Name Someone Who Fits the Above Characteristics. 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. Looks to the opposite sex for leaders or nurturers. Over-reacts. Denies the negative things around them.

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.

The Components of Personality and why we are always in conflict! 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 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)

3 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.

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

The Point? 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?

3 Levels of Consciousness

Anxiety and Tension: We Work to Reduce It! 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!

Defense Mechanisms: Our Irrational Justifications 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)

More Defense Mechanisms 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

Transference: My Childhood Screwed Me Up 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.

Paternal Transference: My Dad 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.

Maternal Transference: My Mom 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.

Sibling Transference: My Brother Totally 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.

Other Transference: The World 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.

Our Psychosexual Stages 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.

0-2 Years: The Oral Stage 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. ◦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.

2-4: The Anal 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

4-5 Years: The Phallic Stage 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

6-Puberty: Latency Aaah. We can relax. Our sexual urges are sublimated into sports and hobbies. Of course, other things can screw you up.

Puberty+: Genital Stage Our physical and sexual changes reawaken and we seek sexual gratification. The only thing holding us back is the SuperEgo! Crap…

What does this have to do with literature? 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)

Answer the questions above 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.

What would Freud say? 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.