# data[].attributes.body
Some potential ties to feminism and Marxism

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Michael Warner (ed.) - Fear of a Queer Planet - Queer Politics and Social Theory

# data[].attributes.body
"Colonialism, Post Colonialism" by Ania Loomba

# data[].attributes.body
A recommended reading list

# data[].attributes.body
A recommended reading list

# data[].attributes.body
A recommended reading list

# data[].attributes.body
A recommended reading list

# data[].attributes.body
A recommended reading list

# data[].attributes.body
'Feminism is For Everybody' by bell hooks

# data[].attributes.body
Simply Psychology: Id, Ego, and Superego

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Perhaps Freud's single most enduring and important idea was the human psyche ( personality).

Freud's personality theory (1923) saw the psyche structured into three parts (i.e., tripartite), the id, ego, and superego, all developing at different stages in our lives.

These are systems, not parts of the brain, or in any way physical, but rather hypothetical conceptualizations of important mental functions.

According to Freud's psychoanalytic theory, the id is the primitive and instinctual part of the mind that contains sexual and aggressive drives and hidden memories, the super-ego operates as a moral conscience, and the ego is the realistic part that mediates between the desires of the id and the super-ego.

Although each part of the personality comprises unique features, they interact to form a whole, and each part makes a relative contribution to an individual's behavior.

What is the Id?

The id is the primitive and instinctive component of personality.

The id is a part of the unconscious that contains all the urges and impulses, including what is called the libido, a kind of generalized sexual energy that is used for everything from survival instincts to appreciation of art.

The id is the impulsive (and unconscious) part of our psyche that responds directly and immediately to basic urges, needs, and desires. The personality of the newborn child is all id, and only later does it develop an ego and super-ego.

The id engages in primary process thinking, which is primitive, illogical, irrational, and fantasy-oriented. This form of process thinking has no comprehension of objective reality, and is selfish and wishful in nature.

The id operates on the pleasure principle (Freud, 1920), that every unconscious wishful impulse should be satisfied immediately, regardless of the consequences.

When the id achieves its demands, we experience pleasure, and when it is denied, we experience 'unpleasure' or tension.

The id comprises two kinds of biological instincts (or drives), including the sex (life) instinct called Eros (which contains the libido) and the aggressive (death) instinct called Thanatos.

Eros, or life instinct, helps the individual to survive; it directs life-sustaining activities such as respiration, eating, and sex (Freud, 1925). The energy created by the life instinct is known as libido.

In contrast, Thanatos, or death instinct, is viewed as a set of destructive forces in all human beings (Freud, 1920).

When this energy is directed outward onto others, it is expressed as aggression and violence. Freud believed that Eros was stronger than Thanatos, thus enabling people to survive rather than self-destruct.

The id remains infantile in its function throughout a person's life and does not change with time or experience, as it is not in touch with the external world.

The id is not affected by reality, logic, or the everyday world, as it operates within the unconscious part of the mind.

What is the Ego?

Freud's ego is the rational part of the psyche that mediates between the instinctual desires of the id and the moral constraints of the superego, operating primarily at the conscious level.

The ego is "that part of the id which has been modified by the direct influence of the external world."
(Freud, 1923, p. 25)

The ego is the only part of the conscious personality. It's what the person is aware of when they think about themselves and what they usually try to project toward others.

The ego develops to mediate between the unrealistic id and the real external world. It is the decision-making component of personality. Ideally, the ego works by reason, whereas the id is chaotic and unreasonable.

The ego develops from the id during infancy. The ego's goal is to satisfy the id's demands in a safe and socially acceptable way. In contrast to the id, the ego follows the reality principle as it operates in both the conscious and unconscious mind.

The ego operates according to the reality principle, working out realistic ways of satisfying the id's demands, often compromising or postponing satisfaction to avoid negative consequences of society.

The ego considers social realities and norms, etiquette, and rules in deciding how to behave.

Like the id, the ego seeks pleasure (i.e., tension reduction) and avoids pain, but unlike the id, the ego is concerned with devising a realistic strategy to obtain pleasure.

The ego has no concept of right or wrong; something is good simply if it achieves its end of satisfying without causing harm to itself or the id.

