An Interpretation Of Olive Kitteridge From The Perspective Of Lacan’s Desire Theory

Elizabeth Strout is one of the leading contemporary American neorealist writers.Her most prestigious masterpiece,Olive Kitteridge,has been evaluated as a pioneering work of neorealist fiction and won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2009.As a representative figure of contemporary American neo-realist novelists,Elizabeth Strout and her many works have created a research boom all over the world and are loved and pursued by countless people.The novel,sets in the town of Crosby,tells the story of ordinary people in the town who suffer spiritual crises and eventually come out of their spiritual dilemmas with courage.This paper creatively combines French philosopher Jacques Lacan’s theory of desire with an in-depth analysis and interpretation of the anxiety and depression of the protagonists in Olive Kitteridge,aiming to reveal the spiritual dilemmas of the protagonists in the work and propose a new way to solve the problem,namely,to achieve self-reconstruction.The first chapter is the theoretical foundation,briefly describing Lacan’s theory of desire and focusing on the concept of “desire of the other”.The second chapter analyzes the root of the protagonists’ desire.The third chapter discusses the characters’ pursuit of desire in “the need level” and “the demand level”.“Need” is the need for material things,which analyzes the characters’ efforts to satisfy material security in their social lives.“Demand” is the demand for spiritual emotions,which analyzes the characters’ demand for love,companionship,and hope.However,in any emotional relationship,one cannot know absolutely what the other thinks.Therefore,in “the need level” and “the demand level”,one’s desire can only be partially satisfied,and this insatiable desire enters the third level of Lacan’s desire theory: the desire level.The fourth chapter starts with the desire of the other,the so-called desire of the other,which is essentially the desire to be recognized by the other.Olive,Christopher and other characters fall into anxiety and cannot extricate themselves from it because they do not receive the approval of the other,and eventually develop a serious depression.Nevertheless,they never give up on themselves,trying to find a new direction for their lives and regaining the recognition of the other,thus achieving self-reconstruction.The concluding section points out that this paper’s interpretation of the psychology of desire in the novel attempts to add to the study of the novel and to provide a newer perspective.In Olive Kitteridge,Strout demonstrates her delicate brushwork and superb writing skills.With her keen insight and unique creativity,as well as her unique insights into marriage,family and emotions,she reflects the psychological trauma,marital crisis and spiritual dilemmas commonly suffered by ordinary people in contemporary times.The protagonists in the novel eventually save themselves from the spiritual crisis and achieve self-reconstruction by virtue of their strong faith and undying hope for life.This paper provides different inspirations and references for people at different stages of life,reflecting the author’s humanistic concern and spiritual consolation for people in contemporary times who are confused and anxious.