Naseer Fatima

Madam almas
Course El 419

Topic:
Thematic analysis of Joan Didion personal essay“ in bed ’’

Abstract:
This articles aim to analyze Joan Didion personal essay “in bed ’’thematic Analyze.’’ The main
objective of the study is to analyze the major themes of the essay. These themes include isolation and
alienation, physical pain and suffering , denial verses Acceptance, the stigma of invisible illness finally,
the study concluded the themes of the essay Indirectly related to the title “In bed”. This abstract offers a
glimpse into the richness of Didion Thematic analysis , providing valuable insight for both readers and
scholars interested in the intersection of health , Identity and literature .Researcher use qualitative
method to analyze the data along with content analysis.

Keywords: Thematic analysis, personal essay, jaon Didion, in bed , alienation, suffering
Introduction:
Personal essay is a piece of nonfiction writing that shares an interesting, though-provoking, entertaining,
as and /or humorous story for readers that is drawn from the writer ‘s personal Experiences. According
to a Robert lee Brewer: “As it’s heart the personal essay is a peace of non-fiction Writing that shares a
story for readers that is drawn from the writer’s personal experience .”personal Essay can take on a number
of forms ,but they are typically five elements to them. The five elements of a Personal essay are a strong
opening hook, interesting story, interesting characters, absorbing setting, and an ultimate point or
conclusion .

Joan Didion is a celebrated American novelist and literary journalist. Her works address the growing
dissatisfaction in the society owing to disintegrating American social morals. Didion was born on
December 05 1934 and grew up in Sacramento , California. She earned her bachelor of arts degree in
English from the University of Barkeley,in 1956.she is considered one of the pioneer of New journalism
along with Gay telese, Hunter s.Thompson,and Tom Wolfe.

Her essay “in bed” themes revolves around the suffering, pain, alienation, solitude , and acceptance

verses denial. The personal essay describes about the personal experience of essayist own .She is passed
from the trauma of migraine.She describes her pain and struggle when the attack of migraine obsessed
herself. She totally forget everything and lei down on bed .By exploring Joan Didion narrative style and
rhetorical strategies , researcher aims to uncover the deeper layer of meaning embedded within her prose
shedding light on the enduring relevance of her work in contemporary discourse.

The personal essay “in bed” written by Joan Didion that was published in 1968 in her collection titled
“slouching towards Bethlehem’’This collection marked Didion ‘s as emergence as a leading voice of the
new journalism movement , characterized by its fusion of literary technique with reportage .In bed is a
prime example of Didion’s ability to intertwine personal reflection with societal observations , offering
readers a penetrating exploration of themes such as illness, morality,and alienation.central to in bed the
theme of illness both physically and Didion candidly explore her own encounter with delitating migraine
, using them as lense through which to examine the fragiliity of human body and looming Spector of
mortality.

Statement of the problem :

This research was conducted on Joan Didion personal essay “in bed” focused on thematic analysis of his
particular different researchers conducted research on themes of different essay.But no one research has
been conducted on thematic analysis of Joan Didion personal essay in bed.Due to this there is a gap that
must be filled,so ,the researchers are initiated to study this essay.

Therefore this study attemps to answer the following questions :

• .What are the major themes of the essay ?

• Why does Joan Didion explore theme of illness in his essay in bed?

Objectives of this study :

The general objective of this study to analyze the major themes of the essay “in bed”by Joan Didion.

• To analyze the major themes of the essay

• To analyze the main theme of illness

Literature review:
Different scholars define themes differently ,but overall it can be defined as a central idea of a literally
works or a story . According to melakneh(20006:63) defines themes as the central idea and unifying
concept of the story. Based on this definition theme is the point which carries the meaning of the story. It
means that the main idea that the reader’s understand after reading the whole story.

According to Anderson et Al (1909:196) define theme as a truth about human life the event of story
reveal to us from this definition the readers understood or point out the there is something that
concerns human life in story.

Besides, According to George (2006)theme “the subject of a piece of writing that can be implied or
obvious and can be inferred by the reader . According to the definition, themes can be explicitly stated
in the story by another or it can be inferred from the action of characters and their conversation and the
readers can conclude the implied meaning from the action of the characters and their conversation.
According to Grey(1998:28)“theme is the abstract subject of the works ,central idea which may not
explicit or obvious “ .,…a text may contain several themes or thematic interests.This definition implies
that there is a core or central idea of any literary work by which the author can state the theme or reader
can understand from the story . They also point out that themes out that themes can be stated implicitly
or explicitly.

