Mapping the Mind and the Community: Dual Perspectives on Anne Tyler’s Saint Maybe

Farzaneh Minaei Sadr ¹ ( Department of English Language and Literature, S.T.C. Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran )
Dianoosh Sanei ² ( Institute of Civilization and World Studies, ShQ. C., Islamic Azad University, Shahr-e Qods, Iran )
Shahabedin Sadati ³ ( ELT Department, Roudehen Branch, Islamic Azad University, Roudehen, Iran )

Submited date : 2025-04-12 Accepted date : 2025-05-28

Keywords: Early Maladaptive Schemas, Identity, Self-concept, Symbolic Interactionism,

Abstract :

This study is a psycho-sociological exploration of identity and self-concept in Anne Tyler's Saint Maybe through Herbert Blumer's symbolic interactionism and the concept of life traps, or early maladaptive schemas (EMS), as established in schema therapy theory by J. E. Young. Adopting a qualitative research approach of close reading and textual analysis, the study examines how characters in the novel navigate their interior and exterior circumstances. Blumer's theory highlights the importance of subjective meanings and ongoing interpretive processes in which people act in their social worlds. Applied to Tyler's narrative, the paradigm illustrates characters' construction and reconstruction of identity through meaning-making in social environments. Meanwhile, Young's life trap explains characters' ingrained maladaptive schema, such as isolation, failure, emotional deprivation, relentless expectations, and self-sacrifice, grounded in early experiences and socially reinforced behavior. The analysis addresses how these patterns shape interactions among characters, decisions, and emotional growth, demonstrating the interplay between internal structures and external social pressures. In general, this analysis highlights that identity in Saint Maybe is not fixed but continuously forged in the context of relational dynamics, perceived responsibilities, and internal strife. By integrating symbolic interactionism and schema therapy, this study distills the complexities in human behavior and highlights the profound transformational possibility of self-knowledge and social interactions in establishing self-concept.

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