A Study Of Alienation In Runaway From The Perspective Of Fromm’s Alienation Theory

Runaway is the 11^th short story collection of Alice Munro,the master of contemporary short stories and Nobel Prize winner in literature.It won Canada’s Giller Prize and Booker International Prize,and was selected as one of the best books of the year of The New York Times.Runaway consists of eight stories about the daily life of six female characters.Since its publication in2004,it has attracted the attention of writers and critics at home and abroad.Domestic and foreign scholars’researches on Runaway mainly focus on thematic discussion,narrative strategies,feminism,and literary ethical criticism.Up to now,there are very few researches on alienation in Runaway.There is only one paper in China,which lacks comprehensive and in-depth research.Therefore,based on Fromm’s alienation theory,this thesis offers a comprehensive alienation study in Runaway,focusing on alienation of the six female Carla,Juliet,Grace,Laura,Robin and Tessa as research subjects to explore the manifestations and causes of alienation from three aspects:self-alienation,relationship alienation and psychological alienation.Through the description of the current situation of ordinary women in real life by Munro,the problem of alienation faced by women is revealed.By exploring the problems of self-alienation,relationship alienation and psychological alienation faced by women,the ugly pathologies of modern people’s indifference,prejudice,and selfishness towards women are boldly exposed,which aims to make people focus on women’s demands,survival and development.