The Life & Times of the Author i.e.…why authors can’t keep their life experiences from being reflected in their books…

The Life & Times The Life & Times of the Authorof the Author

i.e.…why authors can’t keep i.e.…why authors can’t keep their life experiences from their life experiences from

being reflected in their being reflected in their books… books…

Psychoanalysis and Sigmund Freud

Psychoanalysis and Sigmund Freud

Who was this guy?Who was this guy?

A Czech-Austrian Jew (& Atheist) A Czech-Austrian Jew (& Atheist) Lived from 1856-1939Lived from 1856-1939Interested in Darwinian theories of Interested in Darwinian theories of evolutionevolutionTrained as a doctor of neurology (brain & Trained as a doctor of neurology (brain & its impulses) & psychiatry (mental its impulses) & psychiatry (mental disorders)disorders)Did a fellowship using hypnosis as a way Did a fellowship using hypnosis as a way of curing, “hysterical” or anxious patientsof curing, “hysterical” or anxious patients

The Change That Made Him The Change That Made Him FamousFamous

Opened own practice using hypnosisOpened own practice using hypnosisFelt it was ineffectiveFelt it was ineffectiveThought that talking about problems was Thought that talking about problems was more effective…created “talk therapy” or more effective…created “talk therapy” or “the talking cure”“the talking cure”Through “talk” felt that patients could Through “talk” felt that patients could “release” emotional energy that had been “release” emotional energy that had been “repressed”…thus beginning to develop “repressed”…thus beginning to develop his own theories of his own theories of human psychoanalysishuman psychoanalysis

PsychoanalysisPsychoanalysis = =

The study of the mindThe study of the mindComes through discussion (of dreams, Comes through discussion (of dreams, memories, associations, etc) between patient memories, associations, etc) between patient and analyst and analyst Undertaken in order to heal mental illnessUndertaken in order to heal mental illnessAnd, hopefully to cure any “psychosomatic” And, hopefully to cure any “psychosomatic” physical illnesses (illnesses that originate in the physical illnesses (illnesses that originate in the mind)mind)He became the first theorist to write about He became the first theorist to write about non-non-biologicalbiological approaches to illness approaches to illness

Overtime, Freud developed Overtime, Freud developed theories about the mind, human theories about the mind, human

behavior, & how to treat people…behavior, & how to treat people…

Areas (or Areas (or Organization) Organization) of the mindof the mindMotivationsMotivationsInstinctsInstincts

AnxietyAnxietyDefense Defense MechanismsMechanismsTherapyTherapy

Areas of Areas of the Mind…the Mind…

They said They said ONEONE……

He saidHe said

THREETHREE Areas of Areas of ConsciousnessConsciousness

1. The 1. The Conscious MindConscious Mind or the “right here, right now” mind…or the “right here, right now” mind…

1. The 1. The Conscious MindConscious Mind or the “right here, right now” mind…or the “right here, right now” mind…

2. The 2. The Preconscious MindPreconscious Mind or the “all I need is a reminder” mind or the “all I need is a reminder” mind

2. The 2. The Preconscious MindPreconscious Mind or the “all I need is a reminder” mind or the “all I need is a reminder” mind

3. The3. The Unconscious Mind Unconscious Mind Supposedly the Supposedly the largestlargest part of mind – full of part of mind – full of

motives, instincts, anxieties, memories, dreams, motives, instincts, anxieties, memories, dreams, neuroses, etc.neuroses, etc.

*According to Freud,*According to Freud, this part controls most of what we do.*this part controls most of what we do.*

So then, according to So then, according to Freud, Freud,

what are some of our what are some of our MOTIVATORSMOTIVATORS??

So then, according to So then, according to Freud, Freud,

what are some of our what are some of our MOTIVATORSMOTIVATORS??

1.The Id: The Desirer1.The Id: The Desirer

Immediate needs and basic urges Immediate needs and basic urges - food, water, shelter and sex.- food, water, shelter and sex.

And, in the conscious mind…And, in the conscious mind…

2. The Ego: The 2. The Ego: The EnablerEnabler

Your reason – the part of your Your reason – the part of your mind that figures out how to mind that figures out how to

get what your get what your idid wants wants

3. The Superego: The 3. The Superego: The ControllerController

Your sense of right and wrong. Your sense of right and wrong. Controls impulses of the Controls impulses of the idid, and , and guides the guides the ego ego with your morals with your morals

& those of society& those of society

What 2 What 2 INSTINCTSINSTINCTS do do we have in the we have in the

unconscious mind?unconscious mind?

The Life InstinctThe Life Instinct

The desire to The desire to survive at all costssurvive at all costs

The desire to The desire to spread your genes spread your genes – libido – so that – libido – so that part of you will part of you will survive.survive.

2. The death instinct2. The death instinctAn unconscious wish to escape An unconscious wish to escape life’s harshness through death, life’s harshness through death,

to return to calmto return to calm

ANXIETYANXIETY““Why am I Why am I

so stressed so stressed

out?!”out?!”

Three reasons…Three reasons…

1. Real1. Real Anxiety Anxiety

Scary stuff in the here and now –Scary stuff in the here and now –big hairy spider crawling across big hairy spider crawling across

your face. your face.

That’s That’s realreal anxiety. anxiety.

2. Moral Anxiety2. Moral Anxiety

Your Your idid says “gimme food/water/women/men”. says “gimme food/water/women/men”.

Your ego says, “Here’s how to get Your ego says, “Here’s how to get food/water/women/men”.food/water/women/men”.

