Social Isolation and Loneliness: A Psychoanalytic Reading of Jojo Moyes' Me Before You

Abstract

The current paper investigates the concept of isolation and loneliness in the contemporary novel of Jojo Moyes’ Me Before You, which is written in 2012. Embodying the elements of romance and romanticism, the novel is described by many critics as a romantic comedy that narrates a true love story. The study explores the theme of isolation and loneliness by relying on psychoanalysis perspectives to interpret these two concepts. It adopts a framework of psychoanalysis views, particularly Freud’s concept of isolation, to study the characters' motives towards isolation and solitude, as well as to reveal the physical and emotional conditions that the characters have encountered in their community. It also points out that the pattern of isolation can be considered as a defense mechanism to protect the characters against their harmful thoughts showing the starkness of their surroundings circumstances. It sheds the light on the reasons of Will’s, the major character, thinking about his disability and how he detached himself from the social life as a form of defense, and then attempts to end his life