Psychological Analysis - Essay Example

Specifically, I will rely in Freud’s concept of tripartite psyche and his theory of Oedipal complex. To achieve my goal, I have divided the paper in four meaningful parts. First of all, I outline the paper’s aim in the introductory part. The second part provides some theoretical background to Freudian analysis. The third part present the analysis of the story “The Egg” based on theory discussed. The paper ends with a conclusion which sums up the major points discussed. Sigmund Freud’s Principles It has been widely accepted that the most important aspect of Freudian approach is its focus on the unconscious (Dobie 50).

The unconscious is concealed from individual’s conscious mind and can be compared to the huge and controlling mass below the conscious that cannot be seen. It can also be compared to the enormous portion of an iceberg under the small one which can be seen above the water surface. The effect of the unconscious is as follows: people’s actions are the results of those forces people are unaware of and incapable of controlling (Dobie 50). Based on this concept, Freud developed a theory of the tripartite psyche.

In brief, he divided psyche in three distinct parts: the id, the ego, and the superego. The id is completely unconscious and the remaining two are only partially conscious (Dobie 51). The id, where the libido is stored, is the source of individual’s psychic energy and sexual desires. It demands satisfying its hunger for pleasure and wants to realize its biological desires. The id is, by Freud’s observation, amoral and even lawless. To tame it, the ego functions. The ego regulates the energy of the id through either postponing the id’s desires or turning them into actions that are acceptable socially.

Finally, the superego acts as a provider of moral and ethical regulation. Through the superego, an individual feels guilt for something that he/she has done against the rules of social behavior or rules imposed by parents (if it is a child) (Dobie 52). To explain how a child develops sexually and grows into a male, Freud introduced the theory of Oedipus complex. Similarly to how Oedipus from Oedipus Rex by Sophocles unknowingly puts his father do death and takes his mother as a wife, any young boy is believed to develop a sexual attachment to his own mother.

The boy, hence, starts to resent his father. Afraid of being castrated, the boy represses his sexual desire for his mother and lives in anticipation for his own sexual bond. This step is obligatory for a boy to transit to manhood. In case the boy does not manage to make this step, he is bound to suffer from Oedipal complex, which will display itself through his fear of any authority in life (Dobie 53). Freudian Analysis of “The Egg” by Sherwood Anderson To begin with, the plot of “The Egg” revolves around the account of one man’s marriage and his unsuccessful attempts to achieve the economic goals that he has set for himself.

Having married and given birth to a child, the man and his wife purchase a chicken farm, but fail to run it. Their next attempt is to run a small restaurant by the station. They divide the schedule and manage their business in round-the-clock manner. The father makes efforts to cater to the youth and attract people by demonstrating