Often the ego is weak relative to the headstrong id, and the best the ego can do is stay on, pointing the id in the right direction and claiming some credit at the end as if the action were its own.

Freud made the analogy of the id being a horse while the ego is the rider. The ego is "like a man on horseback, who has to hold in check the superiour strength of the horse."
(Freud, 1923, p. 15)

If the ego fails to use the reality principle and anxiety is experienced, unconscious defense mechanisms are employed to help ward off unpleasant feelings (i.e., anxiety) or make good things feel better for the individual.

The ego engages in secondary process thinking, which is rational, realistic, and orientated toward problem-solving. If a plan of action does not work, then it is thought through again until a solution is found.

This is known as reality testing and enables the person to control their impulses and demonstrate self-control, via mastery of the ego.

An important feature of clinical and social work is to enhance ego functioning and help the client test reality through assisting the client to think through their options.

According to Freudians, some abnormal upbringing (particularly if there is a cold, rejecting 'schizogenic' mother) can result in a weak and fragile ego, whose ability to contain the id's desires is limited.

This can lead to the ego being 'broken apart' by its attempt to contain the id, leaving the id in overall control of the psyche.

What is the Superego?

Freud's superego is the moral component of the psyche, representing internalized societal values and standards. It contrasts with the id's desires, guiding behavior towards moral righteousness and inducing guilt when standards aren't met.

The superego incorporates the values and morals of society, which are learned from one's parents and others. It develops around 3 - 5 years during the phallic stage of psychosexual development.

The superego develops during early childhood (when the child identifies with the same-sex parent) and is responsible for ensuring moral standards are followed.

The superego operates on the morality principle and motivates us to behave in a socially responsible and acceptable manner.

The superego is seen as the purveyor of rewards (feelings of pride and satisfaction) and punishments (feelings of shame and guilt), depending on which part (the ego-deal or conscious) is activated.

The superego is a part of the unconscious that is the voice of conscience (doing what is right) and the source of self-criticism.

It reflects society's moral values to some degree, and a person is sometimes aware of their own morality and ethics, but the superego contains many codes, or prohibitions, that are issued mostly unconsciously in the form of commands or "don't" statements.

The superego's function is to control the id's impulses, especially those which society forbids, such as sex and aggression.

It also persuades the ego to turn to moralistic goals rather than simply realistic ones and strive for perfection.

The superego consists of two systems: The conscience and the ideal self.

The conscience is our "inner voice" that tells us when we have done something wrong.

The conscience can punish the ego by causing feelings of guilt. For example, if the ego gives in to the id's demands, the superego may make the person feel bad through guilt.

The superego is also somewhat tricky, in that it will try to portray what it wants the person to do in grandiose, glowing terms, what Freud called the ego-ideal, which arises out of the person's first great love attachment (usually a parent).

The ideal self (or ego-ideal) is an imaginary picture of how you ought to be, and represents career aspirations, how to treat other people, and how to behave as a member of society.

The assumption is that children raised by parents experience love conditionally (when they do something right), and the child internalizes these experiences as a series of real or imagined judgmental statements.

Behavior which falls short of the ideal self may be punished by the superego through guilt. The super-ego can also reward us through the ideal self when we behave 'properly' by making us feel proud.

Guilt is a common problem because of all the urges and drives from the id and all the prohibitions and codes in the superego. There are various ways an individual handles guilt, which are called defense mechanisms.

If a person's ideal self is too high a standard, then whatever the person does will represent failure. The ideal self and conscience are largely determined in childhood by parental values and how you were brought up.

Examples of the Id, Ego, and Superego

The id: I want to skip my workout because I feel lazy and just want to relax.

The superego: I shouldn't skip the workout because it's essential for my health and discipline.

The ego: I can do a shorter workout today and make up for it with a longer session tomorrow.

Buying an expensive item:

The id: I want this luxury bag now because it's stylish and will make me feel good.

The superego: I shouldn't spend so much on a bag when I could save or use that money for more essential things.

The ego: I'll save a portion of my salary for a few months, and if I still want it, I'll buy the bag as a reward.

The id: I'm upset and want to snap back immediately because they hurt my feelings.

The superego: I should remain calm and composed, taking criticism professionally and not personally.

