1. Introduction

1.1 The author’s background information

John Knowles, the author of A Separate Peace: was born in the westof Virginia, and was educated at Phillips Exeter Academyand then at Yale. As a former associate editor of Holiday magazine, he now devotes full time to writing. His short storieshave appeared in New World Writing, Story,and other magazines.

1.2 An overview of “A Separate Peace”

During the World War, England and Franceadopted many tolerance policies to impel the war between Germany and England,but Germany and Russia drewmany policies secretly and they promised a policy called “A Separate Peace”. Sofinally, England and France failed.This is the origin of a separate peace.

It was John Knowles’ firstnovel. At that time, this novel was very popular, and was well accepted bypeople from all works of life. As he once said: “All of my books are based onthe place which I know very well and deeply feel about. I begin with that placefrom which the characters and the plot emerge… A Separate Peace begins with a playing field at Exeter Academy.”(Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2005, p.9). However, this novel is not quite popular in China.Moreover, there is no one who applies Lancan’s theory “Mirror Image” to analyzethis novel. So, this thesis aims to analyze the psychology of the two maincharacters and the “Mirror Image” relationship between the two main characters,and tries to find out the reasons that cause the final tragedy. Just as JamesEllis said in his article “A SeparatePeace: The Fall from innocence”: “To read A Separate Peace is to discover a novel which is completelysatisfactory and yet so provocative that a readerimmediately wishes to return to it.” (Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2005, p.10).

A Separate Peace is on the background of the War which the author doesn’t talk muchabout. It is about the growing period of a group of juveniles in Devon Schoolduring that special period about their aimless and hopeless growing; they wantto grasp something to show their own values, but they become farther andfarther from themselves during this kind of searching.

The two main characters in thenovel are Phineas and Gene, they are the students of Devon Schooland also are good friends. Gene is kind and quiet, and he is good at study andalso a top student in school. On the other hand, Finny is of great charming,smart but quite humility. He has a strong ability of rallying point andorganizing, but he is a little bit “selfhood”. Phineas establishes the SuperSuicide Society, and encourages others to join in, no matter whether otherslike the game or not. In such circumstances, although doesn’t like the game atall, Gene chooses to obey, he joins in the society and jumps from the branchagain and again, he even gives up study to follow Phineas.

Gene envies Phineas’s genuineon sports and his simplicity. His jealousy makes him suspect his best friendall day. Once on the game, Phineas suggests jumping with Gene together. Takingthis chance, Gene swags the branch consciously or maybe unconsciously, Phineasfalls off from the tree and can’t do sports any more. Guilt and remorse makesGene get into the state of aimless, and mix the “Self”. He puts on Phineas’s clothesin front of the mirror, treats himself as Phineas, from then on, he actuallybecomes the “mirror” of Phineas.

On the other side, after Phineas injured,he can never do sports, it’s his genuine, his life, once he was proud of it,but now, his dream is being destroyed, he can’t join the army like his friends,although he is quiet and calm on the surface, he is despair in deep heart. Afterdenied by the army several times, he lost all of confidence, and became aimlessand hopeless. What he can do is depend on his best friend-Gene. Gene is hisconsole and last hope. Since now, Phineas also lost himself, he treats Gene ashimself, they depend on each other, and they dream together, prepare for theOlympic Games which will never be held. He thinks if Gene takes part in theOlympic equals himself takes part in. In such special time, on the backgroundof war, the true war hasn’t influence on the school, they draw a circle for themselvesonly, on one can go into such circle, in some certain, Phineas baffles Gene’s proceedingand interrupt his own development. However, “war” is a strange word for these juveniles;they are too young to understand the true meaning of war. Their classmates joinin the army continuously, but on one have a good ending, some becomes mad, someinjured. Heroism and passion lost the standing points when facing the real warin life, war is cruel. They begin to suspect the war and so called “heroism”,their young age decide their simplicity, without adults’ edification, they can’treally understand the whole world. Disappointment makes the two heroes hide intheir own circle; it’s a kind of escapism, but also a kind of compromise inbroader sense. At the end of the novel, these young boys hold a meeting toquestion Gene’s guilty behavior, such meeting is like a kind of ceremony insome certain, and they became adult and realize the true war in real life, theyalso began to face the reality. At last, Phineas died due to an incident, hedrop from the step, and died in a medical incident, from them on, his “MirrorImage” life ended, and the “Mirror Image” relationship

between these two boysalso ended. To our surprise, Gene is calm on Phineas’s funeral, because hefeels himself also died with Phineas, and it means the “mirror image” of thesetwo people is deep and influential. But just as Lancan mentioned, “Mirror Image”is a special period in one’s life, in his theory, “Mirror Image” is happenduring 6-18 month old baby, but it is also can illustrate the psychology of adolescentsduring their growing, baby see itself from the true mirror, in the novel, theseyoung boys see themselves from the “Mirror” in their psychology.

