Psychoanalysis and The Wizard of Oz Essay

Examining “The Wizard of Oz”: Freud’s Psychosexual Theory and Theory in the Personality or Klein’s Object Relations and Play Strategy Theory Psychoanalysis paved the way intended for infinite discoveries of the man mind.

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It is attributed since the “mental science”—a technological way of tracking down and interpreting the (un)natural behavior of your person which will greatly affects him or her. The psychoanalytic theory has always been extremely controversial since it introduces extremely unconventional techniques for treating the mind. Although there are several psychologists with influenced the field of psychoanalysis, none can out-do the efforts of Sigmund Freud and his contentious hypotheses. Sigmund Freud is most famous for his Theory of Persona that covers the identification, ego, and superego and the psychosexual interpretations that goes with it.

Another important person to make note of is Melanie Klein who also hypothesized her own theories that focus more for the mentality and behavior of any child and his or her relationship with the things and people around him or her. According to Mitchel and Black (1995), Melanie Klein made this sort of a tremendous effect in the field of psychoanalysis that there is no another person besides Sigmund Freud himself that can be treasured for her contribution with regard to the field of psychoanalysis. Although Klein was influenced by Freud’s theories and patterned her hypotheses after his, her personal hypotheses are incredibly much different from Freud’s.

While Freud strengthened the idea that personalities of individuals are more likely connected to certain psychosexual gratifications (or dissatisfaction in many cases relating to him), Klein more or less centered on the idea that individuals act according to the experience they had as a child, the kind of perform acting they were doing, and the points that they enjoyed. In fact , Klein focused even more on “reading” a child by the artworks and play behaving that he or she truly does. One thing that might be seen as similar in their performs is the fact that both consider dreams since very important tools in “reading” a person and determining his or her mental situation.

Freud stipulated that dreams are very important since they involve thoughts that are subconscious to the person. Moreover, these dreams can be traced to certain experience that the person had as a child (Mitchel & Black, 1995). Klein herself believed in this sort of theory, yet Freud thought more inside the psychosexual part of things concerning the human mind and the human being behavior.

In the setting of faculty education, most especially with the part of guidance and counseling, the two of these personalities and their theories are greatly found in interpreting children’s manners and their conduct. Consultants would employ artworks in order to delve deeply into exactly what a university child can be thinking and what are the reasons for his or her certain behavior. Photos, colors, indicators, and icons may seem thus simplistic when they are looked at their surface interpretations, but psychoanalysis provides latent meanings about what could have been depicted as something so basic mundane. In literature, there is such an strategy called the Psychological Procedure in which particular psychoanalytic ideas are used to interpret a certain human body of work.

The intricate details are seen as symbols which contain very important symbolism. Such point of view can be used in trying to assess the tips that Freud and Klein presented through their ideas by evaluating and different certain aspects of the 1939 movie edition of The Sorcerer of Ounces The Sorcerer of Ounce is a traditional children’s materials that was written by T. Frank Baum in early 1900s and continues to be hailed as a beloved work of genius by many. The original work of Baum is certainly much different from film production company, but it is the movie which has been retained and appreciated by general public.

The characters, options, certain factors, and moments are represented as outstanding by many—a fine example would be the overall look of the dark red slippers of Dorothy (which is in fact shaded as silver precious metal in the initial work as the fact that was expressed by Tim Dirks in his overview of The Wizard of Oz) that the lady can simply click together to move her from a single place to an additional. The story is very simple yet meaningful.

Dorothy, a nine-year old young lady from slightly farm in Kansas, continues a long trip with her dog Toto, the Tin man, the Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow to find the Sorcerer of Ounce in the Emerald City and fulfill their very own individual would like (Dorothy wants to go home to Kansas, the Lion wants to have courage, the Tin man desires to have a heart, and the Scarecrow considers he requires a brain). At the conclusion of the quest, they all understand that the things they are looking have been with these people and beneath their a nous all along. As with a large number of literary functions, what makes a person think he or she has attained the target is certainly not the image resolution of the realization but the journeys that the very long journey requires.

