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    • Abbreviated Title: Int. J. Lang. Lit. Linguist.
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    • DOI: 10.18178/IJLLL
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HOME > Archives > 2026 > Volume 12 Number 1 (2026) >
IJLLL 2026 Vol.12(1): 73-77
DOI: 10.18178/IJLLL.2026.12.1.633

An Exploration of Self-Determination in Female Identity Construction in Celeste Ng’s Novels

Chonglin Yan
Faculty of Languages and Communication, Sultan Idris Education University, Tanjong Malim, Malaysia
Email: 465511180@qq.com

Manuscript received November 14, 2025; accepted December 26, 2025; published March 25, 2026

Abstract—This paper examines Celeste Ng’s three novels, which are Everything I Never Told You, Little Fires Everywhere, and Our Missing Hearts, to explore the mechanisms and literary representations of “self-determination” in identity construction. Drawing upon self-determination theory and identity theory, this paper examines the life journeys of three female protagonists Marilyn, Mia, and Margaret to reveal the complex paths individuals traverse in pursuing autonomous identities amid the intertwined constraints of culture, family, and society. The study finds that the notion of self-determination in Ng’s works is not an ephemeral act of rebellion, but rather a continuous process of resistance, reflection, and reconstruction. The arduous process of identity construction for these three women reveals the dynamic interplay between individual will and external structures. Ultimately, Ng redefines contemporary female subjectivity within a multicultural context, portraying self-determination as a path toward ethical awakening and identity reconstruction. This paper aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the role of self-determination in female identity construction and to explore its implications for contemporary female subjectivity within a multicultural context.
 
Keywords—celeste Ng, self-determination, subjectivity, identity construction, female

Cite: Chonglin Yan, "An Exploration of Self-Determination in Female Identity Construction in Celeste Ng’s Novels," International Journal of Languages, Literature and Linguistics, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 73-77, 2026.

Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).


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