FOSTERING SELF-AWARENESS AND SELF-LOVE FOR MINDSET TRANSFORMATION AND PERSONAL GROWTH: INSIGHTS FROM THE HEALING JOURNEY OF A LITERATURE CHARACTER

Quynh Trang Cao1, Thi Thanh Binh Van2,
1 Faculty of English Language Teacher Education, VNU University of Languages and International Studies, No.2 Pham Van Dong, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam
2 Faculty of Linguistics and Cultures of English-Speaking Countries, VNU University of Languages and International Studies, No.2 Pham Van Dong, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam

Main Article Content

Abstract

This paper investigates the educational function of literature via the development of self-love through the self-healing journey of Nora Seed in the novel “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig. Using the Totally-Inclusive Self-love framework (Van & Whitehead, 2024), this study looks into the role of certain dimensions of self-love in guiding Nora toward joy and motivation to live despite facing others’ expectations and social norms. The findings indicate that Nora's journey is motivated by several inner strengths, particularly self-awareness and Totally Inclusive Self-love. Furthermore, self-awareness plays a transformative role in her journey toward liberating herself from the negative impact of external factors, empowering her to discover her authentic aspirations, become resilient against these pressures, and have the courage to determine her own path. The results highlight the power of literary narratives in encouraging self-reflection and empowerment. Through Nora's journey, readers are invited to reflect on their inner strengths and weakness as well as their attitude towards their own circumstance and apply the lessons learned from her narrative to their own journey toward personal growth and fulfillment.


 

Article Details

References

Bazimaziki, G., Mukadisi, F., & Twahirwa, J. B. (2019). Acquired human violence and Taught Humanhood in South African fiction: A perspectivism of the protagonists in Alex la Guma’s A Walk in the Night and Peter Abrahams’ Mine Boy. Asian Journal of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, 2(2), 1-5.
Campbell, J. D., Trapnell, P. D., Heine, S. J., Katz, I. M., Lavallee, L. F., & Lehman, D. R. (1996). Self-concept clarity: Measurement, personality correlates, and cultural boundaries. Journal of personality and social psychology, 70(1), 141.
Carter, J., Clarke, M. T., Halpern, F., Mason, D., Nicol, J., & Vanek, M. (2022). Too Close for Context: Where Students Get Stuck When Close Reading. Pedagogy, 22(3), 349-371.
Coblenz, M. (2009). Not for Entertainment Only: Fair use and fiction as social commentary. UCLA Entertainment Law Review, 16(2). https://doi.org/10.5070/lr8162027127
Cosley, B. J., McCoy, S. K., Saslow, L. R., & Epel, E. S. (2010). Is compassion for others stress buffering? Consequences of compassion and social support for physiological reactivity to stress. Journal of experimental social psychology, 46(5), 816-823.
Crocetti, E., Rubini, M., Branje, S., Koot, H. M., & Meeus, W. (2016). Self‐concept clarity in adolescents and parents: A six‐wave longitudinal and multi‐informant study on development and intergenerational transmission. Journal of personality, 84(5), 580-593.
Culler, J. (1997). Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.
Fromm, E. (2013). The art of loving. Open Road Media.
Gabriel, B. (2021). Exploring the function of literature in the light of Mandela’s Long Walk to freedom. International Journal of English Literature and Social Sciences, 6(1), 185–189. https://doi.org/10.22161/ijels.61.21
Gautam, S. (2014). Can Literature be used as a Source on Changing Social Scenario. In the 6th National Conference on Innovative Approaches in Management, Law and Social Sciences for Sustainable Growth and Development at Manav Bharti University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh.
Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence. New York: Bantam Books.
Haig, M. (2020). The Midnight Library. Penguin.
Hébert, L. (2022). Introduction to Literary Analysis: A Complete Methodology. Routledge.
Henschke, E., (2022). Reconsidering self-love: Development of a model and a questionnaire for measuring a controversial construct (Doctoral Dissertation). University of Chemnitz.
Hernadi, P. (2002). Why is literature: A coevolutionary perspective on imaginative worldmaking. Poetics today, 23(1), 21-42.
Hynes, S. (2020). On war and writing. University of Chicago Press.
Ihueze, O. (2015). Folklore in literature: A tool for culture preservation and entertainment. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention, 4(4), 57-61.
Irvani, S. (2007). Authentic self-love as a healing phenomenon in systemic, relational psychotherapy. ProQuest.
Jayakumar, A., Rao, V., Kumar, A. R., Banerjee, P., & Ravish, R. (2022). Analyzing the development of complex social systems of characters in a work of literary fiction. In 2022 3rd International Conference for Emerging Technology (INCET) (pp. 1-7). IEEE.
Levey, E. K., Garandeau, C. F., Meeus, W., & Branje, S. (2019). The longitudinal role of self-concept clarity and best friend delinquency in adolescent delinquent behavior. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 48, 1068-1081.
McGonigal, K. (2013). The willpower instinct: How self-control works, why it matters, and what you can do to get more of it. Penguin.
McKee, A. (2003). Textual analysis: a beginner’s guide. Sage Publications.
Meyer, J. (1997). What Is Literature? A Definition Based on Prototypes. Work Papers of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, University of North Dakota Session, 41(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.31356/silwp.vol41.03
Oatley, K. (2017). Art as emotional exploration. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 40, 37-38.
Orbanic, S. D. (2001). A phenomenological study of self-love in women's experiences healing from bulimia. University of Connecticut.
Patrick, D. R. (1982). Self-love: Toward a conceptual and operational definition. Northwestern University.
Posavac, S. S., & Posavac, H. D. (2020). Adult separation anxiety disorder symptomology as a risk factor for thin-ideal internalization: The role of self-concept clarity. Psychological reports, 123(3), 674-686.
Puolakka, K. (2022). Learning from literary experience. Journal of Aesthetic Education, 56(1), 56-73.
Rakhmanina, L., Melati, M., & Haimah, H. (2021). Analysis of Educational Values in Tere Liye's ‘Hujan’ Novel as Literary Teaching Materials in High School. Edu-Ling: Journal of English Education and Linguistics, 5(1), 65-72.
Reivich, K., & Shatté, A. (2002). The resilience factor: 7 essential skills for overcoming life's inevitable obstacles. Broadway books.
Solimar, V. (1987). The nature and experience of self-love. ProQuest Information & Learning.
Stecker, R. (1996). What is literature? Revue Internationale de Philosophie, 50(198), 681–694.
Tulaganova, S. P. (2022). Artistic structure of the text. The American Journal of Social Science and Education Innovations, 4(12), 5-11.
Vadjed Samiei, M. (2015). An exploration of the concepts of self-love and inner peace and their interrelationships. ProQuest.
Van, B. T., & Whitehead, S. (2024). Self-Love for Women: Overcoming Toxic Femininity and Suffering. Acorn Books.
Vorderer, P., & Roth, F. S. (2011). How do we entertain ourselves with literary texts?. Scientific Study of Literature, 1(1), 136-143.
Xiang, G., Li, Q., Du, X., Liu, X., Liu, Y., & Chen, H. (2022). Knowing who you are: neural correlates of self-concept clarity and happiness. Neuroscience, 490, 264-274.