Self-love/narcissism
In literature, self-love ranges from healthy self-regard and autonomy to pathological narcissism and self-obsession. Self-love explores tension between necessary self-preservation and destructive ego.
Real World
Dorian Gray in Wilde's novel begins with healthy self-regard but slides into pathological narcissism — his obsession with his own portrait and beauty leads to moral collapse and murder, dramatising self-love's destructive endpoint.
Exam Focus
Distinguish between self-love as survival and narcissism as pathology — precise terminology signals AO1 sophistication to examiners.
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