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Worth the price: Sarah as hero in John Updike's "S."

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Date Issued:
1991
Summary:
Sarah Price Worth is a hero in mythical and psychological terms. Her growth can be traced through her name changes within the novel: Sarah Price Worth/Kundalini/Rare Sarah. She leaves the Judeo-Christian belief system and enters an Eastern system in an ashram where yoga is practiced. Sarah's progress can be seen in terms of the stages of the heroic quest and archetypal imagery--in particular, the snake. The novel's action suggests a parallel between chakra ascension and psychological growth in Jungian terms. Updike's "yes, but" tendency is at work in this novel: Yes, Sarah Price Worth is a bitch. But she is, nonetheless, a hero. As Sarah Price Worth and Kundalini, she has allowed men to be her gods, but Rare Sarah finds her own way. Through her earnest seeking, she succeeds in her quest.
Title: Worth the price: Sarah as hero in John Updike's "S.".
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Name(s): Hilton, Bonita Clarice.
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Coyle, William, Thesis advisor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 1991
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 71 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: Sarah Price Worth is a hero in mythical and psychological terms. Her growth can be traced through her name changes within the novel: Sarah Price Worth/Kundalini/Rare Sarah. She leaves the Judeo-Christian belief system and enters an Eastern system in an ashram where yoga is practiced. Sarah's progress can be seen in terms of the stages of the heroic quest and archetypal imagery--in particular, the snake. The novel's action suggests a parallel between chakra ascension and psychological growth in Jungian terms. Updike's "yes, but" tendency is at work in this novel: Yes, Sarah Price Worth is a bitch. But she is, nonetheless, a hero. As Sarah Price Worth and Kundalini, she has allowed men to be her gods, but Rare Sarah finds her own way. Through her earnest seeking, she succeeds in her quest.
Identifier: 14766 (digitool), FADT14766 (IID), fau:11557 (fedora)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1991.
Subject(s): Updike, John--Criticism and interpretation
Updike, John--S
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/14766
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.