In Rachael Kushner’s The Flametrowers the unorthodox relationship between Sandro Valera and Reno is deeply described. From those details it is evident that the novel seeks to explore the the psychology of relationships. The theoretical concepts of Psychoanalytic criticism will be used in order to analyse aspects of Sandro and Reno’s relationship. According to the Online Writing Lab at Purdue University, Psychoanalytic criticism builds on Freudian theories of psychology. Based on the concepts of Psychoanalytic criticism it is clear that Sandro’s behavior as an adult directly links to events in his childhood. By that connection Sandro’s mistreatment of the people around him is caused by his relationship with his father. Sandro Valera’s father, T.P. Valera, …show more content…
From T.P. Valera’s business to his personal life he lived by a loose set of morals. It is made clear by the way in which he treated his family and also how he enslaved the people of the Amazon in order to gather rubber. In his personal life he was shown to disrespect his wife in front of the family and constantly spread his misogynistic ideologies onto Sandro in his childhood. The incident were Valera disrespected his wife in front of the family begins with Madame Valera preparing and extravagant return for T.P. Valera. When he entered the home greeted by his family and staff instead of being grateful he dismissed the gesture and told Madame Valera that she should ”take on a lover”(362). The instances of terrible parenting are abundant but a direct example is presented during a conversation with his sons where he tells them as you age “you tolerate less and less well with women your own age”(371). Both examples illustrate that T.P. Valera was not a good man. He openly insulted his wife while simultaneously devaluing his marriage in front of his children. He followed that up by telling his sons that they should only date young women because they won’t be able to tolerate the presence
Caracterra is a white male around the age of 30 years-old who continues to struggle copying with his past. Caracterra displayed many theories during his lifetime including Attachment Theory and Psychoanalytic Theory. At this moment, Caracterra currently resides in Hell’s Kitchen alone and struggles with letting go of his past childhood. Caracterra experienced a lot of his trauma during his lifetime but is showing improvement with the way he copes by being prompted in his job and not engaging in any criminal behavior.
The aim of the psychoanalytic therapy is to resolve interpersonal conflicts, toward the end of reconstructing one’s basic personality. (Corey 2013). Gathering life-history data, dream analysis, free association, interpretation and analysis of resistance and transference. Such procedures are aimed at increasing awareness, gaining intellectual and emotional insight. This begins a working-through process that leads to the reorganization of the client personality. According to Freud, out most intense experience of anxiety occurs at birth, when we are speratated from our mothers. Using this model will allow to examine the aniety as the basis of all the clients feelings of anxiety. Seperation from his mother at the age of 6 may have had an impact. Finally, this model tend that if noramal, rational approaches of the ego to reduce anxiety are not effective, the ego revert to ego-defense mechanisms. Jackson’s was defensive when discussion of possible sexual abuse was introduced in the sessions. This was pointed out as the Defense Mechansims, Repression. Therapist find this useful to bring the past experiences to the present, so that the client can begin to be aware.
In this novel, the society is centered around dichotomies; “youth and dotage” (Balzac 67), “the young man who has possessions and the young man that has nothing” and “the young man who thinks and the young man who spends” (87). Any person who falls outside of either box is called a “[child] who learn[s]… too late” or can “never appear in polite society” (87), essentially meaning they are undesirable in a formal society because they cannot follow expectations. The titular character, Paquita, is an “oriental” foreigner, from Havana, domesticated in Paris when she was sold to a wealthy woman who desired her. She fits into no culture entirely, as she is “part Asian houri on her mother’s side, part European through education, and part tropical by birth” (122). She is bisexual, choosing neither men nor women over the other. She is controlling, dressing Henri in women’s clothing (119), but controlled as she is reduced to a possession. However, there are ways in which a person can still be desired even if they are not easily pigeonholed. With her golden eyes and sensuality, Paquita fulfills both of the main pursuits of this society, “gold and pleasure” (68). Consequently, unlike the Marquis and his irrelevance in society, Paquita is highly sought after, thus making her a valuable commodity. Her desirability is not because of who she is as a human, but instead what
Marcelo makes a constant effort to maintain his moral and spiritual code when he is employed at Arturo’s firm. Marcelo really wants to be successful in the “real world” by making it through the summer in the mailroom so he can go back to Patterson in the fall. When he begins work, he really tries to follow all of the rules of the real world, and do his job correctly. The only thing that comes before all of this is Marcelo's moral code. The first place he shows that his morals are the most important thing to him is when Mr. Holmes calls him into his office. Mr. Holmes says to Marcelo ““Jasmine, Jasmine. What your father sees in her is beyond my comprehension.” Suddenly my head feels hot. Even though I don’t fully understand, I sense that Stephen Holmes is attacking Arturo, the one thing that always makes me angry. Without thinking I say, “Jasmine must be a good worker if Arturo likes her.” I don’t care if what I say and how I say it sounds disrespectful.” (67) On Marcelo’s first day on the job, he already disrespects his boss because Marcelo thought he spoke poorly about his father. This shows that Marcelo’s morals are very important to him because he would risk getting in trouble and ri...
In this book, Irvin Yalom intertwines the main plot with many other relationships with their own problems and ethical dilemmas. There is Dr. Marshal Streider who is a senior psychoanalyst that is preoccupied with social standing and money. He also does supervisory appointments with Ernest. He ends up with his own slew of ethical problems. There also is, in the very beginning of the book, Dr. Seymour Trotter who is a senior psychoanalyst who loses his license and is removed from psychoanalytic practic...
