizing ecological continuity over material permanence. Lentina's lifelong aspiration to be remembered through the annual blooming of the laburnum tree reflects a profound belief in coexistence rather than human dominance over nature. Her dream is fulfilled through a network of human and nonhuman agencies, demonstrating that nature continues to act even beyond human life. Thus, Laburnum for My Head affirms that the natural world is not merely represented in literature but actively shapes narratives, memories, and identities. This study therefore establishes Actor-Network Theory as a productive framework for understanding Temsula Ao's ecological imagination and contributes to broader discussions in environmental humanities by highlighting the agency of the more-than-human world.

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