現今美眉文學的研究通常將消費者視為一個體，並把消費當成物品和購買與使用者間的連結，讓商品在塑造自我認同方面有極大幫助。以茱蒂哈里斯(Judith Harris)的社會類別與團體對立效應的理論為基礎，本論文主張身分的形塑並非只是個人的認同，而是社會與人際關係間的過程；亦即，個人的身分只從社會認同中被體現。靠著創造種種與體現個人身分有幫助的社會條件及社會關係，商品在自我形塑上扮演舉足輕重的角色。為了證明此說法，本論文將分析英國作家蘇菲金賽拉(Sophie Kinsella)在購物狂系列(the Shopaholic series)作品中，女主角貝琪(Becky Bloomwood)與其他角色間的關係。第一章將詳述哈理斯的理論，以為貝琪與其他角色的互動關係建立理論基礎。第二張將討論貝琪的多重社會身分是如何透過比較她與傳統女性，以及來自其他社會類別的女性間的異同中被體現。延伸哈理斯的團體對立效應至領域入侵的概念後，第三和第四章將討論不管是侵犯別人的領域，或是被拒絕於領域外，皆有助於貝琪的自我實現和社會化過程。結論則包含本人的研究發現，並提出進一步研究的可能性。

Treating the consumer as an individual, studies of Chick-Lit have usually taken consumption to be a matter of the relation between things and persons who buy and use them. Commodities are useful in so far as they contribute to the fashioning of their self-identity. Availing itself of Judith Harris’s theory of social categories and group contrast effect, the thesis argues instead that identity formation is not a personal matter but social and interpersonal process; that one’s identity is realized only in social recognition. To the extent that commodities contribute to self-fashioning, they do so by creating the social conditions and social relations favorable to the realization of one’s identity. To demonstrate the social and interpersonal process of self-realization, the thesis analyzes the relationships Becky Bloomwood has with other people in the Shopaholic series by the British author Sophie Kinsella. Chapter one gives an account of Harris’s theory so as to pave the way for Becky’s relation and interaction with other Shopaholic characters in the following chapters. Chapter two discusses how Becky’s multiple identities are variously realized through her relations to, and differences from, traditional women and women of other social groups. Extending Harris’s theory of group contrast effect to the conception of territory invasion, the next two chapters discuss how getting into other’s territories or being blocked from them all assist Becky in the process of her self-realization and socialization. The concluding chapter talks about my finding and bring out further research possibilities.

AbstractI
中文摘要II
AcknowledgementsIII
Introduction1
Chapter 1:
The Three Mental Systems & the Group Contrast Effect in the Process of a Person’s Socialization22
Chapter 2:
Group Territories: the Relations and Differences between Becky & Men, and between Becky & Other Women38
Chapter 3:
Family or Enemy: the Status Difference between Becky & Elinor59
Chapter 4:
Cat Fight: The Territory War between Becky & Venetia71
Chapter 5:
Conclusion84
Works Cited88

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