Different researchers have been conducted on thematic analysis of the essay.For example,mehari Neghas
conducted on thematic analysis of “the old man and the sea ’’in adds Abba university in 2014.it is a novella
written by Ernest Hemingway 1952.The themes of the novella include victory, achievement,
acceptance,and Santiago as a prophet .Also ,Bereket lemma conducted research on thematic analysis of
Chinua Achebe novel ‘s Arrow at God at jimma university in 2014.The novel was written in 1974 Chinua
Achebe. The themes of the novel includes tradition and influence of Christian missionary, colonial
oppression, competition and disagreement, revenge,social structure and racism.The researcher are
conducting research on Joan Didion personal essay in Bed .

Mythology :
This research paper utilize a qualitative research methods specifically a thematic analysis approach ,to
investigate Joan Didion personal essay in bed .The researcher collected data for his research primary source
along with secondary source like journals, articles,and websites through these sources research analyze his
research more deeply and in depth.

Data collection and analysis:

The data analysis process for Joan Didion essay in bed would involve examining the text to identify
and explore it’s major themes. Begin by reading the essay carefully to identify the recurring ideas , topic,
or message that Didion discusses. Some major potential themes’ in bed include :the physical and
psychological impact of migraine on individual, alienation and isolation, denial verses
Acceptance, stigma of invisible illness etc.

The relevant textual analysis from the essay support each major themes.

1:Physical pain and suffering:

The primary theme revolve around pain and suffering caused by migraine. Didion visibly
describes the debilitating effects of migraine such as spending days in bed , feeling invisible to the world
,and experiencing blinding headaches.

“In bed three , four , sometimes five times a month, I spend the day in bed with

A migraine headache , insensible to the world around . Almost every day of every

Month, between these attacks, I feel the sudden rational irritation and flush of blood

Into the cerebral arteries which tell me that migraine is on its way ,”

2:Denial verses Acceptance:

 Another theme is the journey from denial to acceptance of her condition. Initially , Didion
tried to deny the existence of her migraine, believing she can overcome them through sheer
willpower.Howeve,over time she comes to accept migraine as an intrinsic part of her life , comparing them
to condition like diabetes that must be managed rather than overcome.

‘’’ It was a long time before I began thinking mechanistically enough to accept migraine

For what it was : something with which I would be living, the way some people live with

Diabetes .’’

3:Isolation and alienation:

Didion portrays the sense of alienation and isolation that come with chronic illness. She

Describes feeling disconnected from the world around her during migraine attacks, and the secrecy

Surrounding her condition, which leads to feelings of shame and the perception of being misunderstood
by others.

“I spent yesterday in bed with headache ….’’

4: Gender and illness:

There was an exploration of gendered aspect of illness ,as Didion notes that migraine are suffered
by a significant number of women.she also mentions historical figures like Thomas Jefferson, and
Ulysses s, Grant who experienced migraine, challenging the misconception that migraine are purely
imaginative or neurotic.

“ Surprising number of women, a fair number of men (Thomas Jefferson had migraine,

And so, did Ulysses s, Grant ,the day he accepted lee’s surrender),and by some

Unfortunate children as young as two years old.”

Didion vivid description of her migraine attack immerge the reader in her experience, conveying the
intensity of pain and disorientation she endures. Through introspective narration, Didion examines the
psychological toll of chronic illness exploring themes of blame and acceptance. The essay invites the
readers to considers their assumptions about illness and disability , challenging them to recognize the

Validity of experiences that may diverge from conversational understanding of health.

Didion exploration of historical and medical context add depth to her narrative, contextualizing her
personal struggle with broad social and frameworks.

Conclusion :
The personal essay “in bed’’ by John Didion explore her suffering and pain due to severe migraine
attacks .The researcher problem statement in essay is to find out the major themes .Then to the
exploration of illness due to migraine severe attack. The researcher explain the research statement in
very vividly. The researcher has uncovered that individuals living with chronic illness such as, migraine
face a multitude challenge of that extend beyond the physical symptoms. The researcher research support
the statement of problems. The themes of alienation and isolation, Gender and illness, physical pain
and disorientation or sufferings in the essay vividly explains with the help of quotation.

Limitations of the study:

To deal properly with the analysis of essay that times remain too short. The quantity of data requires to
do this analysis was not as it should be .

Reference:
1: Bereket lemma (2014) Thematic analysis of Arrow of God jimma university unpublished

2: George c (2006) encyclopedia Of education, Indian new Delhi printing press

3: Laurie z,kriszner and Stephen R,Mandel (2011) literature reading, reacting writing (4th ed) :USA Earl
Me

Peak publisher

4: Mahari Neghas (2014) Thematic analysis of the old men and the sea Addis Ababa university unpublished

5: Melakneh m (2008) fundamentals of literature (4th ed) Addis Abba university press

6: https :// w.w.w.writersdigest.com/write-better- nonfiction

7: W.w.w.reseachgate.net/publication.com