TOPIC: TO EXPLORE THE THEME OF ‘PROJECTION’ IN TONI MORRISON’S A MERCY: PSYCHOANALYTIC CRITIQUE.

Shagufta Manzoor
Student at SBKWU, Pakistan, manzoor.shagufta000@gmail.com

Abstract

The covered research focuses upon exploring different elements and the causes of the defense mechanism ‘Projection’ in the novel A Mercy (2008) by Toni Morrison through the lens of Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalytical theory. The paradigm undertaken for this research is qualitative mode of inquiry. Purpose of the research is to explore and examine the causes of Projection through the content analysis of the characters e.g. Florens, Rebecca, Minha Mae, Sorrow and more of the novel A Mercy (2008). The Novel ‘A Mercy’ by Toni Morrison has been selected as the sample of the study and psychological projection has been employed as the theoretical framework which supports this research. This study looks upon how the characters of the novel ‘A Mercy’ used to Project others for their weaknesses by ascribing the causes of unpleasant thoughts to other people and how others used to suffer as being the victim of their projection. The study is an attempt to analyze different elements and causes of psychological projection by analyzing different characters such as Florens the protagonist of the novel, Minha Mae, Rebekka vaark, Jacob vaark, etc. A Mercy is a true portrayal of psychological projection, where everyone is busy in attributing others for their own unacceptable urges, memories and drives. The characters and actions represent a clear picture of projection as described by Sigmund Freud such as Florens projected by her Minha Mae (mother) Sorrow projected by Rebekka and Minha Mae projected by the white master. Qualitative research under observation revolves around the elements and causes of psychological projection in the novel A Mercy as its selected sample. This article attempts to investigate and examine the causes of Projection which caused the characters to suffer in the novel in the light of Sigmund Freud’s (1856-1939) psychoanalytical theory. The study has been delimited to the content analysis of the novel A Mercy’ (2008) by Toni Morrison’ (1931) probing the elements and the reasons of projection through the characters of the novel. Freud’s psychological Projection has been taken as the theoretical framework which according to the theories of Freud (1856-1939)  is a psychological defense mechanism whereby one ‘projects’ one’s own unacceptable thoughts, memories, urges, emotions, drives so on onto someone else or simply to project our problems onto some other individual e.g. one might hate other but the superego tells him that such hatred is unacceptable so he might have the solution for the problem that he starts thinking that the other hates him. As the Projection has been conceptualized by Freud therefore the novel has been analyzed through the lens of Freud’s psychoanalytical theory and psychological projection has been employed as the theoretical framework.   

Keywords: Psychological Projection, a mercy, defense mechanism, attributes, ascribe, psychoanalytical theory, explore.



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CITATION: Abstracts & Proceedings of INTCESS 2018- 5th International Conference on Education and Social Sciences, 5-7 February 2018- Istanbul, Turkey

ISBN: 978-605-82433-2-3