psychoanalysis and lit crit

[Daniel Rancour-Laferriere]

21 March 06

Dear Mark Konecny,
I am glad to hear that you are "not hostile to psychoanalysis," and that 
you sometimes even find that "a subconscious" is present in fictional 
characters.  I agree that the application of psychoanalysis in Slavic 
studies can be a "fruitful matter for debate," and I hope you will let 
SEELANGERS know what your contributions (publications) on this very old 
"debate" have been.

Sincerely,

Daniel Rancour-Laferriere


Mark Konecny wrote:

>Dear Seelangers,
>
>Please let me preface my comments with a few words... I am not hostile to
>
>psychoanalysis either as a methodology or as a tool for literary criticis
>m,
>given a few caveats. There is always a temptation to claim that a fiction
>al
>character is either capable of revealing a subconscious or is a mirror of
>
>the psyche of the author- both of which are, at best, dubious assertions
>given the nature of literature. A fictional character is a result of a
>conscious intention to create a persona- any motivations, intentions,
>dreams, symbology etc are the result of a decision by the author; therefo
>re,
>the fictional character does not, and cannot, have the experiences or
>motivations other than those attributed to him/her. An author may reveal
>certain facets of his/her own mind in writing, he is also able to imagine
> or
>project any characteristic which is desired. While in the hands of a
>sophisticated scholar, the tools of psychoanalysis may lend insight into 
>the
>craft of the writer, there are dangerous pitfalls awaiting the unwary
>student. While this may lead some to claim a hostility to the methodology
>,
>it may, in fact, be simply a matter of legitimate objections to the manne
>r
>in which it is applied. 
>I think this is a fruitful matter for debate with many different points o
>f
>valid points of view. 
>
>Mark Konecny
>Institute of Modern Russian Culture
>
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