2. The brief introduction of Psychologyanalysis

2.1 The briefintroduction of Freud and his theory

Freud is born in Freiberg, Moravia;he is the initiator of psychological analysis. In 1886, he set upprivate practice, specializing in nervous diseases; it laid a foundation forhis further development on psychology research. One of his most famous theoriesis Unconsciousness. His systematic study of the unconscious has deep influenceon many psychologists including Lancan, in fact, Lancan’s “Mirror Image” theoryis develop on the basis of Freud’s theory: Unconsciousness. Freud views the unconsciousas the part of the personality that must be studied, just as the major portionof an iceberg lies below the water’s surface, the major portion of the humanpersonality lies below the level of awareness (Robert D. Nye, 1975, p5-p6). Freud viewed theunconsciousness as a part of human’s personality.

2.2 The brief introduction of Lancan’s “Mirror Image”theory

Lancan (1901-1981) was a famouspsychologist of France.In August, 1936, on the 14th international psychological meeting, hehanded on his famous essay: The period ofMirror Image

. It was also the basis and beginning point of Lancan’s theory.It was developed on the basis of Sigmund Freud’s psychological analysis, at thesame time, Lancan added something new into the theory, and it was a kind of post-modernizationtheory. Lancan inherited and also developed Freud’s theory. Lancan mentions: “MirrorImage” likes a play, its inner power push one from disadvantage to expectation,and the principal part who declares that “self” is “others” is different withthat treats “others” as “self”. They are absolutely two different behaviors andopinions. The former shows the truth of a person, the latter is a kind of embodimentof “self” function.

In Lancan’s opinion,the recognization of “selfhood” can be separated into three steps: 1, when babystanding in front of the mirror with adult, it cannot distinguish itself fromothers. 2, the baby gradually can distinguish the “image” in the mirror fromits own body. 3, finally, the baby can recognize that the image in the mirroris itself, so, it will happy for this founding. In some sense, such mysterious timeis a sign of “selfhood” establishment.

“Mirror Image” means during the 6-18 months old, baby hasn’testablished “Self” consciousness, it only realize the existence of “Self” inthe mirror or through the relationship of the surrounding environment, or thecommunication of the other people. It realize itself in mirror, then, establishoriginal impression of “Self”, however, it is only a kind of illusion, in fact,the baby can’t distinguish itself from others in psychology and onconsciousness, it hasn’t realized the relationship between “itself” and thesurrounding environment. So, it may treat others as a kind of “Mirror”, evenform a “Mirror” on behavior, language and in psychology. “Mirror Image” is thebeginning of “Self”, it’s a kind of imitation, or unconscious deeds. In suchperiod, people lost himself, but not as “others” absolutely, he may only treatothers as himself.

2.3 The difference between Lancan’s andFreud’s theories

Lancan’s “Mirror Image”theory is developing on the basis of Freud’s unconscious theory, these two theorieshave some same opinion, but in fact, we can see Lancan inherits the theory andhas his own new conception. In Freud’s theory, he emphasize that psychology hasclose connection with people’s biology and neurology. In fact, he didn’tdevelop the theory further; he also didn’t develop the neurology to thepostmodernism. Freud thinks that unconsciousness is an entity, it needs thepower to abreact and lead, and the key relationship is Oedipus, but in Lancan’sopinion, it is too late when Oedipus coming, because baby has already finalizethe psychology design befor the Oedipus period(Liuhong, Zhouning, 2006,p.85).So,in some certain, Lancan is a key man who finish this historical turn point, he notonly expatiate the Freudianism, but also re-definite the key conception ofunconsciousness, obviously, Lancan has broken through the localization of depthpsychology. He led the unconsciousness to “others”. Such “others” also means akind of social communication. In Lancan’s opinion, the period of “Mirror Image”is just a period of identification, that is to say, it is a kind of change afterone find a “Mirror” (Huanghanping,2003,p.17).

