Erving Goffman`s Presentation of Self in Everyday Life provides an interesting slant on communication. The approach Goffman employs is "dramaturgical approach" which aids him in presenting his ideas on viewing the self within the social context (1959, 240). Interaction is called "performance," influenced by both environment and audience. In the process, the actors impart "impressions" that are in harmony with the actor’s intentions (17).
Communication and Self
The book’s main premise is that social interaction is at the heart of communication. Goffman uses actors as symbols of individuals and performances as the impressions we make to others. People, according to him, are social actors and we have the ability to choose our stage and props, as well as the “costume” or front we put before a specific audience. As actors, our primary goal is to be coherent and adapt to different