Why I chose the Psychoanalytic Lens

Toni Morrison’s Beloved is so profound and difficult to interpret, most people consider it as a “challenge” to read. My interpretation of Beloved will be read through a psychoanalytic lens because, character development and character analysis are apparent in almost every novel. I always read through a psychoanalytic lens because, almost every highly critiqued novel or text can be read through a psychoanalytic lens. Sigmund Freud introduced the whole idea of psychology and the importance of the science behind what goes on inside of one our most vital organs, the brain. We use this tool for our everyday reading, and while sometimes unknowingly, we dive deep into the minds of characters to analyze and critique their motives and how their agendas fair in the plot of the story. With this lens we are also able to analyze behavioral trends, and psychological critiques of the author. The ability to understand the author’s perspective, word choice, and choice of theme is important to understanding the full scope of the story. Frankly, popular interpretations of old text are built upon the psychoanalytic critique. From Homer to Shakespeare, the psychological premise of every author is different in its own unique and desirably fascinating way. Having to choose between this lens and a marxist lens was a hard choice for me, but ultimately I decided to go with a psychoanalytic lens because I value the importance of character motives and personal experience.