Lesson 10: Psychoanalytic Criticism

Originally posted by: Keren Wang, Fall 2024

Assigned Reading: Berger, Chapter 6 – Psychoanalytic Criticism

Overview

Psychoanalysis, originating from Sigmund Freud’s work, has expanded beyond psychotherapy into the interpretation of literature, art, film, and media, focusing on uncovering unconscious motivations and symbolic meanings within these rhetorical artifacts. [1]

In rhetoric, psychoanalytic criticism emphasizes interpreting rhetorical discourse based on its meanings, with strong consideration of tacit, unconscious dynamics. Psychoanalytic criticism contributes to the rhetorical tradition by highlighting that the meaning of a text is not fully defined by its content and external context. Furthermore, meaning is influenced by unconscious processes that shape how subjects relate to the communication process. [2]

Key Concepts

The Unconscious

Freud posited that the human psyche consists of the conscious, preconscious, and unconscious. The unconscious stores all our experiences and desires, shaping our behavior in ways we are often unaware of. [3]

Example of Analyzing the Unconscious in the Film “Jaws” (1975)

In Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, the shark can be interpreted as a manifestation of the unconscious fears and anxieties of the characters and the broader community. The big, scary, man-eating shark remains mostly hidden throughout the film. While the shark itself poses a real, physical threat, on a deeper level, it symbolizes the collective unconscious, with its repressed insecurities and fears lurking beneath the peaceful façade of the town. The townspeople’s collective denial of the shark’s danger, driven by their desire to keep the beaches open for tourism, parallels the psychological process of repression, where uncomfortable truths are pushed into the unconscious. The film’s suspense and horror elements tap into the audience’s own unconscious fears of the unknown and the uncontrollable, revealing how deeply these hidden fears can influence behavior and collective responses to perceived threats. [4]

Id, Ego, and Superego

Freud’s structural model of the psyche describes the id (instinctual desires), ego (rationality), and superego (moral conscience). These three parts are often in conflict, influencing behavior and thought. [5]

Id, Ego, & Superego on Social Media Platforms

• Id: The instinctual desires for instant gratification, attention, and validation. This is often seen in behaviors such as impulsively posting selfies, seeking likes and comments, and engaging in trends that prioritize immediate social rewards.
• Superego: The internalized societal norms and moral standards that users try to uphold. For example, many people curate their profiles to align with what they believe is socially acceptable or desirable, avoiding posts that might be judged negatively or seen as inappropriate by their followers, indicating the influence of the moral conscience.
• Ego: Acts as the mediator between these two forces, balancing the id’s desire for instant gratification with the superego’s concern for social judgment. A person might spend time editing and filtering photos before posting, or crafting captions that appear thoughtful or witty, thus satisfying the id’s need for attention while adhering to the superego’s demand for a polished, respectable self-image. This negotiation between impulsive desires and societal expectations showcases the dynamic interplay of the id, ego, and superego in the digital age, as individuals navigate their online personas and interactions. [6]

Defense Mechanisms

Freud identified several defense mechanisms that the ego uses to cope with anxiety and maintain psychological stability:

• Repression: Unconsciously blocking unacceptable thoughts from conscious awareness.
• Projection: Attributing one’s own undesirable feelings to others.
• Denial: Refusing to acknowledge painful realities.
• Rationalization: Offering seemingly logical explanations for behaviors driven by unconscious impulses.
• Regression: Reverting to behaviors typical of an earlier stage of development when faced with stress.
• Reaction Formation: Acting in a manner opposite to one’s unconscious feelings to keep them hidden. [7]

Complexes

Complexes are groups of emotionally charged memories and experiences that are internalized in the unconscious mind, often influencing a person’s thoughts, behaviors, and emotions without their conscious awareness. Complexes can be formed around various themes, often related to early childhood experiences, and can manifest in a variety of psychological symptoms.

Examples of Complexes:

• Oedipus Complex: According to Freud, the Oedipus Complex originates as a coping strategy used by young children around the time they are weaned off breastfeeding. During this stage, the child may experience intense frustration and a sense of rejection from the parent who no longer breastfeeds them (usually the mother). To cope with these emotions, the child redirects their frustration by projecting feelings of jealousy onto the other parent (usually the father). This redirection serves as a way for the child to externalize their emotions, convincing themselves that the mother’s rejection is due to the father’s interference, as if the father is “stealing” the mother’s attention away from the child. The complex is named after Oedipus, a tragic hero from Greek mythology who, unknowingly, kills his father out of jealousy and marries his mother. [8]
• Inferiority Complex: An unconscious structure formed from internalizing persistent feelings of inadequacy, often stemming from traumatic experiences of failure or criticism. Individuals with this complex may overcompensate as a coping strategy, striving for excessive achievement, or they may avoid challenges altogether due to a fear of failure. [9]
• Persecution/Martyr Complex: A persistent but counterfactual belief that one is the target of constant hostility or mistreatment by others, often accompanied by the belief that their “persecution” has a higher moral purpose. This complex may function, in part, as a coping strategy to seek validation and a sense of self-worth, or to fulfill a desire for control during difficult circumstances. [10]
• Savior Complex: A persistent drive or compulsion to “rescue” others from their problems, often at the expense of one’s own well-being. Individuals with this complex may seek out relationships with those they perceive as needing help. It can be driven by a need to feel needed and a sense of purpose in life, or as an unconscious coping mechanism to “redeem” oneself from an internalized sense of guilt. [11]