Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert: Analysis

One of the most popular books, “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert serves as a memoir that takes us on the journey of the author’s self-discovery after healing through a painful divorce. Even though this is a relatively old book, I have recently read it. A friend recommended it since I was and still am grieving over my father. 

I don’t know how much the book changed me or affected me. However, there were several points that I could make out. Some even touched my heart and left me to ponder over them. 

As a Literary Graduate, this is how I read the book and did some analysis that might give you the motivation to either fall in love with it again or pick it up. 

Structure and themes 

The structure of the book revolves around Gilbert’s travels. Her travels to Italy, India, and Indonesia help her discover different parts of her life which are Eat, Pray, and Love. This is how the book is segmented which makes it easy to understand. 

Moreover, each section has minute details and takes a slow pace to allow the reader to absorb the journey with her. Without an overlapping or even confusing thematic structure, the language is easily complimented by the tone. 

Also, here I would like to reiterate that anybody who needs to do some soul-searching, needs to travel alone and enjoy life. American Life may be different for us. However, since Gilbert was living there, it became too easy to ignore the new things that she had to experience. 

Her first trip was to Italy. 

Trip to Italy

Italy is the land of pleasure and passion. It is no surprise that Gilbert found something like that. However, here she found pleasure and passion in a way that none of us imagined. Indulging in the food and the language, Gilbert found the importance of self-indulgence.

Take this for an example to understand it better. 

How many times are you concerned about the food you take? Am I gaining weight? Is it triggering my acne? Am I eating too much or too little? Am I spending too much? What are the ingredients doing to my body?

I feel like every one of us – in some way or the other, has an unhealthy relationship with food. Sometimes, we seem to kill our desires and eat whatever is available. 

Similarly, we tend to lead a life so full of limitations that come only from within us. Reading Eat, Pray, Love, I realized how much this is true for me. 

Gilbert’s journey to enjoying different foods, indulging in them. Learning the simple way of life, interacting with people from different cultures and mindsets, and even learning the language. Some little things allowed the author to appreciate the joys of living. Something that we tend to forget. In Gilbert’s experience, she made new friends and began realizing her self-worth. This was fairly important as her emotional turmoil or years had simply put her in survival mode, rather than living life. 

Slowly realizing that treating yourself kindly and pampering yourself a little, is not a crime. In fact, it is important to have a healthy life. After focusing on self-love and slowly being on the healing journey, it was time for another adventure. 

The next trip Elizabeth Gilbert took was to India.

Trip to India 

The next phase of the book takes us to India. To focus on spirituality, Gilbert took a turn to India, the land of devotion. Keep in mind that she is looking for spirituality, not religion. 

The first place that Gilbert goes to is an ashram. An ashram is a place of religious grounding for the Hindu religion. The meditation and prayers she wanted were for inner peace and some clarity. 

T.S Elliot once said, that if there were no God, human beings would have created one. The reason he said this was because human beings always need authority over them to make morally good decisions. Furthermore, to remain grounded, it is important to have a high power to give the power the credit it deserves. 

The human mind can subconsciously become very proud if it wants to. It is easy to get into survival mode and forget about oneself. Our mind is trained to want to survive. This is probably why, even in the toughest situations, we keep breathing, we keep relieving ourselves, feel hunger and thirst, and go about what makes us survive. Sometimes, we forget how to fight our demons. One question pops up, if we are going about it, then let’s leave the demons alone. How is that fair if we want contentment?

Once the author found some self-love in Italy it was time to get a step ahead and find peace. Conversations with fellow devotees along with meditation helped her understand the challenges of faith and looking within. 

One of the most important things she learned in the ashram was the idea of connecting to nature. The ashram taught her the discipline of life along with being in a routine. Patience, virtue, and calmness seemed to come to us and the author. 

Humility and humbleness came from this experience. However, for a second it seemed that everything she learned in Italy, seriously contrasted in India. Overindulgence is okay and then working on understanding spirituality and humbleness. 

Well, as it would have it, the book takes us on a final journey where everything comes together two-fold. 

The final trip we take is to Indonesia. 

