Manifestation of Kristeva’s Concepts of “Abjection” and “Thetic Break” in Sam Shepard’s The Buried Child

Abstract

This study probes Kristeva’s theory of abjection, thetic break, the semiotics, and the symbolic in the play The Buried Child written by Sam Shepherd. The image of metamophorasized mother refers to any types of objects which are the transformed version of the mother. In other words, the image of mother is substituted and replaced during thetic break which functions as a threshold between two realms of the semiotic and the symbolic as a break between the signifier and the signified. Kristeva believes that the thetic break is a precondition for entering the symbolic chora and the possibilities of the first enunciation where the subject realizes that his own subjectivity faces boundary and limitation with others. This basic problem is elaborated in this selected play and discussed through Kristevean reading. Citation: Jianguang S., Kashani Z.S., Haratyan F.  (2023) Manifestation of Kristeva’s Theory of Abjection and Thetic Break in Sam Shepard’s The Buried Child, European Journal of English Language and Literature Studies, Vol.11, No.1, pp.37-48