An Addicted Egoist-An Analysis Of Charles Arrowby In The Sea,the Sea

British novelist Iris Murdoch's book The Sea,the Sea is the Booker Prize winner of 1978.The novel depicts the protagonist and retiree Charles Arrowby's attempts to construct an egoist world due to his desire for power.After he fails to achieve that,he does not repent but becomes addicted to his egoism.This thesis reveals that Charles' relentless egoism not only leads to his personal failure,but also renders him to be a victim of egoism instead of an egoist inflicter as he used to be,which exhibits more of his Otherness.This is a warning to people in modern society: To lead a moral life,one needs to be able to distinguish fantasy and reality,but more importantly one needs to reflect on their egoism.This thesis is divided into five Chapters.Chapter One introduces the author,the novel,provides a summary of the studies both home and abroad and explains the methodology of the thesis.Chapter Two reveals through unreliable narration that Charles' claims of repentance of the egoism are not in accord with his actions.He treats obedient Lizzie and Gilbert as his concubines and servants,which shows that his egoism has a patriarchal feature.Chapter Three applies spatial theory in explaining how Charles loses power after he experiences the spatial change,which not only leads to his failure in constructing an egoist world but also turns him into the Other in other people's world.Chapter Four points out that Charles is addicted to his egoism because his inferiority in front of Uncle Abel and Cousin James leads him to pursue superiority to other people.Eventually his choice results in the continuation of the Otherness in both of his victims and himself.Chapter Five concludes that the combination of egoism and illusion will drive people away from a moral life.