Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.38003/zrffs.13.5
ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS THEORY: (RE)CONSTRUCTING IDENTITY IN TONI MORRISON’S BELOVED
Iva Donelli
Gordan Matas
; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Split, Split, Croatia
Abstract
In this paper, Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved (1987) will be considered from the point
of view of developmental psychology. Morrison’s works can be seen as representing
an intertwinement of social, historico-political and emotional themes which play a
crucial role in the identity construction of the author’s characters. Therefore, the
Ecological Systems Theory proposed by Urie Bronfenbrenner will be employed to
closely examine how the identities of Morrison’s characters are being shaped in the
novel. The usage of the five systems on which Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model
is based– chronosystem, macrosystem, exosystem, mesosystem and microsystem,
will provide an often missing holistic approach necessary for better understanding
of how and why Morrison’s characters are (un)able to complete their developmental
journey of identity construction successfully.
Keywords
Toni Morrison; Urie Bronfenbrenner; ecological systems theory; identity construction; holistic approach
Hrčak ID:
248018
URI
Publication date:
17.12.2020.
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