Reading Critique

Erving Goffman: The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life

Summary:

The article is a review of the publications of Erving Goffman’s written by Adam Barnhart in 1994. It mainly focuses on describing the ideas of the book ‘The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life’, that is, the meaning and analysis of the interactive process by applying the ‘dramaturgical approach’ in his study. Goffman explored the meaning, definition and details of interaction, including performance, front, line, teams and region, by using “dramatic realization”. It is a process which tries to predict the strategies and activities of a person (that is the actor in this approach) used throughout the performance.

However, Adam points out that the book lacks comprehensive description about the interaction process. He suggests a list of other publications of Goffman for exploring specific concepts in a deeper surface. For example, Stigma and Interaction Ritual, that is about the interaction analysis of everyday life examples in a broader social sense.

Reflection:

After reading the article, I find that front is something that able people to distinguish between different roles and performance. The first thing come into my mind is my mum. She wears suits and put on make up when she goes to work. She shows she is a professional businesswoman from her paralinguistic skills to her behaviors in the office. However, once she is at home, the setting and front are changed. Her line changes as well even she is still wearing suits! Her role now is mother, and we notice this change from change in front and line! However, I discover that even the front is used, different roles can be performed. For example, when I help her in the office, she is both my mother and a businesswoman at the same time, even her behavior is the same!