The ego: I'll consider the feedback, see if there's any truth to it, and respond diplomatically, asking for clarification if needed.

Therapeutic Implications

Freud believed that mental illness is caused by conflicts in the unconscious between the id, ego, and superego.

Neuroses, according to Freud, are caused by an overdominant superego, the resultant defense mechanisms implemented by the ego in an attempt to regain control.

Because the defense mechanisms are being over-used, too much psychic energy is used and allows the maladaptive behavior to emerge. Psychoses, in contrast, are caused by an overdominant id.

According to the psychodynamic approach, the therapist would resolve the problem by assisting the client in delving back into their childhood and identifying when the problem arose.

Identifying the problem can bring this into the conscious, where the imbalance can be resolved, returning equanimity between the id, ego, and superego.

Consequently, the defense mechanisms will only operate at the maintenance level, and the mental illness will be cured.

However, psychoanalysis, the method used to produce this new balance, is time-consuming and costly. Furthermore, no objective measurement can be taken to demonstrate that a cure has been effected; it is reliant on the client's subjective report of their improvement.

There is concern that clients may claim they are better, not because they are, but because of the time and expense involved.

References

Freud, S. (1920). Beyond the pleasure principle. SE, 18: 1-64.

Freud, S. (1923). The ego and the id. SE, 19: 1-66.

FAQs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
According to Freud's psychoanalytic theory, the id is the primitive and instinctual part of the mind that contains sexual and aggressive drives and hidden memories, the super-ego operates as a moral conscience, and the ego is the realistic part that mediates between the desires of the id and the super-ego.

# data[].attributes.body
"Leonardo DaVinci: A Memory of His Childhood" by Sigmund Freud

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Leonardo da Vinci: A Psychosexual Study of an Infantile Reminiscence by Freud

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by Project Gutenberg.

# data[].attributes.body
"Literature and History" from 'Marxism and Literary Criticism' by Terry Eagleton

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Eagleton - Marxism and Literary Criticism

# data[].attributes.body
"Bourgeois and Proletarians" from 'The Communist Manifesto' by Karl Marx

# data[].attributes.body
"Introduction" from 'Fear of a Queer Planet: Queer Politics and Social Theory' by Michael Warner

# data[].attributes.body
"Axiomatic" from 'Epistemology of the Closet' by Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick

# data[].attributes.body
"Introduction" from 'Orientalism' by Edward Said

# data[].attributes.body
"Concerning Violence" from 'The Wretched of the Earth' by Franz Fanon

# data[].attributes.body
"Introduction" from 'The Second Sex' by Simone de Beauvoir

# data[].attributes.body
"Subjects of Sex/Gender/Desire" from 'Gender Trouble' by Judith Butler

# data[].attributes.body
"An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness'" by Chinua Achebe

# data[].attributes.body
Shmoop: Queer Theory

# data[].attributes.body
Shmoop: Feminist Theory

# data[].attributes.body
Shmoop: Post-Colonial Theory

# data[].attributes.body
Shmoop: Marxism

# data[].attributes.body
Shmoop: Psychoanalysis

# data[].attributes.body
ReadWriteThink: Introduction to Psychoanalytic Criticism

# data[].attributes.body
virtuaLit: Definition of Post-Colonial Criticism

# data[].attributes.body
virtuaLit: Definition of Marxist Criticism

# data[].attributes.body
virtuaLit: Definition of Feminist Criticism

# data[].attributes.body
virtuaLit: Definition of Psychoanalytic Criticism

# data[].attributes.body
Feminist readings of 'The Great Gatsby'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Feminist interpretations of The Great Gatsby " The Great Gatsby Study Guide from Crossref-it.info

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Perhaps most problematic for some feminist readers is Nick's comment, phrased to assume the reader's agreement: 'Dishonesty in a woman is something you never blame deeply.' Whilst Gatsby idealises women, creating an unachievable image of Daisy, Nick moves towards stereotyping women and, even though his attitude is accepting, this is a negative idea of women which feminist critics might challenge.

# data[].attributes.body
Marxist readings of 'The Great Gatsby'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Marxist interpretations " The Great Gatsby Study Guide from Crossref-it.info

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For some critics, Gatsby himself represents America, his dream the American Dream, and his death the inevitable failure of that ideal; this can lead directly into a Marxist exploration of the text, using the American Dream as a starting point for examining the motivations and outcomes of each character.