3. Body

In this thesis, I will solve two problems:one is to analyze different periods of the “mirror image” of the two people,and try to figure out the procession, another is try to analyze the reasonswhich cause the final death of Phineas.

The whole is written in flashback, but atthe beginning of the novel, we can see some hints of the “Mirror Image”relationship between these two friends, for example, when Gene looks back thepast days in Deven, he is fear, “Because unfamiliar with the absence of fearand what that was like, I had not been able to identify its presence.”, just asLancan mentions: “Mirror is a kind of tragedy”, Gene can’t realize himself, heonly fear for his surrounding environment, but doesn’t know why, and no one canlead him or help him to go out of his circle but himself, and it is also anecessary period for his growing, after it, he can own his real “selfhood”.

In the novel, the “mirror image”relationship between these two people is developing step by step; we can seethat at first, Gene doesn’t fall into the “Mirror” circle absolutely, but withthe changing of environment, these two boys gradually go into the “Mirror Stage”,they lost the “Selfhood”, it is also the main cause of the final tragedy. Thedeveloping process of the “Mirror Image” is long and not easy to be recognized.In my opinion, there are altogether four periods: the beginning period, thedeveloping period, the climax period and the final period.

3.1 The beginning period

This part is about from chapter 1 tochapter 2

During this time, it mainly in summervacation of Devon School, the author’s toneis relaxed. During this period, their life is full of sunshine; Phineas isplausible, vivacious and splendid. In this period, Gene is just Phineas’scollaborator.

3.1.1 Phineas (the appearance of Ego)

Phineas establishes the Super SuicideSociety, wear the school tie as belt, and wear pink shirt, on one hand, he isthe exemplar student, he is pure, love his school, and the most important thingis his excellent sports record, he is the leader of the young group, almost allof his classmates follow his order and suggestion, it also make Phineas moreand more “egoism”, he never care about others’ thinking, he just do whathimself likes. He always say “naturally”, we can say during this period,Phineas is just like a 6 months old baby, he stands in front of the mirror, andonly can see his image, he can realize the existence of himself, but it is onlyan image, he can’t realize the true inner world of himself, he can’t understandhimself, Phineas’s world is only himself, because in his “Mirror”, he only can seethe image of his own.

Moreover, Phineas is an over-self man whohas a strong power of rallying point, he likes sports, so he think others mustalso like it, so he persuades others to join in his Society without caringabout whether they like it. His “Mirror” only reflects his image. His purityand kindness is a double-edged sword, it gives him a calm mind as well asegoism, in his opinion, sports is pure, everything is pure, people shouldn’thave any sense of win or fail. And such opinion is also a tragedy of hisdestiny, we can see now the war hasn’t influence the Deven school, in latterpart of the novel, when these boys facing the real war, Phineas’s such puremind is not fit for the reality, because war means enemy, death and blood. InPhineas’s mind, he hasn’t the conception of separation, he also couldn’tseparate enemy or partner in the war, in his mind, sports is pure as well aswar. But on the other hand, his such characteristic also decides that he doesn’tcare much about other people’s feeling, his “Mirror” makes him only see his ownexistence. In the novel, he breaks the swimming record easily, but doesn’t’want others know, he doesn’t want his name caved on the record, his sports is onlysports, without any sense of competition, it’s a behavior of opposition to the authoritarianism.

3.1.2 Gene (establishes his “Mirror”)

On the other hand, at first, Gene enviesPhineas, when Phineas’s mistake is found by Mrs. Patch withers, he even has unexpectedlyexcitement. When Phineas successfully persuade the teacher, Gene feels a suddendisappointment, we can see that Gene envy Phineas in unconscious mind, he joinin the Super Suicide Society although he doesn’t like such game in fact, heeven gives up preparing for examination to follow Phineas’s order, he seems tobe indifferent, but actually, the seed of unsatisfied is planted in his deepheart, he loses “himself” in behavior although himself hasn’t conscious it. Hislife is centers on Phineas, his mirror is Phineas, through this “mirror”, Gene mixesthe image of Phineas and himself, he only sees the advantages of Phineas, buthe doesn’t see his own merits. He envies Phineas’s purity and kindness whichGene himself actually wants to be. He ignore himself, only reveres Phineas’s virtue.

