In the movie Eat, Pray, Love, actress Julia Roberts plays the role of Liz Gilbert. When Liz was going through her divorce, she met a man who practiced Eastern philosophy and religion and had a guru. When Liz decided to take time off to "find herself," one of the countries to which she traveled was India. Liz decided to stay in an ashram and hoped to meet the guru in order to obtain spiritual guidance. While there, Liz was expected to adhere to the strict rules that were in place. She lived in very simple conditions, was expected to eat the food that was served, was to attend prayer services, and was assigned to clean the toilets. She was expected to perform this task without complaining. What was Liz experiencing while staying in the ashram?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Liz was experiencing life in a total institution, as the ashram had strict rules and expectations that governed all aspects of her daily life. She had to conform to the institution's norms and values and undergo a resocialization process to adapt to her new environment. This included performing tasks such as cleaning toilets, which were assigned without her input or negotiation. Although the ashram was religious in nature, her experience there went beyond simply having a religious experience.

In the Movie Eat, Pray, Love, Actress Julia Roberts Plays