On The Self-Discrepancy And Disorientation Of Intellectuals In The Magus

Honored as one of the most illustrious novelists, John Fowles’ s creations have won many literature prizes for several times after the Second World War. The Magus(a revised version), integrating his consummate writing skills with his ingenious ideas, is considerably spellbinding, which mainly depicts a group of intellectuals suffering from their diverse disorientation spanning from the 1920 s to the 1950 s. However, they endeavor to attain a feasible approach to escape from their varied plights through thick and thin.E. Tory Higgins’ s self-discrepancy theory has put forward three fundamental types of self-state presentations, which are respectively the actual self, the ideal self as well as the ought self. To be specific, there are two fundamental standpoints on the selves: one’s own standpoint as well as the stance of some important other. Discrepancies between the actual/own self and ideal/own self are associated with dejection-related emotions, whereas harassed by the disparities between the actual/own self and ought/other self, individuals are vulnerable to the agitation-related emotions, as the punishment for they are incapable of performing their responsibilities or obligations. The positive or consistent self-guide can release pressure and reinforce the ability against negative emotions. Perceived as the custom and culture of their day, intellectuals are considerably sensitive to the mighty social mainstream. By virtue of this theory, the thesis reveals the latent causes of intellectuals’ disorientation and proposes an available solution to getting out of their predicaments.The thesis elaborates the intellectuals’ disorientation in the social identity, morality and affection from the stages of submission, revolt as well as transcendence. Literature review and the summary of the self-discrepancy theory are given in the part of introduction. Then the following questions are raised: Confronting with the shock of newly uprising civilizations, how do the intellectuals bear their disorientation in the social identity and surrender to their tragic destiny? Being involved in the moral dilemma, how does Conchis proceed with his self-redemption? How does Nicholas successfully achieve his self-consistency in the emotional field? Chapter one is devoted to analyzing the disorientation of “submissive intellectuals” in the aspect of social identity. Deukans and Henrik lose their subjectivity and descend to the slave of commodities and a religious maniac, under the wave of commercial and industrious civilization. When confronting the heterogeneous actual selves, their ideal selves have been shattered into pieces. Chapter two provides us the disorientation of the “rebellious intellectual” in the moral field. As Conchis revolts against the social norms frequently, he has been lingering around the periphery of morality all the time. Owing to his failure to comply with the moral standard which important others have formulated for him, he fiercely counterattacks the ought self by rebellious conduct. Owing to the guidance of the incorrect ideal self, Conchis, disguising as the omnipotent God, attempts to eliminate his guilt by indoctrinating the innocent youngsters. The distorted self-guide is bound to fail to dispel his disorientation in morality and keep him aloof from his aspirations. In chapter three, much stress is placed on the disorientation of “explorative intellectuals” in affection. Nicholas is the one living in the emotional vacuum who disregards kinship and love. On the one hand, he can’t implement the ought self imposed by his significant other people, but on the other hand he detests the actual self stuck in a double life. By the guidance of his ideal self, he departs from his motherland and flees to the ideal paradise. At length, he has successfully constructed the positive emotional cognition. Not only does he disperse the mist in the emotional world by arousing kinship and love, but also acquires the harmonious consistency among the ideal self, actual self as well as the ought self.Through presenting varied psychological processes of intellectuals from different phases, the thesis reveals their raring urge for abandoning their disorientated plights. When they confront with self-loss in terms of social identity, morality as well as affection, they start to urge for the social identity, appeal for the reconstruction of moral system and desire for returning to the emotional world, which not only conveys Fowles’ s profound anxiety and care for the intellectuals but also brings light to those trapped in the disorientated plights in the 21 st century.