Transcript Psychoanalytical Literary Criticism

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Is hostile or
verbally abusive.
Is easily persuaded
to do what others
want them to do.
Looks up to their
opposite-sex
parent.
Is sexually loose.
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Looks to the
opposite sex for
leaders or
nurturers.
Over-reacts.
Denies the negative
things around
them.
Name Someone Who Fits the
Above Characteristics.
Psychoanalytical
Literary Criticism
Via Sigmund Freud
3 Levels of Consciousness
Conscious Mind: What we are paying
attention to at the moment
 Preconscious Mind: Things of which we
are aware, but are not paying attention to
at the moment.
 Subconscious Mind: The process and
content here are out of reach to the
conscious mind. However, much of our
behavior stems from our subconscious.
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Id: Our primitive drives that operate
according to the “pleasure principle,”
which is where we seek pleasure and
avoid pain. The id is controlled by the
libido.
◦ The libido is our energy storehouse
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The id has two major instincts:
◦ Eros: Pleasure-Seeking Tendencies (sex, food)
◦ Thanatos: The urge to be aggressive as a
means to avoid death (fights, survival)
The Components of Personality
and why we are always in conflict!
Ego: The ego is aware of reality and
operates via the “reality principle,” which
recognizes that behaviors have
consequences. It is also aware of social
rules that are necessary to live and thrive.
It is primarily developed in childhood
 The ego uses secondary processes such
as perception, memory, judgment, and
recognition.
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3 Components of Personality and
Why we are always in conflict
Superego: This is our value system and
social morals, which come from our
environment (parents). It is contained in
the conscience.
 The superego’s job is to counterbalance
the Id
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3 Components of Personality and
Why We are always in Conflict!
Our feelings, thoughts , and actions are
the result of the interaction of the Id, Ego,
and Superego. This creates conflict and
anxiety (which can lead to defense
mechanisms).
 In all, you must encourage the Ego to
make the right choice by balancing the Id
and Superego.
 Confused yet?
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The Point?
3 Levels of Consciousness
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Reality Anxiety: Fears of real and possible
events such as being bitten by the loose pit
bull in the street. The only way to overcome
it is to remove yourself from the situation.
Run Away!
Neurotic Anxiety: This anxiety comes from
the Id and is unconscious. It can take control
of a person and lead to self-punishment.
Moral Anxiety: Fear of violating values and
moral codes. It’s where the guilt comes from!
Anxiety and Tension: We Work to
Reduce It!
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Yes, all of our egos create false
rationalizations to help quell the Id and
Superego—we don’t do it on purpose.
Denial: Believing what is true is actually
false.
Displacement: Redirecting emotions to a
substitute target.
Intellectualization: Taking an objective
viewpoint.
Projection: Attributing uncomfortable feelings
to others (why you blame me for your grade)
Defense Mechanisms: Our
Irrational Justifications
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Rationalization: Creating false, but
rational justifications
Reaction Formation: Overacting in the
opposite manner to the fear
Regression: Acting like a child
Repression: Pushing thoughts or events to
the subconscious
Sublimation: Redirecting “wrong” urges to
socially acceptable actions
More Defense Mechanisms
Transference is when you take the
perceptions or expectations of one person
and project them to another person.
 You are always the person people believe
you are
 This pattern usually develops in
childhood.
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Transference: My Childhood
Screwed Me Up
When you turn the other person into your
father or idealized father-figure. (Are you
my Daddy?)
 This may lead to an Electra Complex (to
be explained with the Oedipal)—Sicko!
 When we regard higher-level leaders
(CEOs and politicians), the transference
may be from a father who was distant,
powerful, and protective.
 The opposite, of course, can be true.
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Paternal Transference: My Dad
Screwed Me Up
When we attribute our mother’s qualities
to someone else. Remember, mom’s the
ultimate authority.
 Our desire to be the sole focus of our
mother may lead to an Oedipal Complex,
which is when you secretly want to sleep
with your mom and get rid of her man.
 Maternal transference is deeper and more
primitive, which is why we often see
women leaders as biznitches.
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Maternal Transference: My Mom
Screwed Me Up
When parents are absent, sometimes we
substitute these relationships with
siblings, family, or friends. (This is
increasingly common as women are now
working. )
 These people often work well in teams
and do not seek leadership positions.
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Sibling Transference: My Brother
Totally Screwed Me Up
We tend to use stereotypes for people and
treat them how WE believe they should be
treated.
 We also form idealized prototypes—
doctors, teachers, firemen, etc.
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Other Transference: The World
Screwed Me Up
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Freud believed that there are five basic
stages of the human psyche. If these
stages are not resolved in due time, we
lean on our defense mechanisms to avoid
the anxiety.
Our Psychosexual Stages
Our pleasure source at this age is our
mouth: biting, sucking, swallowing.
 If we are not weaned correctly or are
deficit, we may have an Oral Fixation as
an adult.
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◦ Oral Receptive Personality: Preoccupation with
eating, drinking, smoking, biting. These people
are generally passive and “swallow” other’s
ideas.
◦ Oral Aggressive Personality: This person is
hostile and verbally abusive.
0-2 Years: The Oral Stage
Our Pleasure Source at this age is our anus—
either defecating or retaining feces. If we
aren’t properly toilet trained or are
aggressively toilet trained, we can become
anally fixated.
The Anal Retentive Personality: A stingy,
stubborn perfectionist who is obsessed with
order and tidiness
The Anal Expulsive Personality: A messy and
careless person who has little self-control
2-4: The Anal Stage
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These are the ages when we find our
genitals.
Around the Ages of 5-6, if present, we
usually tend to mimic our same-sex parent.
This is when boys first experience the Oedipal
Complex and girls first experience the Electra
Complex. (Mama’s Boy and Daddy’s Girl)
Freud also believed that boys experience
Castration Anxiety and girls experience Penis
Envy
4-5 Years: The Phallic Stage
Aaah. We can relax. Our sexual urges are
sublimated into sports and hobbies.
 Of course, other things can screw you up.
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6-Puberty: Latency
Our physical and sexual changes
reawaken and we seek sexual
gratification. The only thing holding us
back is the SuperEgo!
 Crap…
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Puberty+: Genital Stage
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We can apply Freud’s theories to literature
as a method of interpreting the value of
the work. We can focus on the following:
◦ Characters (Julia was totally operating from her
Id and Winston clearly had an Oedipal
complex.)
◦ Author (Jane Austen’s male characters were
often reflections of her own paternal
transference---distant, cold, and mysterious)
◦ The Audience (you only like Prufrock so that
you can project your own feelings of inferiority)
What does this have to do with
literature?
List 5 Adjectives to describe your favorite
animal.
 List five adjectives to describe your
favorite color.
 List five adjectives to describe your
favorite body of water.
 Think of a white 8x8 room and list five
adjectives to describe it.
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Answer the questions above
Your favorite animal is how you perceive
yourself.
 Your favorite color is how others perceive
you.
 Your description of water is how you view
sex.
 Your description of the white room is how
you view death.
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What would Freud say?