Peter Pan and FreudPeter Pan and Freud

Who is talking and to whomWho is talking and to whom

Presenter : Frederic Presenter : Frederic 劉忠岳劉忠岳 / / 95001069500106December 20th, 2007December 20th, 2007

Wrong Reading of FreudWrong Reading of Freud

We do not realize that Freud was first We do not realize that Freud was first brought up against the unconscious when brought up against the unconscious when asking how we remember ourselves as a asking how we remember ourselves as a child. child.

The unconscious is the term which Freud The unconscious is the term which Freud used to describe the complex ways in which used to describe the complex ways in which our very idea of ourselves as children is our very idea of ourselves as children is produced. produced.

Freud found adult recollection of V. and C. Freud found adult recollection of V. and C. Henri very ‘innocence …mysterious’. Henri very ‘innocence …mysterious’.

The most crucial aspect of psychoanalysis fThe most crucial aspect of psychoanalysis for discussing children’s fiction is its insistencor discussing children’s fiction is its insistence that childhood is something in which we coe that childhood is something in which we continue to be implicated and which is never sintinue to be implicated and which is never simply left behind.mply left behind.

It persists as something which we endlessly It persists as something which we endlessly rework in our attempt to build an image of ourework in our attempt to build an image of our own history. r own history.

The very ambiguity of the term ‘children’s fThe very ambiguity of the term ‘children’s fiction’ – fiction the child produces or fiction iction’ – fiction the child produces or fiction given to the child? - is striking for the way wgiven to the child? - is striking for the way where it leaves the adult out of the picture.here it leaves the adult out of the picture.

Childhood is not an object. Childhood is Childhood is not an object. Childhood is part of a strict developmental sequence at the part of a strict developmental sequence at the end of which stands the cohered and rational end of which stands the cohered and rational consciousness of the adult mind.consciousness of the adult mind.

Children are no threat to our identity Children are no threat to our identity because they are, so to speak, ‘on their way’. because they are, so to speak, ‘on their way’.

The UnconsciousThe Unconscious

Divisions and distortions which are Divisions and distortions which are characteristic of our psychic life. In relation characteristic of our psychic life. In relation to dreams, jokes, and slips of the tongue.to dreams, jokes, and slips of the tongue.

What Freud had discovered in that first What Freud had discovered in that first recollection was that there are aspects of our recollection was that there are aspects of our psychic life whichpsychic life which escape escape our conscious our conscious control. control.

Two Questions that concerned :Two Questions that concerned :

1. the question of the unconscious1. the question of the unconscious

2. the question of childhood2. the question of childhood

Freud uncovered in the sexual life of Freud uncovered in the sexual life of children the same perverse sexuality that children the same perverse sexuality that analysis revealed in the symptoms of his analysis revealed in the symptoms of his patients and which was expressed indirectly patients and which was expressed indirectly in their dreams.in their dreams.

Bettelhem’sBettelhem’s

Discussing the fairy tale in terms of the funcDiscussing the fairy tale in terms of the function it can serve in ‘fortifying’ the child’s pertion it can serve in ‘fortifying’ the child’s personality and resolving its Oedipal drama.sonality and resolving its Oedipal drama.

The unconscious does not challenge the huThe unconscious does not challenge the human ego, its seeming coherence and identityman ego, its seeming coherence and identity..

The purpose of the fairy tale is to allow the The purpose of the fairy tale is to allow the child that early instability or instance of disruchild that early instability or instance of disruption in order to ensure that any such instabiliption in order to ensure that any such instability will, in the last analysis, be more effectivelty will, in the last analysis, be more effectively removed.y removed.

“ “The human personality is indivisible”, writThe human personality is indivisible”, writes Bettelheim. es Bettelheim.

SubjectivitySubjectivity

How our subjectivity is divided in relation to How our subjectivity is divided in relation to itself.itself.

It is the very meaning of the unconscious to It is the very meaning of the unconscious to undermine exactly this unity, and how it does undermine exactly this unity, and how it does so in relation to the interpretation of dreams. so in relation to the interpretation of dreams.

