Bound by society: Social identity in A Room with a View and The Rainbow

Abstract

The thesis presents a reading of the modernist novels The Rainbow (1915) by D.H. Lawrence and A Room with a View (1908) by E.M. Forster with a view at highlighting the factors that contribute to the formation of characters’ social identity. The analysis is founded on the theoretical background of social identity theory with special focus on aspects such as intergroup vs interpersonal interaction, self-categorization and gender schema theory. The thesis attempts to examine how the influencing factors affect selected characters on their journey towards self-discovery and self-categorization, and whether these forces ultimately lead them into a feeling of belonging to or alienation from society. Additionally, the aspect of gender is brought into discussion as an explanation for a large part of the societal expectations. The argument focuses on aspects related to gender identity with relation to sex-typing and gender stereotypes and how these influence the respective characters. The findings suggest that social acceptance does not directly create a sense of belonging. It also suggests that gender identity might be a just as important factor for identification as social interactions and expectations.