@misc{Guo, author = {Guo, Yiting}, title = {The Dilemma and Salvation in >Cost of Living<, Master thesis, World Literature, Zhengshou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China 2021 [application of Fromm's theories to art].}, abstract = {Martyna Majok is a Polish-American playwright. Her second play >Cost of Living< was published in 2018 and won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in the same year. The main characters in >Cost of Living< are the disabled: Ani and John, and their respective caregiver: Eddie and Jess. They desire to connect with others and the society, while at the same time, gaps of disability, race and class are created between them. However, they do not compromise or give up because of this, but are still actively looking for the salvation of love. This paper interprets the survival dilemma and salvation methods of the characters with the help of Erich Fromm's human existence theory, revealing the living conditions of the marginalized in the United States who are shackled by disability, race, and class. It calls on the society to give more humanistic care to the marginalized and the disadvantaged. This paper consists of five parts, including the introduction, three main chapters and the conclusion. The introduction summarizes the life experience and main works of Majok, the main content of >Cost of Living<, the current research status of this play at home and abroad, and the theoretical framework. The first chapter combines with Fromm's thinking on the existence dilemma of the modern people to analyze the survival dilemma of the four characters in the play. The disability brought both mental and physical torture to John and Ani; Eddie had to endure loneliness in the process of individualization; under alienation, Jess became a commodity for exchange of interests, and alienated from others constantly. In the play, both the disabled and the caregivers were caught in an inescapable survival predicament and could not perceive kindness, trust and love between individuals.- The second chapter explores the reason why the characters were in such dilemma with Fromm's theory of human need. Due to the social exclusion, Ani and John were eager to establish relatedness with the outside. Eddie took the initiative to seek company and rootedness, and Jess was desperate to gain a certain social identity. These unsatisfied spiritual needs made them fall into a desperate situation, and their wrong attempts to meet their needs even got them into deeper dilemma.- The third chapter analyzes different attempts made by the characters to get rid of their predicaments and achieve self-salvation. Infected by love, Ani rekindled her hope and enthusiasm for life. John took the initiative to step out of self-closure. Eddie and Jesse also boldly tried to love others. All the characters made different attempts to build relationships and love with others, but gained different results, which proves that only love based on understanding, respect and trust can lead them out of the predicament of existence and then realize the salvation of love. The play reflects Majok's ardent care for the fate of the marginalized in the United States. On the basis of Fromm's existence theory, this paper represents the real living conditions of the characters and the reasons for their deep predicament. Life is full of hardship and pain, and the marginalized represented by the characters in the play who lacked social attention and care are in deeper dilemma. However, predicament does not mean despair, surrender and compromise. Those who live in it should bravely fight against difficulties with an optimistic attitude. Meanwhile, the society should give them more attention and love, so that they can find the meaning of existence in the world full of loneliness and alienation, and realize self-salvation. [www.cnki.net, 1/2023]}, language = {zh} }