1. Psychoanalysis: A Freudian criticism of three works of literature
A Clockwork Orange
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Atlas Shrugged

2. A Clockwork Orange Id, ego, and superego Dreams Father figures
Oedipus complex

3. “What’s it going to be then, eh?”
Alex freely acts out all desires, giving his id complete control.
His superego fails to punish him because he sees no wrong in what he is doing.
Music fuels violence and vice versa.

4. Dreams are the royal road to the unconscious
Dreams that he loses his power – wish fulfillment of keeping power.
Dream comes true when droogs turn on him.
In jail, he dreams of music and violence, his two passions that are now taken away.
In prison, he dreams of Ludwig van in form of castration complex.

5. Rehabilitation
Behavior modification program combines violent images with a physically sick feeling
Ego changes because his relationship to reality is driven by physical sickness in relation to violence
Superego still craves violence, but ego suppresses the urge to avoid feeling ill
Becomes a “Clockwork Orange”, alive on the outside, yet mechanical inside

6. Reintegration
Alex cannot defend himself because the thought of violence makes him ill.
Sees F. Alexander as father figure
Oedipus complex fulfilled– Alex raped and killed F. Alexander’s wife.
F. Alexander seeks revenge by using Alex then driving him to attempt suicide.

7. “I Was Cured All Right.”
Alex envisions his tainted ego leaving his body and new, fresh ego entering, freeing him to act out his id’s desires.
The ultimate wish fulfillment of regressing into his original state.

8. The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Uncanny
Id, Ego, Superego
Oedipus Complex

9. “If I would be always young, and the picture grow old…I would give my soul for that.”
The Faustian bargain transfers evidence of Dorian’s age and misdeeds to the portrait.
The picture becomes uncanny because it is essentially Dorian’s soul manifested in a physical painting.

10. “The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it…”
Acts out all the fantasies of his id
Superego dissolves because he has no conscious and his self-ideal resides in the picture
Ego is transferred to the portrait because anything that would normally bring him pain is evident in the painting

11. He has been twenty-one nearly half a century
He has no need for a superego .
Society continues to accept him despite his horrid acts because he remains young and beautiful.
The reader lives out the fantasy of being forever young.

12. A Schism of the Soul
Basil (father figure) is horrified at the portrait and Dorian, realizing he’s done something wrong, kills him.
Has no ego or superego so he destroys the painting. Because the portrait contains those essential parts, Dorian dies.

13. Atlas Shrugged The perfect man? Sex is not an animal instinct.
Does repression cause everything?

14. “Who is John Galt?” The archetypal man
Galt is in absolute control of himself, thus has successfully repressed all desires.
Characters view sex as a recognition and sharing of values.

15. Possible repressions results in overly passionate views.
"So you think that money is the root of all evil? Have you ever asked what is the root of money?"
Wealth and values versus living life through alms, altruism, and socialism.
Possible repressions results in overly passionate views.

16. Conclusion
All human motivations and behaviors can have psychoanalytical interpretations.
The explanations are not always correct, but can me made to fit most circumstances.

17. FIN