Social and Familial “Generativity” in An Artist of the Floating World: An Eriksonian Approach

Subject Areas : Iranian Sociological Review

Morteza Jafari ¹ , Naser Motalebzadeh ² , Naser Dashtpeyma ³

1 - Ph.D. Student of English Language and Literature. Department of English Language and Literature, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University Tabriz, Iran
2 - Assistant Professor. Department of English Language and Literature, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University Tabriz, Iran
3 - Assistant Professor. Department of English Language and Literature, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University Tabriz, Iran

Received: 2022-04-16 Accepted : 2022-04-16 Published : 2021-12-01

Keywords: Ishiguro, Erikson, Midlife Crisis, Generativity, Stagnation, Care,

Abstract :

This study is going to investigate the characterization of the protagonist of Kazuo Ishiguro’s An Artist of the Floating World in terms of the midlife crisis with which he is involved. This novel gives an account Masuji Ono, an ageing painter, who reviews his life and profession in the post-World War II Japan. Considering the fact that Masuji Ono’s review is characterized by the obsession with family and profession with an attempt to decide whether he achieved “generativity” or “stagnation,” his account can be discussed in terms of Erik Erikson’s psychosocial development. This investigation is worth undertaking as it reveals the psychological complexities of the protagonist of the novel, and it can simultaneously answer some questions about his certain behaviors. Focusing on the seventh stage of Erikson’s developmental psychology, namely midlife crisis which is primarily characterized by deciding over the binary “generativity versus stagnation” and the individual’s struggle to decide on the meaning of life, the present research explores Masuji Ono’s attempts at creating a positive image of his past and also his tendency to compensate his shortcomings in familial issues in order to finally feel “generative” in his midlife years. Ultimately, this research discusses Masuji Ono’s extent of success in overcoming the psychological tribulations of the stage and whether he achieves “care” which is the virtue of the stage in question.