But your superego says, “Dude, what you’re doing - But your superego says, “Dude, what you’re doing - that’s just not right, Dude!” that’s just not right, Dude!”

That’s That’s moralmoral anxiety. anxiety.

3. Neurotic Anxiety3. Neurotic Anxiety (hiding in the (hiding in the unconscious)unconscious)

Your Your idid feels like it may overwhelm feels like it may overwhelm you and you’ll “lose it” and kill you and you’ll “lose it” and kill

someone, or ravish them, or go someone, or ravish them, or go mad and end up in an asylum.mad and end up in an asylum.

That’s That’s neuroticneurotic anxiety. Mostly, you anxiety. Mostly, you don’t know why it’s there…don’t know why it’s there…

That’s why it’s said to beThat’s why it’s said to be

UNCONSCIOUSUNCONSCIOUS

So, how do we protect So, how do we protect ourselves from moral ourselves from moral and neurotic anxiety? and neurotic anxiety?

Defense Defense MechanismsMechanisms

1. Denial1. Denial

This simply isn’t This simply isn’t happening…happening…

2. Repression2. Repression

Inability to recall a Inability to recall a threatening situation or threatening situation or

eventevent

3. Reaction 3. Reaction FormationFormation

Taking the opposite belief Taking the opposite belief or feeling because the or feeling because the true belief or feeling true belief or feeling

causes anxiety.causes anxiety.

4. 4. IntellectualizationIntellectualization

Avoiding unacceptable Avoiding unacceptable emotions by focusing on emotions by focusing on the intellectual aspects. the intellectual aspects.

5. Displacement5. Displacement

Redirection of an impulse Redirection of an impulse onto a substitute target onto a substitute target

DisplacementDisplacement

6. Projection6. Projection

Tendency to see your own Tendency to see your own unacceptable desires in unacceptable desires in

other people.other people.

7. Undoing7. Undoing

““Magical” rituals that Magical” rituals that cancel out unpleasant cancel out unpleasant thoughts after they’ve thoughts after they’ve

occurred. occurred.

8. Regression8. Regression

Movement back in Movement back in psychological time when psychological time when

we are faced with we are faced with stress.stress.

9. Sublimation9. Sublimation

Transformation of Transformation of negative impulses into negative impulses into

socially acceptable, socially acceptable, productive forms.productive forms.

The Treatment…The Treatment…

TherapyTherapy

The goal: to “make the The goal: to “make the unconscious conscious”, unconscious conscious”,

relieving anxiety and curing relieving anxiety and curing personality disorders. Some personality disorders. Some

approaches…approaches…

1. A relaxed 1. A relaxed atmosphereatmosphere

Hence the couch! Hence the couch!

2. Free 2. Free associationassociation

When relaxed the client is When relaxed the client is encouraged to talk encouraged to talk

about anything at all. about anything at all.

3. Resistance3. Resistance

When defense When defense mechanisms give the mechanisms give the

therapist clues to therapist clues to unconscious problemsunconscious problems

4. Dream analysis4. Dream analysisDreams provideDreams provide

clues to problemsclues to problems

of the unconsciousof the unconscious

5. Parapraxis5. Parapraxis

a.k.a. the “Freudian slip” – a.k.a. the “Freudian slip” – no mistake is innocentno mistake is innocent

6. Projective 6. Projective

teststestse.g. The Rorschach test:e.g. The Rorschach test:

What do What do youyou see? see?

7. Transference7. Transference

Getting angry with your Getting angry with your therapist is encouraged… therapist is encouraged… as long as you don’t punch as long as you don’t punch

him/her.him/her.

8. Catharsis8. Catharsis

A sudden outpouring of A sudden outpouring of emotion when trauma is emotion when trauma is

raised from the raised from the unconscious. Therapists unconscious. Therapists

provide tissues.provide tissues.

9. Insight9. Insight

Consciously coming to Consciously coming to terms with sources of terms with sources of anxiety, disorder and anxiety, disorder and

trauma. trauma.

What does Freud and What does Freud and Psychoanalysis Psychoanalysis have to do with the have to do with the Salinger and Salinger and Catcher in the Rye?Catcher in the Rye?

1. Freud’s theory is ALL 1. Freud’s theory is ALL ABOUT the individualABOUT the individual

He inspired 20He inspired 20thth century century thinkers to look inside thinkers to look inside

themselves & into their pasts themselves & into their pasts to understand themselves to understand themselves

and how they acted.and how they acted.

2. Salinger and Freud2. Salinger and Freud

Salinger’s world show clues of Salinger’s world show clues of influence by Freud’s ideas.influence by Freud’s ideas.

RememberRemember::Salinger suffered a mental breakdown Salinger suffered a mental breakdown

after assisting survivors of the after assisting survivors of the concentration camps in WWII.concentration camps in WWII.

3. Holden and Freud3. Holden and Freud

At the age of 13, Holden loses his younger At the age of 13, Holden loses his younger brotherbrother

He has been through three schools in He has been through three schools in three yearsthree years

He does not appear to be coping with his He does not appear to be coping with his brother’s deathbrother’s death

Was Allie’s death a trigger for his present Was Allie’s death a trigger for his present trauma?trauma?

ConclusionConclusion

Freud had a huge influence on writers in Freud had a huge influence on writers in the early 20the early 20thth century century

Salinger was in therapy due to a mental Salinger was in therapy due to a mental breakdownbreakdown

A writer’s own history will probably A writer’s own history will probably influence his writinginfluence his writing