Mystic River by Dennis Lehane and The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

The novels, Mystic River by Dennis Lehane and The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, include many different elements of the psychoanalytical theory. According to Sigmund Freud, the psychoanalytic theory explains the reasoning behind personality disorders through one’s conscious and unconscious mind (Psychoanalytic Criticism). This theory also states the idea that things that happen to people during childhood can contribute to the way one later functions as an adult (Psychoanalytic Criticism). Both novels include characters that can contribute towards the psychoanalytical theory through the roles that the characters play in each novel. Both of the parents of the murdered child in each story contrast on how they act in the situation. The fathers both try to revenge their daughter’s death and bring justice but show a lack thereof. The mothers greatly contrast by the actions they take towards the situation, while one runs away, the other stays strong. There is also one unique character from the novel Mystic River, Dave Boyle, which plays as a scapegoat to many due to a childhood event. He has many of the leads on his tracks which ultimately lead to his death even though he wasn’t the murderer. Freud’s psychoanalytical theory displays a deeper understanding and development of the logic behind the characters from Mystic River and The Lovely Bones.

Looking through a psychoanalytic lens, one can truly perceive the mindset behind one of the main characters from Mystic River, Jimmy Markum, who is the father of the murdered daughter, Katie Markum. Jimmy was an agitator as a kid ,and just like how the theory states, people during childhood can contribute to the way one later functions as an adult, which caused Jimmy to be like he is today, an ex...

... middle of paper ...

...ive of a psychoanalytical lens. Both parents have similarities and differences when it comes to their parental figure. The fathers both try their best to revenge their lost daughter but fail to succeed at doing so. The mothers show a great inequality of each other’s motherly figure in each novel. Lastly, the psychoanalytical lens helps shows an enhanced understanding of Dave Boyle’s mindset. One can use Freud’s psychoanalytical theory to display a deeper understanding and help one’s insight of the logic behind the characters from Mystic River and The Lovely Bones.

Works Cited

Lehane, Dennis. Mystic River. New York: William Morrow, 2001. Print.

Psychoanalytic Criticism (1930s-present). Literary Theory and Schools of Criticism. 1995-2013. Purdue Online Writing Lab. Web. 18 Dec. 2013.

Sebold, Alice. The Lovely Bones. Boston: Little, Brown, 2002. Print.