In fact, Gene almost forgets the fact thathe is different from Phineas, he is an individual, and such mind provides a preconditionfor the later development of “mirror image”. And also lay a hidden trouble forthe final tragedy. During this period, Gene takes Phineas as his “mirror image”,he lost himself, and all of the things he does is just because he doesn’t wantto disappoint Phineas. He mixes a conception: whether he living for “himself”or for others. In chapter 2, when Phineas saved Gene from falling off, Genesaid: “Phineas had practically saved my life.”, and at the beginning of thechapter 3, he also mentioned: “He had also practically lost it for me.”, Phineas saved hisbody, but also makes Gene lose his “selfhood”. “Save” and “Lose” are oppositewords, Gene’s body is saved, but his inner mind is lost. They also illustratethe “Mirror Image” relationship between boys.

3.2 Developing period

This part is mainly in Chapter 3 to most ofChapter 4

3.2.1 Phineas (the development of Ego)

Phineas does everything without any aim, andhe just doing, without thinking. All Phineas does are just do the thing,without any aim, in Lancan’s opinion, “Mirror Image” in fact is a kind of “self”structuralism; it means a period which one treats “self” as “I” for the firsttime (Denghong,2007, p.225). It also makeshim give up himself after the accident.

Moreover, Phineas invites a game calledblitzkrieg baseball game, but he never separates any team, everyone is partner,everyone is enemy, “All you really need is a round ball.” He just wants to makehim has some relationship with the War, but he doesn’t know how to express hisfeeling. We can see during the game, Gene even doesn’t know the rule first, hejust follow Phineas’s order, like a doll, the rule is Phineas’s order, in fact,Gene is already lost himself in the game, just like he will lose himself andbecome Phineas’s “Mirror Image” later. Just as Lancan said: the establish ofthe “selfhood” must depends on the 参照 ofothers, only when one treats others as a kind of media, or just a model fromoutside world, one can finish establishing an active image of “selfhood”(Wangxi,2003, p.131).

3.2.2 Gene (deepen the “Mirror Image” relationship)

During this period, Gene is a littleunsatisfied with Phineas, however, once when he was to fall from the tree,Phineas saved him, he thanks him, so Gene has to join in Phineas’s activity forhis face, even he doesn’t exactly know why he should join in such activity.Gene treats Phineas as himself; he doesn’t realize the true “selfhood”. Such “Mirror”makes him just follow Phineas’s order without think about why. Also, Gene findsout that Phineas actually living by some rules, for example, Phineas pray everynight before sleep, because he thinks God will help him to win the game if hedoes it, we can see that in Phineas heart, he has the consciousness of win orfail, he just doesn’t dare to face the reality, his mind and behavior is incompatible,in his deep heart, he wishes himself can do the best to win the game, he hopeshe can be the first, he can’t accept failure, and for a long period, successseems to be his, it is a kind of habit, once Phineas accept success as a habit,it is difficult for him to accept failure, his “Mirror” force him to do thebest, and he should always play as a leader in his group. He just does what hewants to do, but never ask him why he does all these things. His own “Mirror” makeshim lost the direction, he lost in his life.

In addition, G

ene starts to suspect his best friend, he begins to reject, and hesuspect that Phineas wants to interrupt his study deliberately. But when he rejectsPhineas and speaks out his opinion, it is also the first time for him to rejectPhineas. Phineas’s attitude makes him feel regret. During this period, Gene isparadoxical, on one side, he follows Phineas’s orders, but on the other hand,he still realizes the consciousness of “selfhood”, he still can realize his ownexistence, during this period, Gene himself jumps out of his own situation, andstill has the consciousness to see the relationship between Phineas and him asa whole, however, when Gene has some sense of “selfhood”, Phineas’s purity makehim come back again, it also provide a supporting for the further developmentof their “mirror image” relationship. “Mirror Image” is only an illusion and akind of idol. The initial “self” appears in the form of “others”(Wangxiaoliang,2007,p.198). Since now, “mirror image” is hidden, just like an accumulatingprocess. They suspect each other, after this period, their “mirror image” willbecome tighter.

3.3 climax

This partis about from the latter part of Chapter 4 to Chapter 8

3.3.1 Phineas (depends onGene)

During this period, the Devon school comesinto the winter session, the tone of the author also changed, it’s gloomy andfull of sadness, the air is nervous and uncertainty, when, Gene and Phineasclimb on the tree and plan to jump together, an important change happened, Geneseems to reel the branch in order to keep balance, but just this action makePhineas fall off the tree, such falling make all of things changed, includingthe “Mirror Image” relationship between these two friends, Phineas can never dosports any more, now, their relationship changed, since then, Gene becomes the “Mirror”of Phineas, and Phineas wants to keep Gene stay with him, Gene try to cast off suchrelationship, but it’s useless. Phineas only can grasp Gene after his injury, onthe other hand, Phineas is a kind and pure boy, what he wants is a perfect and pureworld, such characteristic is unreality, it is also a main cause of his finaldeath.

