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quest for selfhood in Ursula Le Guin's "The Wizard of Earthsea" and "The Farthest Shore"

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Date Issued:
2000
Summary:
In A Wizard of Earthsea and The Farthest Shore, Ursula K. Le Guin presents the theme of selfhood, of maturity, and of identity through the character heroes of Ged and Arren. Of these two, Ged experiences the quest for selfhood on two levels: first, from boy to manhood, and then from manhood to the awareness of death. Both novels deal with the struggle to create, which is primarily a struggle with self, with one's own powers, and with the need to control these powers and their consequences. I have examined WOE through the perspective of Ged's coming of age, his initiation and apprenticeship, and his relationship with the "shadow." I have discussed the shadow as a metaphor for darkness in relation to modern man's age of despair and loss of hope. In this area I have referenced ideas by Carl G. Jung. In TFS I have explored Ged's second cycle of selfhood through his encounter with death and how this encounter is seen as an abyss providing the ultimate confrontation which can guide the spirit toward creation, regeneration, and redemption. From this perspective I have explored the abyss through some discussion by Martin Heidegger. Arren's quest for selfhood is also examined, on a secondary level, through his relationship with Ged and his destiny for kingship.
Title: The quest for selfhood in Ursula Le Guin's "The Wizard of Earthsea" and "The Farthest Shore".
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Name(s): Durbeej, Jerry K.
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Collins, Robert A., Thesis advisor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 2000
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 50 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: In A Wizard of Earthsea and The Farthest Shore, Ursula K. Le Guin presents the theme of selfhood, of maturity, and of identity through the character heroes of Ged and Arren. Of these two, Ged experiences the quest for selfhood on two levels: first, from boy to manhood, and then from manhood to the awareness of death. Both novels deal with the struggle to create, which is primarily a struggle with self, with one's own powers, and with the need to control these powers and their consequences. I have examined WOE through the perspective of Ged's coming of age, his initiation and apprenticeship, and his relationship with the "shadow." I have discussed the shadow as a metaphor for darkness in relation to modern man's age of despair and loss of hope. In this area I have referenced ideas by Carl G. Jung. In TFS I have explored Ged's second cycle of selfhood through his encounter with death and how this encounter is seen as an abyss providing the ultimate confrontation which can guide the spirit toward creation, regeneration, and redemption. From this perspective I have explored the abyss through some discussion by Martin Heidegger. Arren's quest for selfhood is also examined, on a secondary level, through his relationship with Ged and his destiny for kingship.
Identifier: 9780599954854 (isbn), 12713 (digitool), FADT12713 (IID), fau:9594 (fedora)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2000.
Subject(s): Le Guin, Ursula K,--1929---Wizard of Earthsea
Le Guin, Ursula K,--1929---Farthest shore
Self in literature
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12713
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.