A Study Of Elizabeth's Self-actualization In Eat,Pray,Love From The Perspective Of Semiotic Self

Elizabeth Gilbert,as a new rising American memoirist,has critical insight to the contemporary society.As soon as her masterpiece Eat,Pray,Love published in 2006,she has been popular all over the world.This memoir has gained so much popularity that it became the No.1 bestseller in booklist of New York Times.In a writing style of humor and wittiness,the writer presents what she has discovered in her journey through three countries,Italy,India and Indonesia.Meanwhile,the writer also demonstrates the problem of identity crisis and self-actualization of modern females.Therefore,from a perspective of semiotic self,this thesis aims to analyze how the heroine Elizabeth deals with her identity-construction and self-actualization.This thesis consists of six chapters.Chapter One gives an introduction to the author and her works.And it offers the literature review of Eat,Pray,Love both abroad and at home.From the literature review,there is no study of this memoir from the perspective of semiotic self,which could bring a new interpretation on this memoir.Besides,it presents the significance and the layout of this thesis.Chapter Two states theoretical framework for this study.It declares the feasibility to analyze this memoir from the perspective of semiotic self.Chapter Three gives a semiotic explanation of the heroine's identity crisis.Chapter Four presents the semiotic process of shaping inner self through three semiotic dimensions of dialogism,reflexivity and solidarity.In the internal conversations,the I speaks interpretively to the you and reflexively to the me.Elizabeth's self-consciousness is generated through the internal conversations,which offers a direction for self-shaping.Chapter Five discusses the process of Elizabeth's self-actualization trough constructing different social identities.Identity is the role that the self plays to send or interpret semiotic meaning.In the process of identity construction,there are four identities constructed as an anti-traditional female,a White American,a global traveler and an amicable friend.Chapter Six provides a conclusion of this study.In summary,from the perspective of the semiotic self,this study finds out that both the upward reduction and the downward reduction lead to the missing self and identity crisis.Elizabeth's self-actualization is completed both internally and externally.Through the internal conversations,Elizabeth's inner self is shaped.Meanwhile,Elizabeth's self-actualization is a semiotic process,which is an ongoing process in order to gain new semiotic meaning.Elizabeth has achieved her self-actualization by updating different identities in the flow of time.