In the end, Dorothy wakes up to find that it was basically just a wish (more or perhaps less just like when Alice in the Wonderland wakes up to find that all her adventures had been just a dream), but the principles that this wounderful woman has learned in the journey is certainly much kept near her center. In connection to the psychoanalytic theory, the dream on its own may be interpreted already like a somewhat significant aspect of Dorothy’s consciousness. There are many other aspects and factors that can be viewed as something more important if the theories of Freud and Klein would be considered. For instance, Dorothy has a very obvious issue with the Incredible Witch from the West/Miss Almira Gulch within the Ruby House shoes and Toto the dog.

During the start of the film, Dorothy was in trouble and in predicament over the vehemence of Miss Almira Gulch more than Toto, her dog. Toto accidentally tad Miss Gulch on her leg which enraged the woman. Your woman was therefore enraged that she experienced the sheriff write a justify that would enable her for taking Toto apart and secure him up.

However , Toto has always been the sole companion of Dorothy and is the only cause that your woman laughs. Their farm in Kansas have been characterized because gray and dull and Dorothy continues to be deemed while the only person with this kind of life and happiness. That reason for pleasure is Toto, and Miss Gulch’s insistence that the doggie be put away is burning Dorothy of her delight.

According to Klein, this sort of play things of the child are essential and usually indicate something even more. Dorothy’s play thing can be a dog, although her obvious affection and love to get the dog can be traced that she is hoping for another living thing that could be with her and provide her attention. Her Aunt Emily and Dad Henry pay much more attention to the farm than to their “adopted” niece, which gives Dorothy the idea that she needs company and want to be by itself. The gravity of her attachment to Toto is realized inside the scene exactly where Miss Gulch arrives and plans on acquiring Toto aside. Dorothy begs for Miss Gulch to reconsider her decision and states with such self-sacrificial courage that she would substitute Toto and stay taken away.

Miss Gulch is additionally so insistent that Toto be taken aside and the lady does the process, symbolically stripping Dorothy of her happiness and causes superb dissatisfaction onto her part. In Freud’s object choice theory, the child readily associates issues or people that he or she is encircled with. The folks that the child finds are thought as his or her associates (people that are near the child or in some cases, the things that matters to him or perhaps her) that he or she wants to include affection with and behavioral instinct tells her / him that presently there needs to be a established romantic relationship with that person (or persons or things).

Dorothy considers her Aunt Emily and Uncle Holly as individuals who she should certainly connect with and feel some sort of love, but the two characters will not reciprocate the feelings; instead, Dorothy finds very little drawn to Toto, her doggie. Since the dog is her “maternal” replace, Dorothy is drawn to make-believe and fantastically daydream which is the entire point with the story from the Wizard of Oz—Dorothy’s wish. Dorothy retreated to her world bringing Toto and perform acting, nevertheless since the awful truth of reality performs such a big part in her lifestyle, the usual “running away” with Toto does not suffice anymore, and a deeper type of “running away” takes place besides making her completely leave the world of the farmville farm in Kansas.

Dreams because what Freud and Klein believe are extremely important tools; since Dorothy dreamt that she is at the World of Ounces and having such fantastic adventures, the girl strayed faraway from reality and got lost inside the make-believe universe that she gets unconsciously made. Another of Freud’s theory comes into place with the mention of the unconscious. The popular iceberg symbolism or metaphor of his theory of personality as well as the id, ego, and superego play a part in Dorothy’s dreaming.

The spirit is what people perceive since reality and manifests in the physical globe; the id is the unconscious which tremendously affects and controls our behavior and way of thinking the truth is and is viewed as irrational as it involves the hidden tendencies and desires we have we are not totally aware of; not only that, the superego is the mind and is viewed as the moral voice that controls each of our behavior unconsciously. Dorothy’s dreams may be her way of working away from actuality (as what is supposed to find Klein’s theory), but it can also be the outward exhibition of her id (as what is meant with regard to Freud’s theory).

