The Transition from Adolscence to Adulthood of

Allie Hamilton using Erik Erikson’s Stages of

psychosocial development in the Notebook Novel

By Eneng Asti Ardia (96164001956)

Literary criticism
 Erik Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development theory is personality develops in predetermined
order through eight stages of psychosocial development from infancy to adulthood. Allie Hamilton
has three stages of psychosocial development in the notebook novel.
Allie Hamilton with Erik Erikson’s stages of life
(13-21) Identity vs Role Confusion
- Early identity of Allie formed by parents wishes
- Allie Learns to make own life decisions later on
- Allie confuse choose between Noah or her parents
(21-39) Intimacy vs Isolation
- Allie pushes Noah away at beginning or not prepared to share her self to Noah
- Isolation during college
- Allie is able to share self with Lon and Noah
(65 and older) Integrity and Depair
- Reflects back upon life with a sense of integrity
- Allie is happy with her choice with Noah
- Allie despairs her current situation (Alzheimer’s disease).

Sumarry of Allie Hamilton in the Notebook Novel

- Elderly man visits a lady with dementia to read a love storyfrom his notebook to a female
patient in nursing home.
- Allie for the first time and immediately fell in love with Noah but Allie’s parents ban her
from seeing Noah
- They were separated by social class, as she was the daughter of a wealthy family, and he
worked as a laborer in a lumberyard
- Her family then sent Allie to New York, where she continued her education at Sarah
Lawrence College
- Allie get engaged with Lon Hammond
- Allie cheats on Lon Hammond, with Noah
- The elderly people were Allie and Noah
- The old man stop read and tells that he read to his wife who suffers from Alzheimer’s
disease and does not familiar with him
- The nurse discovers they have died peacefully in the bed together
Q&A
1. Has Allie succesfully become an Adult ?
Yes she has, she accept dfferentiation and separation from her parents at
beginning and begin an independent life. Then develope adolescent friend
relationship to become more intimate. And become independent financially by
participating in the work force.
“she had to make excuses to her parents whenever they wanted to see each other.
It wasn’t that they didn’t like him-it was that he was from a different class,too
poor, and they would never approve if their daughter became serious with
someone like him.” (Chapter Ghosts:pages 25)