Childhood SexualityChildhood Sexuality

Childhood sexuality could eventually becoChildhood sexuality could eventually become an object of curiosity and investigation, sme an object of curiosity and investigation, something to be mastered – the very meaning omething to be mastered – the very meaning of sexual development as it’s commonly undof sexual development as it’s commonly understood. erstood.

Freud’s own investigation of childhood was iFreud’s own investigation of childhood was in many ways inconsistent and contradictory. n many ways inconsistent and contradictory.

How infantile sexuality starts to turn on a nuHow infantile sexuality starts to turn on a number of questions which the child sets itself, mber of questions which the child sets itself, questions about its origin (birth) and its sexuaquestions about its origin (birth) and its sexuality identity (difference between the sexes) wlity identity (difference between the sexes) which the child will eventually have to resolve.hich the child will eventually have to resolve.

Freud moved it out of the realm of an biologFreud moved it out of the realm of an biological sequence, and into that of fantasy and repical sequence, and into that of fantasy and representation where things are not so clear.resentation where things are not so clear.

DeceptionDeception

Deception is, for Freud, in the very order of Deception is, for Freud, in the very order of language. As we speak, we take up a position language. As we speak, we take up a position of identity and certainty in language. of identity and certainty in language.

Deception is what characteristics human uttDeception is what characteristics human utterances since language can be used to say the erances since language can be used to say the opposite of what is true.opposite of what is true.

Psychoanalysis directs its attention to what Psychoanalysis directs its attention to what cannot be spoken in what is actually being saicannot be spoken in what is actually being said. d.

The problem of language is the dimension oThe problem of language is the dimension of psychoanalysis which has been most rigorof psychoanalysis which has been most rigorously avoided in discussion of fiction for the cusly avoided in discussion of fiction for the child.hild.

LanguageLanguage

Our relationship to language is no more fixeOur relationship to language is no more fixed and stable than our relationship to childhood and stable than our relationship to childhood itself. We use language to identify ourselved itself. We use language to identify ourselves and objects in the world. s and objects in the world.

But the pronoun ‘I’, which apparently gives uBut the pronoun ‘I’, which apparently gives us that identity, on has its meaning whoever has that identity, on has its meaning whoever happens to be using it at the time.ppens to be using it at the time.

The meaning of one word can only be fixed The meaning of one word can only be fixed with reference to another. with reference to another.

Freud located all these difficulties in his atteFreud located all these difficulties in his attempt to negotiate the complex, overdeterminempt to negotiate the complex, overdetermined and contradictory meanings of symptoms, dd and contradictory meanings of symptoms, dreams and jokes. reams and jokes.

For Freud, neither childhood nor meaning For Freud, neither childhood nor meaning can be pinned down – they shift, and our own can be pinned down – they shift, and our own identity with them. identity with them.

Freud vs. JungFreud vs. Jung

Jung’s interest was in the history of the race, Jung’s interest was in the history of the race, and he saw the unconscious as the repository and he saw the unconscious as the repository of a set of myths and symbols which our cultof a set of myths and symbols which our culture has destroyed. “Mythical”ure has destroyed. “Mythical”

For Freud, meaning is not simply there – it iFor Freud, meaning is not simply there – it is built up. “Sexual”s built up. “Sexual”

Symbolic interpretation is the way that it Symbolic interpretation is the way that it by-passes any problem of language, any by-passes any problem of language, any question of how meaning is constructed, of question of how meaning is constructed, of how it builds up and shifts. how it builds up and shifts.

It is no coincidence that symbolism and It is no coincidence that symbolism and biography are the two forms of ‘Freudian’ biography are the two forms of ‘Freudian’ analysis which are most commonly analysis which are most commonly associated with children’s fiction.associated with children’s fiction.

ConcludingConcluding

We need to ask why interpreting children’s fWe need to ask why interpreting children’s fiction – reading it for the child – seems to be iction – reading it for the child – seems to be untouched by the idea that language itself miuntouched by the idea that language itself might be unstable, and that our relationship to it ght be unstable, and that our relationship to it is never safe.is never safe.

We need to ask why we appear to straddle We need to ask why we appear to straddle our present division in language across the prour present division in language across the present of the book and its past.esent of the book and its past.