3.3.2 Gene (loses himself absolutely, and becomesPhineas’s “Mirror”)

After the accident happens, the first thingGene does is put on Phineas’s clothes in front of the mirror; in fact, he alsoput on clothes in his inner “mirror”. It is a quite important scene. From nowon, he becomes a part of Phineas, he gives up himself completely, and himselfalso become a tool for Phineas in order to realize Phineas’s dreams. It is a climaxand also a turning point of the whole novel.

3.3.3 The environment which leads the establishment oftheir “Mirror Image” relationship

At the same time, the real war begins toinfluence on the Devon school, and also has animpact on these boys. Phineas can’t join the army, his dream is broken, butalmost all of the boys want to attend the war. Phineas now has lost his rallyingpoint, he only find some excuses to console himself, “war is a conspire made byadults”, although Gene wants to join in the war, he dreams to become cub master,so that he can be trained and become a solider, but all of his dream is destroyed,when he sees the disappointment facial expression of Phineas, he decides togive up enlist. It seems that he only can be Phineas’s “mirror image”.

So, when their classmates all prepare forthe war, they prepare for the Olympic which will never held, but it is the onlyday dream for Phineas, he helps Gene to train, encourages him to take part inthe Olympic to replace him, he thinks if Gene attends, he attends, now, thesetwo people depend on each other, just as Lancan mentioned: when people in the “MirrorImage” stage, they put their own feeling, opinion on the others, and make themliving in a certain direction which “I” wish them to, such image is a kind of “my”illusion instead of “my” true characteristic. In the novel, Phineas treats Geneas himself; he also lost his true “self”. Moreover, the remorse makes Genefollows Phineas, despite realizing himself, his own individual. Such following graduallydeveloping into a kind of inertia, “Mirror Image” makes them draw a circlearound them which no one can go into their life. Such condition provides a goodenvironment for their “Mirror Image” relationship. “It is on the basis of thisfundamental understanding of identity that Lacan maintained throughout hiscareer that desire is the desire of the other.” (Matthew Sharpe ,2006）()

All of the things Phineas does are a kindof escapism, he just makes Gene become another Phineas, and all of things hecan do at that time is grasp Gene tightly so that he has a bailment for hissense of lost, so that he needn’t face the true self, and face the crucialreality. “Mirror Image” is just a console for him. He can maintain “friendship”in such relationship.

Inthe novel, the author mentions that 16 is a most important and also mostcrucial age for people. “War” is a word with deep meaning for these boys, theycannot see the true face of war, cannot understand the true meaning of war.

3.4The end

This part is about from Chapter 9 toChapter 13

In such blindness, the “Mirror Image”relationship between them is deeper and deeper. When these boys are in theWinter Carnival, they receive a letter from their friend Leper Lepellier, whoescape from the army and call for their help, this letter change the mind ofGene and Phineas, and also change the “war” definition in these juveniles’heart. The reality suddenly makes Gene realize the crucial of the war, andmakes Phineas realize the existence of the “war”.

3.4.1 Phineas (realize the reality, and full of disappointment)

In fact, at the end of the novel, we cansee that Phineas was always connecting with the army, but unfortunately, he alwaysrejected by them because of his injury. When, he fell off from the steps, hisanger and dissatisfaction burst out, “Mirror Image” is just a dream for him;his inner world is paradox, although he always seems to be quiet. “In other words, themore one becomes the ego (the mirror image) the more alienated one will becomefrom what is truly oneself. The alienation of the ego in the specular image iswhat, for Lacan (1977), prompts the subject to be constandy in search ofhimself in others.”(Duncan Cartwright,2000)

3.4.2 Gene (his own inner self gone)

When Gene attends Phineas’s funeral, he evendoesn’t feel any sadness, he is just calm, quiet, because he treats Phineas asa part of himself, “Mirror Image” between them is deep and influential, whenothers join in the war, Phineas only can live in his own so-called peace withGene, such peace is the fuse of Phineas’s war in his inner world, both of themare a distinctive contrast. They are like a whole both on body and on spiritual,In Gene’s opinion, Phineas’s death is just as his own death, they both mixtheir own identity, and become a whole part. Lancan once mentioned: onefunction of “Mirror Image” is called “paradigm”, it is the beginning ofselfhood. In one’s later life, after a series of identify of narcissism and love,self may obtain an identity gradually.

