Social Alienation to Self-destruction: A Marxian Analysis of The End of Eddy

In this paper, we analyse the novel The End of Eddy by Édouard Louis in the light of Karl Marx’s theory of alienation, which explains the estrangement of individuals from their work, their worldviews, and their sense of self. This analysis aims to highlight how social disparities affect individuals and shape their responses to discrimination within society, and how the continuous disparity is perpetuated by capitalism. The paper explores how social alienation leads a person down a path of self-destruction and sabotage, often resulting in them spiralling out of control and succumbing to depression. Furthermore, it examines how the unwritten rules that govern the functioning of society pressure so-called rebels into conforming to dominant ideals.