An AAn Analysis of Bigger in Native Son from the Perspective of Freud’s Personality Theory_英语论文

摘要

理查德·赖特是美国最重要的非裔美国作家之一，被誉为现代美国非裔小说之父。阅读他的作品有助于了解20世纪中期美国社会的种族关系。 《土生子》是理查德·赖特所写的一部具有极大影响力的长篇小说，被认为是黑人文学中的里程碑。这部小说既反映了美国的种族主义对非裔美国青年别格·托马斯身心的压迫和伤害，也烘托出当时的社会环境所养成的主人公的残忍性格。

弗洛伊德认为，人格结构由本我、自我和超我三个部分构成。三部分相互作用，相互协调构成健康的人格。本我遵循“唯乐原则”，满足本能的需要。自我遵循“唯实原则”，它既要满足本我的需要，又要受到超我的道德压制。超我遵循“理想原则”，超我是人的道德准则。本文将从弗洛伊德的人格结构理论出发，分析主人公别格的本我、自我和超我，探讨别格的复杂性格，从而在不同角度认识造成主人公悲剧命运的原因，揭示非裔美国人被当时美国社会制度扭曲的心灵。

关键词：《土生子》  别格·托马斯  人格结构理论

Abstract

Richard Wright, one of the most important African-American writers, is known as the father of modern African-American fiction. His works help readers understand racial relations in American society in the mid-20th century. Native Son is a very influential novel written by Richard Wright, and it is regarded as a milestone in black literature. This novel narrates the persecution of African-American youth Bigger Thomas by racial discrimination. And it reflects the cruel character of the protagonist fostered in this social environment. 

Freud states that personality structure consists of three parts: id, ego and superego. These three parts interact and coordinate to form a healthy personality. Id follows the “pleasure principle” and wants satisfying its instinctive needs. Ego follows the “reality principle”. It should satisfy the needs of the id and be suppressed by the morality of the superego. Superego follows the “ideal principle”. It is the moral principle of human. Based on Freud’s Personality Theory, this paper will analyze Bigger’s id, ego and superego, and discusses Bigger’s complex personality. It aims to make readers understand the causes of the tragic fate of the protagonists and reveals the soul of African Americans which is distorted by the American social system at that time.

Key Word: Native Son  Bigger Thomas  Personality Theory

Contents

Chapter One  Introduction 1

1.1  A Brief Introduction to Richard Wright 1

1.2  A Brief Introduction to Native Son 2

1.3  Significance of the Thesis 3

1.4  Structure of the Thesis 3

Chapter Two  Literature Review 4

2.1  Introduction 4

2.2  Previous Studies on Native Son Abroad 4

2.3  Previous Studies on Native Son at Home 5

2.4  My Comment 7

Chapter Three  Theoretical Framework 8

3.1  Introduction 8

3.2  Previous Studies on Freud’s Personality Theory 8

3.3  The Definition of Three Personalities 9

3.3.1 The Id 10

3.3.2 The Ego 11

3.3.3 The Superego 11

Chapter Four  Analysis of Bigger from the Perspective of Personality Theory 13

4.1  Introduction 13

4.2  Bigger’s Id 13

4.2.1 Satisfying his Various Desires for Pleasure 14

4.2.2 His Enmity toward the White 15

4.3  Bigger’s Ego 17

4.3.1 Suffering from Fear 17

4.3.2 Identity Crisis 18

4.4  Bigger’s Superego 19

4.4.1 Succumbing to the Desire 20

4.4.2 The Revival of Humanity and Responsibility 21

Chapter Five  Conclusion 23

Bibliography

Acknowledgments