3.4.3 The whole situation of the environment

In this part, there is a meeting held byBrinker, such meeting just like a kind of adult ceremony, It’s about theaccident of Phineas’s falling, but the only spectator-Leper, he escape from thehorrible war, left the army, and becomes mad, he even couldn’t speak clearly. So,dramatically, Gene’s secret will becomes a secret forever.

But what is Phineas’s reflection? He jumpout of the room, he cries, and falls off from the steps. His second fall makes him leaves this world.

“Mirror Image” relationship finish, but itsinfluence still on Gene, he feel died with Phineas, such feeling will accompanyhim a whole life even after he goes out of the “Mirror” Stage and recovers theconsciousness of “selfhood”.

3.4.4 The further influence of “Mirror Image” on Gene

After 15 years, Gene returns to the DevenSchool, he recovers his sense of self, the experience in the school makes himrealizes his identity, and begins his real life, it is the beginning of selfhood,and is also a prolusion before entering into the adult world. The period of “MirrorImage” is a turning point in one’s growing process, and is also the beginningof Lancan’s theory, these two friends’ “Mirror Image” period finishes, the lifeof “self” starts.

3.4.5 The reality sense of Lancan’s “Mirror Image”

According to Lancan, although “Mirror Image”is a phenomenon in baby’s period, it is also an important experience ineveryone’s growing period, after this period, one can establish sense of self gradually;one may walk out of the stage of “Mirror Image” and form selfhood.

Whentheir classmates join the army one by one, but some becomes crazy, someinjured, these young boys begin to face the true war, and there is no longer havingany standing point for heroism in their hearts. They begin to suspect the war,as well as so-called heroism. They can’t understand the world clearly withoutadult’s leading. Therefore, the lost make them only hide in their own circle. Theyare in deep stage in the period of “Mirror Image”.

15years later, when Gene returns to the school, look forward to the past, he findthe real peace in his heart. The experience on such background is labyrinthian,Lancan says: “Mirror Image” is a necessary period which everyone must gothrough. These two characters go through this special period on a specialbackground. The uncertainty of the outside world in such circumstance, and the miserableencounter of their classmates’ make these two friends choose escape. They livein their own circle to deceive themselves. It add a key lock on their “MirrorImage” relationship, and provide a precondition for the development of theirrelationship, they become a whole gradually and mix the identity.

Geneestablishes “Mirror” because of his guilt and self-abuse, but Phineas’s “Mirror”is because of his over-selfhood, “Mirror Image” makes their relationshiptighter, but also makes them lost themselves, and cause the final tragedy.

4, conclusion

Thenovel’s topic: A Separate Peace hastwo meanings, 1, when the word “separate” used as a non, it means isolation, inthe novel, these two main characters draw a circle for themselves, “MirrorImage” makes them only living in their own space, far from the reality, “MirrorImage” is the beginning of Lancan’s theory as well as beginning of one’sestablishment of “selfhood”. 2, when this word is a verb, it means act as abarrier between, divide. Phineas doesn’t separate team for his game, butseparate himself and Gene from the outside world, from the reality, from thereal war. “”Mirror Image” is a tragedy, but it can makes boys realize the existenceof “self”. It is just a kind of experience, which makes them gradually realizethe own image in the “Mirror”.

This paper is focus on Gene and Phineas’s “MirrorImage” relationship, through the analysis of the novel, we can conclude that “MirrorImage” is a special period during the growing period, according to Lancan’stheory, “Mirror Image” happens on the baby of 6-18 months old, it is thematerial and biology age, we can see this period from the aspects of the wholeprocess of human’s growing, the baby realizes itself through the true mirror,but as a juvenile or an adult, one couldn’t looks into the mirror all day, theymay living in certain environment, and the surrounding people, things may actas their “Mirror”. People must go through this period in order to gain theirconsciousness of “selfhood”, it is like a changing of roles, Lancan once said: “MirrorImage” is a kind of structuralism. After one go through such period, one canrecover “selfhood” of “others” from outside world. It is also a kind oftragedy, special for juveniles; it is an important turning point in people’sgrowing period.

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