Goffman percieved the self not as a possession of the actor but rather aas the product of the dramatic interaction between actor and audience. The self "is a dramatic effect arising from a scene that is presented."
Goffman assumed that when individuals interact, they want to present a certain sense of self that will be accepted by others. However, even as they present that self, actors are aware that members of the audience can disturb their performance. For that reason actors are attuned to the need to control the audience, especially those elements of it that might be disruptive. The actors hope that the sense of self that they present to the audience will be strong enough for the audience to define the actors as the actors want.