The movie Girl, Interrupted, written by Susanna Kaysen, is a good text to use for a Psychoanalytic Criticism lens. A memoir turned into a movie about a young girl being admitted to a psych ward after trying to end her life and living with a mental illness and finding treatment is a great example to show what Psychoanalytic Criticism really is. “The forgetting or ignoring of unresolved conflicts, unadmitted desires, or traumatic past events, so that they are forced out of the conscious into the realm of the unconscious” (Barry, 97). In applying psychoanalytic criticism the definition of psychoanalysis itself must be understood. It is a form of therapy that is used to help cure mental disorders “By investigating the interaction of the conscious
Before Trujillo became dictator, men usually worked and the wife stayed at home and it was a monogamous relationship. During Trujillo’s reign some ideas stayed the same, on the contrary now it became somewhat of a norm for “t triangle of dramatization”, these are relationships that are often described as a husband-wife-mistress triangle. The changes in the households that Trujillo are part of what aided him in legitimizing his career. The people who actually liked him as a person or as a dictator wanted to be similar to his lifestyle, which is the way that gender relations changed between men and
“They carried the sky. The whole atmosphere, they carried it, the humidity, the monsoons, the stink of fungus and decay, all of it, they carried gravity.” (pg.15). The men in
Lope de Vega’s play touches upon several key components and ideas that were brought up in many of the other stories read throughout the semester. This included the role of gender and how men and women are viewed differently in the Spaniard town of Fuenteovejuna. Another topic included the importance of family, love, and relationships and their connection on loyalty, trust, and personal beliefs. The last major influence found in other literature and in Fuenteovejuna, were the political and religious references made throughout the play. Even though Lope de Vega didn’t make these views obvious, the reader could still pick up on their connotation and the references made towards these specific ideas. With all of this in mind, each of these components played an important role in each civilization read, and even over 1,000 years later it continues to be a social topic as well as a large part of the culture. The only difference a reader or scholar could make for this particular piece of literature is its authenticity and how it was based on a true event. Regardless, new views on power and how one obtain it become apparent through the dialogue between characters like Laurencia and the Commander.
The social structure of George Orwell’s 1984 is based on Freud’s map of the mind and the struggles between the id, the ego and the super ego. The minds of these individuals living in this society are trained to think a certain way. Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis can be applied to Orwell’s 1984. Using Freud’s psychoanalytic approach, 1984’s main character Winston Smith is portrayed as the one who goes against the ideas of the Party. In a Freudian point of view, Winston’s character represents a mind where the id is the driving force and where the ego and superego are ill developed in the views of the Party. Freud describes the psychoanalytic process as something that is normally used to treat patients with metal disorders, and in the eyes of the party, Winston is seen as one that has a mental disorder. The procedure that Winston undergoes directly parallels Freud’s psychoanalytic process.
Through this essay Richard Rodriguez writes about his experiences as a son, and as a student. Through his relationship with his parents the reader can see how Rodriguez was separating for his
He uses them for amusement(Bela), to satisfy his ego(Vera), and to attack other men(Princess Mary) For instance, in ‘Princess Mary’, Pechorin talks about his “colorless youth” , to make Mary feel sympathetic towards him so he can exploit her. The detail and technicality of the story he told her, clearly demonstrates his special intellect and keen observation, in tandem with the theme of Romanticism. Additionally, he objectifies these women involuntarily, metaphorically comparing them to different animals, “There was a good deal of breeding in her…Breeding in woman, as in horses, is a great thing: a discovery”(Lermontov 75), “hid herself frightened out through the thicket” (Lermontov 76), “like a snake, she gilded from between my arms”(Lermontov 77), “but she clung like a cat” (Lermontov 78), “her serpent-like nature” (Lermontov 78) . Here Pechorin degrades women by comparing them to animals and uses possessive pronouns
The Literary theme that has captivated my interest and has moved me to research and understand the content which it describes or analyze , would be The Ambition of Self improvement. This theme can be related with psychoanalytic criticism. The story that has inspired me to study this theme comes from a short fiction story written by Amy Tan, named “Two Kinds”. This story has primary conflict between mother and daughter, with self improvement being the main theme identified in the text. Conflict that emerges between parents and children are still common factors current in society today. Personal experiences readers have had growing up can ignite an interest for readers to seek understanding of self improvement and the factors of Psychoanalytic criticism that adopt in them.
José Maria Eça de Queirós, though not worldly renowned, is arguably the greatest Portuguese novelist of his time. In 1877, he wrote a novel titled “The Tragedy of the Street of Flowers” (“The Tragedy”); however, it was not published until many years following his death. The novel is a tragic love story about a cocotte (prostitute) named Genoveva de Molineux and a lawyer named Vítor da Silva. The story follows the love between these two individuals which ultimately leads to the death of Genoveva. When first appearing in the orchestra audience in Lisbon, every man was attached to her beauty and wanted to know her. Vítor falls in love with Genoveva at first sight without previous knowledge that she is a high-class prostitute. However, the tragedy begins when Genoveva is told by Vítor’s uncle, Timóteo, that Vítor is her son. Unable to cope with what she had just learned, Genoveva commits suicide; neither herself nor Timóteo disclose the truth to Vítor. When asked about the novel, Eça had stated that it is a cruel story, one of the best he had yet written (at that time) and “a real literary and moral bombshell” (Queiroz, preface, ¶ 3-4). “...nineteenth century writers knew that incest in Greek Tragedy represented the protagonist’s hopeless fight against fate. Finding a close correspondence with contemporary Lisbon society, aimlessly debating political, economic and social problems, unable to control the nation’s destiny, does not require a great stretch of the imagination” (Ponte 79).
Freud's theory of psychoanalysis, however, does have its problems. One of its drawbacks is that it is based on the assumption that repressed conflicts and impulses do in fact exist. Today this assumption is being challenged, and is provoking intense debate.