The beginning of the film appears while Dorothy if she is not welcomed by her Cousin Emily and Uncle Holly; she after that resorts for the fantastical notion of the dream—the dream includes her experience with the Container man, Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion. Dorothy’s participation might be that of a selfish explanation (because the girl wants to head to Emerald City and find the Wizard of Oz thus she can go back to Kansas). But the first section of the adventure (and the beginning of the movie) can be a symptoms of her id, as her desires and demands should be followed. However , since the adventure progresses, she rapidly realizes the selfishness of her desires and targets helping her friends discover their own needs.

Even if the wish is a manifestation of her id, the ego and superego win over the identity. Another thing to indicate is the second object of conflict among Dorothy as well as the Wicked Witch of the West which is the ruby house shoes of Dorothy. Firstly, nevertheless , it is important to note the existence of the ruby slippers itself.

Again, according to Tim Dirks’ review of The Wizard of Oz, the ruby house shoes are the start of Dorothy’s entrance in female teenage years. Red happens to be the archetypal color to get passion and blood, as well as the symbolism lurking behind such color could only mean that Freud’s psychosexual theory can be justified. Going back for the Wicked Witch of the West’s desire to have the ruby slippers, it can mean that the Witch wants to eliminate Dorothy once again of the delight (as the same character who have portrayed Miss Gulch is the Wicked Witch too) that she wants to have for the reason that slippers will be her way of returning back to Kansas.

Coming from a different point of view however , it might mean the Wicked Witch of the Western world wants to steal Dorothy’s growing up and youngsters. There has been many literary works wherein bad witches are in desire of small girls’ children, vitality, and virginity (as Snow White’s stepmother wants her dead because of her beauty or perhaps when Lamia lures Yvaine to steal her youth in the novel Stardust). It can be figured the situation might be the typical very good versus evil scenario, however, if the Witch really wants to have got power and let evil reign in the Emerald green City, why not go after the Wizard of Oz himself (even in the event that he is a fraud)?

In the event that Freud was at the actual picture, he may possess interpreted the ruby slippers as a symbol of the start of Dorothy’s menstruation. In the event Klein was there, she would have just declared that the dark red slippers happen to be another of Dorothy’s toys. The next thing to point out is the serious conflict between Dorothy and Miss Gulch/Wicked Witch with the West.

In Klein’s theory of Depressive Position, if a child hates his or her mom, he or she essentially hates him- herself. That cannot really end up being said that Miss Gulch/Wicked Witch of the West can be likened to Dorothy’s mother, nevertheless the enmity between them is so superb that the Witch uses this kind of horrifying hazards to Dorothy and Toto. Even if the Witch really wants particular “valuable” issues from Dorothy, the vehemence that the Witch feels for Dorothy is really great that it can be certain that an underlying symbolism could possibly be present.

In Mitchel and Black’s book, a quote by Herman Hesse was introduced to Klein’s chapter: “If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of your self. What isn’t part of ourself doesn’t disturb us. ” This offer, in all its convenience, already justifies the claim that Dorothy and Miss Gulch/Wicked Witch of the West hate each other since there is a big element of themselves that they probably observe in one another and in turn hates it simply because see the reflection of themselves. Both Freud and Klein have a lot of comparison in both equally their hypotheses and in this kind of paper, the two theories have already been voiced together with the certain components that were selected in the story.

Although there is no claim in which theory is more preferable or which will interpretation provides more depth and width, it is secure to conclude that each theory is unique and helps for making getting a larger and better viewpoint of The Wizard of Oz, most importantly when employed and examined together. Recommendations Mitchel, S i9000. & Dark, M. (1995). Freud And Beyond: A brief history Of Modern Psychoanalytic Thought. Ny: Basic Ebooks Dirks, Big t. (2009). The Wizard of Oz (1939): Review simply by Tim Dirks (Review with the movie The Wizard of Oz].

Filmsite. Retrieved 03 30, 2009, from http://www. filmsite. org/wiza3. html.

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