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Original Research

CONCEPT OF FREEDOM AND ATTAINMENT OF HAPPINESS IN JONATHAN FRANZEN’S FREEDOM

MURUGESAN. S 1, and Dr. C. SANTHOSH KUMAR 2.

Vol 18, No 12 ( 2023 )   |  DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10319953   |   Author Affiliation: PhD Research Scholar, Department of English, Annamalai University 1; Research Supervisor, Professor, Department of English, Annamalai University 2.   |   Licensing: CC 4.0   |   Pg no: 296-301   |   Published on: 08-12-2023

Abstract

This research study explores the intricate relationship between freedom and happiness as depicted in Jonathan Franzen’s novel Freedom. The narrative of the novel revolves around the multigenerational history of the Berglund family in Minnesota, USA. With a blend of humor and cruelty, the story vividly portrays the pleasures and burdens of liberty in the midst of the adventures of adolescence. The easy way people compromise at middle age, the changes suburban expansion brings in the life of individuals, the consequences of power through poignant storytelling-Franzen offers a profound and thought-provoking solution. The author presents modern times, describing failures and delights that individuals encounter as they live in an increasingly perplexing environment. There are different types of characters, each grappling with his own interpretation of freedom and its implications. Franzen investigates the nuances of individual freedom and explains the ways characters struggle hard to attain it. The Berglund family represents multigenerational history that serves as the microcosm of the broader American society. Readers are introduced to the complex relationship present among individuals who thrive hard to attain independence. The researcher seeks to shed light on the concepts maintained by individuals about freedom and different ways they adopt in order to attain happiness in life.


Keywords

Utilitarianism, Modernism, Multigenerational, Liberal Individualism, Post Modernism.