Honors Theses and Capstones

Date Completed

Spring 2026

Abstract

This thesis examines the concept of identity in the works of Elena Ferrante, arguing that her fiction presents identity not as an isolated, self-contained construct, but as something relational, fluid, and deeply shaped by environment. Focusing primarily on The Neapolitan Quartet, the project introduces “boundaries” as a central framework, drawing on relational-cultural theory to explore how identities are formed through connection as much as separation. In Ferrante’s Naples, the setting functions as a microcosm of broader social forces — class disparity, gender inequality, generational tension, and political ideologies — that collectively shape individual experience.

At the core of this analysis is the lifelong relationship between Elena Greco and Lila Cerullo, whose dynamic complicates the notion of singular identity. Their intellectual, emotional, and creative interdependence suggests that identity can be co-constructed, with each woman serving as both a boundary and a mirror for the other. The thesis engages with Ferrante’s concept of “dissolving margins,” in which the perceived edges between individuals break down, revealing a shared, unstable human essence.

Ultimately, this project contends that Elena Ferrante’s anonymous identity is not a contradiction but an extension of her literary philosophy. By rejecting a fixed authorial identity, Ferrante reinforces the idea that identity exists across a network of relationships — between characters, readers, and the author herself. In this way, her work challenges the boundaries of selfhood, proposing a more collective and evolving understanding of what it means to be human, what it means to create one's meaning.

First Advisor

James Rioux

College or School

COLA

Department or Program

English

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

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