Trip to Indonesia

Spiritual devotion in India and worldly pleasure in Italy, it was important to find which one was important. This section personally taught me the idea of balance in life. 

It is very easy to lose ourselves over worldly matters. When things go south, it is equally easy to engage in faith and forget the world. In Bali, Gilbert found the ultimate solution to life – Balance. 

Spending time in Bali, the author found the idea of happiness and what it means. The traditional Balinese Wisdom teaches the concept of balance between the world and faith. 

If you have ever been to Bali, you will know exactly what she might have experienced. I did too! The Balinese culture is filled with leisure and faith. It is very common for the people there to enjoy the beauty of life and nature along with taking time to enjoy the serenity within themselves. The scenic views in Bali allow one to focus within and embark on the journey of balance. 

After I lost my father, human connections were the last thing I wanted. In Gilbert’s case, an important human connection was something that seemed to have destroyed her. However, in Bali, one last time, she learned the importance of connections. Her epiphany on the different human beings and their mindsets helped make a balance in her mind. Furthermore, no matter how much we want, life cannot be led without people. 

Without giving any spoilers, Elizabeth learned this too. 

Character Development 

Elizabeth Gilbert’s Journey develops her character internally immensely. In the beginning, each word puts the pressure on the reader of the author’s despair, yearning for peace, and depression in some ways. Going through a failed relationship, a seeming loss of trust in human beings as a result of her failed relationship, and the sense of feeling weak were written in a way that resonates with readers and then puts them in misery. 

Two main aspects of character development were beautifully unfolded in the book that I want to talk about. I only wish to find this development in my life. 

Self Discovery 

You don’t just jump into the cool waters. You test it with your toes first. Taking huge steps to find herself is not only impractical, the author never went with the intention. She slowly let nature take its course. 

In Italy, it was more about herself. Appreciating her own passions, indulgences, and her own company. The idea of being motherly to oneself is reiterated here. Before being tough on yourself and fighting yourself, it is important to show kindness and appreciate yourself. 

India is a little more strict. Here she is actually fighting her inner demons. Finding a way to overcome her traumas and learning the patience to deal with things to find a sense of peace. 

By the time she reaches Bali, it seems as if the author brings us a sizable excitement. It is something that even I was excited about. She is looking for experiences that she gets to experience with her new learnings. The clarity that is built through these experiences makes Gilbert an empowered person from being vulnerable. 

On a personal level, since the language in the book is honest and clear, it translates into organic growth. Remember, that the author sets out for the expedition without expecting what she will learn. This makes it even more authentic. 

Relationships 

It is common for people to swear off people when something devastating happens in life. A divorce or breakup especially does that to people. There were signs in the book about this as well. How can you trust anyone after the most important person breaks your heart and breaks you? 

The need for human connections in every phase of life is subtly hinted at but easily understood by the reader. Italy is where Elizabeth seems to be on her own. However, the community she interacts with while learning the language and otherwise gives her a sense of home. Afterall, home is not a place but a feeling – a feeling you get when you are around people that make you feel loved and a part of them. 

Her spiritual guide is her mentor in India. Moreover, the fellow devotees also act as a light to show her amidst the darkness that seems to surround the author. A human mind can easily be clouded with emotions and experiences. A ray of hope is important to see the light within and that is what these people gave her in the ashram. 

In Bali, she is almost a wholesome person. The balance in life by learning how to be passionate and peaceful within herself gives her an insight into loving once again. She does understand the importance of a romantic relationship in life and is now once again embracing love. 

Each of these relationships reflects the personal growth in Gilbert’s personality that helps her understand herself even better. 

A very important relationship she made on the trip was with herself. The book was subtly loud in the matter. Without a relationship with yourself, you cannot have a relationship with any human being. 

Wrap up

Reading Eat, Pray, Love gave me the confidence to hold my own transformative journey. Nowhere does the author specify that this is exactly what another person will go through. However, the exploration will bring you to a point of self-realization. 

Gilbert’s writing style was very engaging and vulnerable. It seems to simply bring us to the presence of our minds and realizations of our own experiences. Healing cannot happen without self-discovery. This is apparent in the book and helps everyone take a step ahead in their minds. 

If you have not picked up the book yet, then it is time you do!