The study:

Location:
in the central Montreal neighbourhoods(arrondissements) of Plateau
Mont-Royal (PMR) and Rosemont-Petite Patrie (RPP).
method:
!)a residential calendar aimed at reconstituting the respondents residential
history since leaving the parental home, including
!!)a semi-directed interview
Analysis:
Data:!)aged 35 and under
In union;children bearing decline(gender different)
!!)The representations of solo living and their defi nitions can be
summarized as follows:
(i)a youth lifestyle (solo living as expressing an intense social life and
freedom from responsibilities)47
Characteristic:
Fulfill themselves before considering union and family formation,
A choice to enjoy the privileges of immaturity and irresonsibility(best
way to develop or maintain automony)
personal freedom more important that finicial cost
Not describe as lonliness and isolation,but the large social network
and choice
Future:forming a couple(mostly)
Sb,Solo-living not boring;no need to be social
Explanation:unforeseen transitions into conjugality and, perhaps, an
unconscious prolonging of an intermediary phase between the end of
formal education and the beginning of couple life
(ii) a transitional period (solo living while waiting forand expecting
conjugality)25
relatively small social networks(average of 25) and spend more time
alone than those who have other representations of solo living.
are characterized by more diversity than those in the previous group
See living with family as failure and living with otherss odd.
in their outlook on their current situation that the younger and older
respondents in this group most differ.
Older:personal failure and they express feelings of loss and being
cut-off from valued social relations.
Young:the younger interviewees who see solo living as a period of
transition have a more positive outlook;hope becoming a home owner and
having children.
living alone was a temporary situation;
(iii) a way of life learned for the long term (solo living viewed as a

permanent state).32
Charact:
Most of the respondents in the younger age group (nine, of which four
are men and fi ve are women) and almost all respondents among the older
age group (29, of which 11 are men and 18 are women)
these respondents fi rst live alone,they end up choosing to pursue this
way of life.
They have achieved a certain balance between time spent in private in
the home and time spent in public.
they enjoy spending time in public spaces by themselves
Solo living can thus be seen as a way of life that favours such
expressions of self-determination.(minor with constraint and frequent
feelings of loneliness and sometimes isolation,)
forming a cohabiting couple is not part of their aspirations or dreams
and this possibility appears remote, except for those younger respondents
who have been living alone for shorter periods of time.
Especially mention the spatial difference,actually is the difference
between classes.
My percecption of solo-living in China
Different from the pattern of western, because of the development of
urbanization, the traditional villiages have been decomposing. Millions of
farmers flow into the city without anything. Most of them are
impoverished and cant afford a flat in city so they have to squeeze in a
tiny room(maybe 8 squres meter),sharing with similar others. What they
wish is to make enough money to build a house in the countryside. It is
probabaly refers to transitional period(they are expecting to conjungty).
But to be honest, a large part of them couldnt afford a house of their own
for life but also try to make conjugality. Especially for the young female
workers,their solo-living period is so limited because they will get
married at the young age(around 20-25 year old). Although they will
enjoy the solo-living life as the symbol of youth,they still try to get rid of
solo-living under the traditional marriage sense.
But for the rest of young people,they lead a solo-living because of the
determination of freedom. Large cities offer the best opportunity for
them,with convenient conditions. Also,living in the city are better for
development ones unique personality. Just as fomous Germany
sociologist pointed out that the modern city culture liberater the citizens.
The self part,which was supressed in the country,is being cultivated by
the urbanization. Just the same as the youth life explanation, those young
people,with well education and finicial contions,will have a independent
and atonomous life for a period.
Unlike the reading mentioned above, the third type of solo-living is not

obvious. Especially for the young people,seldom of them will lead a longterm solo-living. The Chinese society is hard on those women who
havent marriaged yet after 30 years old and call they as
leftover.Having the pressure of the society and family, it is less likely
for a woman to lead a long-term solo-living. However,for the elderly,it
exists a lot in nowadays China. Their children moved to the city and
rarely come back to the village. They dont have the finicial conditions to
move as well as they are not adapted to city life We call them elderly in
the empty nest.
It is no doubt that the tendency of solo-living aroused now but it is
confronted with many disturbtion.Eric Klinenberg in going solo
conlcuded that the core problem is not the number of solo-living,but
when there are lots of solo living, how our lives will be. Firstly,sololiving doesnt mean loneliness and isolation but a choice of lifestyle.
Secondly,if society and country can admit this and provide the solo-living
single with social support just as the attitude and ways for marriaged
population now in order to satisfy the need of citizens.