The Novels of Shitto Mezgebu: A Psychoanalytic Analysis
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Date
2000-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This research, from its inception, was designed to exam me two novels by Shinto
Mealybug from a psychoanalytic perspective.
The main intention was to test applicability of this theory of criticism to literary works so
that the gap currently existing in the area of literary studies could be bridged.
Before embarking on the analysis and interpretation of the novels, I have gone through
the following procedures.
Initially, I selected my problem, thereby identifying the personality theories, methods,
and models to be used for psychoanalytic analysis as they were postulated by
Sigmund Frend, the discoverer of the unconscious and father of psychoanalysis.
I also managed to obtain, the author's biographical or semi-biographical accounts from
periodicals (magazines), daily press and book reviews which gave me a substantial
and reliable aid in my analysis and interpretation in chapter four.
During the course of the research the following personality traits (psychological
conflicts) have been identified and analysed.
The first personality traits is deviousness. In this regard, the seven episodes taken out
of the two novels have shown that the authors devious behaviour might have been
aimed at provoking the public response or deserving attention and reassurance.
The second personality identified was related to approach-avoidance conflict and
vacillating tendency. The four episodes taken more or less justified that the author's
motives at times exhibited undecideds and her reactions undifferentiated.This research, from its inception, was designed to exam me two novels by Shinto
Mealybug from a psychoanalytic perspective.
The main intention was to test applicability of this theory of criticism to literary works so
that the gap currently existing in the area of literary studies could be bridged.
Before embarking on the analysis and interpretation of the novels, I have gone through
the following procedures.
Initially, I selected my problem, thereby identifying the personality theories, methods,
and models to be used for psychoanalytic analysis as they were postulated by
Sigmund Frend, the discoverer of the unconscious and father of psychoanalysis.
I also managed to obtain, the author's biographical or semi-biographical accounts from
periodicals (magazines), daily press and book reviews which gave me a substantial
and reliable aid in my analysis and interpretation in chapter four.
During the course of the research the following personality traits (psychological
conflicts) have been identified and analysed.
The first personality traits is deviousness. In this regard, the seven episodes taken out
of the two novels have shown that the authors devious behaviour might have been
aimed at provoking the public response or deserving attention and reassurance.
The second personality identified was related to approach-avoidance conflict and
vacilating tendency. The four episodes taken more or less justified that the author's
motives at times exhibited undecidedness and her reactions undifferentiated.The third personality trait is related to pessimistic outlook towards life. The six
episodes analysed seem to prove that the author very often expressed loss of taste for
everything in sarcastic and pessimistic tones.
The fourth personality trait identified was the obsessive - compulsive disorder. It is
said to have a religious background, because the infinite episodes taken out of the
novels are all depicting this fa ct.
Lastly, the analysis of the two novels also revealed the likelihood that the author has
been orally fixated and manifested an Electra-complex.
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Psychoanalytic Analysis