1. Introduction

1.1 A Brief Introduction of Rachel Joyce and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

Rachel Joyce, as an experienced British writer and playwright, has written over twenty original afternoon plays for BBC Radio 4, and has created major adaptations for the Classic series and Woman#8217;s Hour, as well as a TV drama adaptation for BBC2. In 2007, she jointly won the Tinniswood Award for Best Radio Play. Joyce moved to writing after a twenty-year career in theatre and television, performing leading roles for the RSC, the Royal National Theatre, the Royal Court and Cheek by Jowl; and wining a Time Out Best Actress Award and the Sony Silver. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is the debut novel by Rachel Joyce, published in 2012. It was a long-list finalist for the 2012 Man Booker Prize. Before publishing, its language copyright has been sold in over 20 foreign countries. And because of this book, Rachel Joyce was awarded the ”New Writer of the Year” award by the National Book Awards in December 2012. In spite of these, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry was also the best-selling hardback book in the UK from a new novelist in 2012. Joyce first wrote the story of Harold Fry in the form of a short radio play, which was broadcast on BBC Radio 4, with Anton Rogers, Anna Massey and Niamh Cusack. She dedicated the play to her father, who was dying from cancer, and who did not live long enough to hear it. The play was later developed into a full-length novel.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is a story about Harold Fry, a recently-retired man who once worked in a brewery as a sales representative for over forty years with no promotion, friends and foes. Harold lives in a small English village with his wife Maureen, who seems irritated by almost everything he does. He keeps a low profile in his life and little differentiates one day from the next. On an ordinary morning in mid-April, that grim stillness is disrupted because Harold receives a letter from a friend who is dying from cancer. Queenie Hennessy, a poor woman who Harold hasn#8217;t heard from in twenty years, and who he feels he has wronged, has a cancer and is in a hospice in Berwick-upon-Tweed, writing to say goodbye. Recalling the ”stout, plain-looking woman”, Harold composes a bland note of condolence and walks over to the post office. But along the way, a chance encounter convinces him that he absolutely must deliver his message to Queenie in person. He phones the hospice from a call box and leaves a message. He is coming and she should wait, stay alive while he makes the journey. Quite unexpectedly, in his yachting shoes and light coat, Harold finds himself embarking on an urgent quest which will lead him to walk six hundred miles from one end of the country to the other. He believes that as long as he walks, Queenie will live.

Along the way, Harold meets one fascinating character after another, each of whom unlocks his long-dormant spirit and sense of promise. Memories of his first dance with Maureen, his wedding day, his joy in fatherhood, come rushing back to him---allowing him to also reconcile the losses and the regrets. As for Maureen, she doesn#8217;t think of driving to provide help for a long time; while much later, she finds herself missing Harold for the first time in years and finally, she drives up to see him in Yorkshire. During his walking, Harold also experiences wind and rain, suffering and pain, even the glory and abandon. Through walking, he talks with his mind, recalls memories of the past, and at the end of the journey, he finds the real self and regain a new life.

1.2 Need for the Study

As Rachel Joyce#8217;s debut novel, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry has drawn controversial attention after its publishment. As an international best- seller, it tells readers a warm and touching story in a subtle way. Although enjoys a high reputation, as the latest book, the researches related to this work are very small in number. In spite of many book reviews on the websites, there are not many theses and large academic databases. Currently, some studies referring to this book employ the theme of faith and growth. While this paper employs Lacan#8217;s theory of mirror stage to interpret the influence of the Other on Harold Fry#8217;s self-fashioning. It mainly focuses on analyzing the impacts of social background, family environment and personal relationships on Harold Fry#8217;s self-lost, self-awaking and self-pursuit. Study on this novel will open a new avenue for readers to obtain further understanding of Lacan#8217;s mirror stage and the Other, as well as open up a new direction of research of this novel.

2. Literature Review

2.1 Lacan#8217;s Mirror Stage Theory and the Relationship Between Self and Others