Freud and Psychoanalytic Theory
Assignment
A good therapist is first and foremost NON-JUDGMENTAL. Judgment creates feelings of guilt, shame, and embarrassment in the patient, which leads to denial, rationalization, and other defense mechanisms, all of which prevent self-awareness. The ultimate goal of therapy is to help the patient see themselves clearly and become self-aware. The thinking here is that the only way a person can ever change is if they understand themselves.
For this assignment, you will become amateur Freudian psychologists. You will use the basic principals of psychoanalysis to summarize and diagnose the Underground Man. You will use Notes from the Underground as your primary text and imagine that the Underground Man has come to you for help.
Your diagnosis will be in four parts.
Part One: Here you will describe the Underground Man’s overall behaviour and temperament. What kind of man is he? How does he think? How does he behave in the world? How do his philosophy and actions connect?
Part Two: Identify the Underground Man’s major issues. Is he anxious, how so? Is he ruled by his death instinct? What conflicts are present between id, ego, and superego?
Part Three: Choose two MAJOR defense mechanisms commonly employed by the Underground Man and describe how they affect his life and decisions.
Part Four: Answer the question: what does the Underground Man need to be most aware of in order to live a happier, more productive life? This may seem impossible, but give it a shot.
Your paper must include four correct citations. Weave them into your analysis just as you would in a formal essay.
Rough Drafts are due: Thursday, March 29, 2006.
Fundamental Principals
- Most of the individual's mental processes are unconscious.
- All human behavior is motivated ultimately by what we would call sexuality. The prime psychic force--libido, or sexual energy.
- Because of the powerful social taboos attached to certain sexual impulses, many of our desires and memories are repressed. (from Psychoanalysis)
Freud: Theory
Freud: Some Key Terms
Classic Psychoanalytic Theory
Resources
Literary Critcism: Psychoanalysis
Modules on Freud at Purdue
Freudian Literary Criticism (with example)