The Propensity of Survivorship and Self-Accomplishment Tendency: A Psychological Scrutiny in Charlotte McConaghy’s - Wild Dark Shore

Abstract

This article explores, Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in a harsh and isolated environment as a conceptual framework to analyse Charlotte McConaghy’s Wild Dark Shore. The characters in the novel navigate Maslow’s multi-layered foundation of human motivation, starting with their struggle for safety and physiological survival in an uncertain environment and moving on to the pursuit of love, belonging, respect, and, finally, self-actualization. The novel Wild Dark Shore, highlights the fluidity of human desires through times of familial bonding, environmental stewardship, emotional instability, and introspective growth, indicating that people frequently seek various levels of satisfaction at the same time rather than in a rigid hierarchy. The Ecological landscape serves not just as a backdrop, but also as a psychological arena for exposing undesirable trauma, building strong resilience and facilitating with the reflection of inner development. By combining humanistic psychology and eco-fiction, the article asserts that McConaghy’s work provides important insights into the interdependence of surrounding nature, finding true identity, and the human ability for healing.