PERSONAL SELF-IDENTIFICATION PECULIARITIES: BIOGRAM “YOUTH” (THE CASE STUDY OF THE LITERARY BIOGRAPHY BY W. ISAACSON “STEVE JOBS: A BIOGRAPHY”)

Abstract

The subject of the article is Steve Jobs’ personal self-identification. Lexical units (words, phrases) are those descriptors of the text of the literary biography that represent the main meaning of the biogram “YOUTH” and their semantic connections reflect the peculiarities of Steve Jobs’ personal self-identification within this period. The project aims to analyze Steve Jobs’ memories, case study being the biogram “YOUTH” in order to find out how this stage of life has influenced the formation of his personal self-identification. Each biogram is a certain model of events and, in this article, it is represented by four structural elements: “First Love and LSD”, “Reed University”, “Dropout”, and “Atari and India”. The topicality of the paper is caused by necessity to identify lexical descriptors of the “YOUTH” biogram, the latter being aimed at realizing S. Jobs’ motive of self-knowledge and creating the image as well. As a result of the research, it has been established that the biogram “YOUTH” reflects the conscious goals S. Jobs accepts and sets for himself – these are important, affectively coloured, personally significant interests, preferences determining the individual’s efforts for self-realization. The key meaning of the biogram “YOUTH” is the search for one’s own destination. Jobs’ personal self-identification seems somewhat ambiguous, as we have seen both sides of his nature – positive and negative, which undoubtedly emphasize the motives related to the young man’s life plans and future intentions. Via the biogram “YOUTH” we have managed to single out specific lexical descriptors, the synthesis of which outlines all the characteristics of Steve Jobs being a young man and the awareness of his further development paths: A FUNDAMENTAL VIEW OF SELF-KNOWLEDGE, CREATIVE ABILITIES, INDIVIDUALISM, LOVE FOR ENGINEERING AS A SEARCH FOR HIS DESTINATION. We see a detailed study of other biograms as promising, such as “WORK”, “CAREER”, “RELATIONSHIPS”, “THE ART OF DISTORTING REALITY”, etc. Studied together (separately or generally) they will help represent Steve Jobs’ psychological image in the literary biography “Steve Jobs: A Biography”.