Abstract: Marx's alienation theory points out that when a person's essence is externalized as the alien， the relationship between him and his essence becomes the object relationship， which causes alienation. In Mavis Garland's Lena， the male discourse deepens the marginalization of the female， which makes Lena neither get emotional comfort from the family nor identity from the society. The subject of self-denial transfers from the family and society to the individual self， which causes self-alienation. Therefore， the female have to return and perfect themselves， and become the subject of the family and society and manifest their subjective values， which would prevent themselves from alienation and achieve identity construction.

Key words: Lena, self-alienation, return, female, identity construction