# data[].attributes.body
Feminist readings of 'Jane Eyre'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Feminist criticism and literary history " Jane Eyre Study Guide from Crossref-it.info

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The world of Shakespeare and the Metaphysical poets 1540-1660

# data[].attributes.body
Post-Colonial readings of 'Jane Eyre'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Post-colonial criticism " Jane Eyre Study Guide from Crossref-it.info

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This approach to literature has emerged with the decline of the colonial empires which had been established during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, largely as a result of the expansionist aspirations of European states in territories on other continents.

# data[].attributes.body
Psychoanalytic readings of 'Jane Eyre'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Psychoanalytical criticism " Jane Eyre Study Guide from Crossref-it.info

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Charlotte Brontë [...] does not attempt to solve the problems of human life; she is even unaware that such problems exist; all her force, and it is the more tremendous for being constricted, goes into the assertion, 'I love', 'I hate', 'I suffer'.

# data[].attributes.body
Purdue Owl: Gender Studies and Queer Theory

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Purdue OWL: Literary Theory and Schools of Criticism

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This resource will help you begin the process of understanding literary theory and schools of criticism and how they are used in the academy.

# data[].attributes.body
Purdue Owl: Feminist Criticism

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Purdue University Online Writing Lab serves writers from around the world and the Purdue University Writing Lab helps writers on Purdue's campus.

# data[].attributes.body
Purdue Owl: Post-Colonial Criticism

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Purdue OWL: Literary Theory and Schools of Criticism

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This resource will help you begin the process of understanding literary theory and schools of criticism and how they are used in the academy.

# data[].attributes.body
Purdue Owl: Marxist Criticism

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

If you are having trouble locating a specific resource, please visit the search page or the Site Map.

The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, and we provide these as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue. Students, members of the community, and users worldwide will find information to assist with many writing projects. Teachers and trainers may use this material for in-class and out-of-class instruction.

For more information about services for the Purdue University community, including one-to-one consultations, ESL conversation groups and workshops, please visit the Writing Lab site.

Mission

The Purdue University Writing Lab and Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) assist clients in their development as writers-no matter what their skill level-with on-campus consultations, online participation, and community engagement. The Purdue Writing Lab serves the Purdue, West Lafayette, campus and coordinates with local literacy initiatives. The Purdue OWL offers global support through online reference materials and services.

APA 7 Pages Now Live!

Feb. 6, 2020: The OWL is pleased to announce that we've updated our APA resources to reflect the new APA Publication Manual (7th ed.)! We've adjusted our URLs so that any old bookmarks should automatically redirect to the new content. However, our current plan is to keep our APA 6 pages online until at least 2021, as we understand that it will take time for many organizations to adjust to the new guidelines.

As you'll see, some pages are virtually unchanged, while others have extensive updates. This is because many aspects of APA 7 are unchanged from APA 6. However, there are important changes in terms of formatting, mechanics, and (of course) citation style that students and educators should take note of. Thus, if you'd like to learn exactly what is different in the new manual, a good place to start would be our "Changes in the 7th Edition" page, which outlines the most important updates.

Thank you for your patience as we worked to finish these resources. We could not have done it without the heroic efforts of our graduate student developers, who put in hard work over the holiday break to get the job done. Thank you also (in advance) for your patience as we make minor tweaks and fixes to these new resources in the next few weeks. Finally, please let me know if you encounter any technical errors via the Contact page.

All the best.

-JFF

Spotlight Resource

Feb. 6, 2020: While we're proud of all our new APA 7 resources, one special standout is our new Reference List: Audiovisual Media page, which was penned by the one and only Katie McMorris. This page has no APA 6 equivalent-it's brand-new content, written from scratch.

Past spotlight resources can be found here.

Need Help Navigating the New Site?

Learn all about our navigation features here.

Social Media

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice. Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.

# data[].attributes.body
Purdue Owl: Psychoanalytic Criticism

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Purdue University Online Writing Lab serves writers from around the world and the Purdue University Writing Lab helps writers on Purdue's campus.