The Oedipus Complex

The Oedipus Complex is a psychological attachment and physical attraction felt to the parent of the opposite sex, as well as envy and aggression directed toward the parent of the same sex. This was derived from Oedipus Rex by Sigmund Freud. Typically, this is said to be true in Oedipus Rex because Oedipus kills his father, and then marries and conceives children with his mother (Dolloff). I, personally, disagree with this theory. Oedipus was abandoned as a child by Liaus and Jocasta of Thebes three days after his birth because it was prophesied that he would kill Liaus and defile Jocasta. Oedipus was then eventually adopted by the King and Queen of Corinth. When he grew up, Oedipus went to the oracle at Delphi, who informed him of the prophecy, but happened to leave out the fact that Lauis and Jocasta were his biological parents. Disgusted by the prophecy, Oedipus left Corinth. Unbeknownst to him, he headed for his birthplace. On the road he encountered a man, and killed him, once again not knowing he was fulfilling the prophecy. When he arrived at Thebes, he defeated the Sphinx, and was named king and give Jocasta, his biological mother, as a wife. Therefore, Oedipus cannot truly fit the complex because he had no desire to have sexual relations with his mother and eliminate his father; rather, he did so on accident (Rubin). Furthermore, Oedipus fulfilled the prophecy by deliberately trying not too, and this struggle to avoid and create one's one fate is a major them throughout the play.

Works Cited

Dolloff, Lauren. "The Oedipus Complex." The University of Vermont, 16 Nov. 2006. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.uvm.edu%2F~jbailly%2Fcourses%2Ftragedy%2Fstudent%2520second%2520documents%2FOedipus%2520Complex.html>.

Rubin, Jeffrey B. "The Art of Flourishing." The Real Oedipal Complex. Psychology Today, 1 May 2012. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. <http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-art-flourishing/201205/the-real-oedipal-complex>.

Cane River Update

"You can't tell how heavy someone else's load is just from looking. The Lord doesn't give us more than we can carry."

As I said before, I am planning on writing my ISU compare/contrast essay about the relationships between women and white men. This quote, although it does not mention love or marriage, sums up my thesis perfectly. The Creole plantation wife, Francoise Derbanne, seems to be the cream of the crop to the others in society. However, we learn that she struggles with jealousy. Being barren, she can never have the bond of a child between herself and Monsieur Derbanne, but the slave women can. All bias and prejudice aside, think for a moment what it would be like to have to live on the same plot of land as all the women your husband had affairs with. Try to imagine how you would feel to see his illegitimate children running around on your property. On the other hand, women like Suzette and Elisabeth, who were born into slavery, have it equally as hard. This is the most drastic, but there are so many examples of relationships in Cane River that link to this quote. I am really enjoying this novel, and hope to share more as I progress in the process of essay writing.

A Streetcar Named Desire Film Adaptation Personal Response

             In 1951, just four years after the play was written, Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire was adapted for film. The director of the original stage production, Elia Kazan, also directed the film. Even with the same director, the transition from stage to film can be treacherous. The lighting and set design, as well as the dramatic performances, were enhanced to make the production of Scene 2 flow well on the big screen.

Throughout Scenes 1 and 2, Williams uses the stage directions to explain that the Kowalski home is cramped and dirty, as well as that light is a major theme and signals a the divide between truth and lies.  The house does not have any clearly defined rooms. The kitchen becomes the foyer; the foyer the guest room; and only a sheer curtain divides the guest room and master bedrooms. When Stanley confronts Blanche about the Napoleonic Code, the lights begin to flash. This signals that conflict is building as well as Blanches descent into madness. The set, lighting, and other technical elements help William’s intentions for the play to be shown in the film.

            Although Williams’ writes developed characters very well into the play, actors Marlon Brando, Vivien Leigh, and Kim Hunter accentuate the personalities of Stanley, Blanche and Stella. Stanley is brute. In fact, Williams says, “ [the] animal joy in his being is implicit in all his movements and attitudes” (24). To portray this, Brando is muscular and towers over the women. His motions are violent and rigid. On the following page, Williams says that, “[Stanley] sizes up women at a glance” (25), implying that he is driven by lust. When Brando speaks to Hunter, their lips are nearly touching, and his conversations with Leigh are close and flirtatious. Williams paints Stella as a spineless, subservient housewife - a woman who is thrilled by smashing light bulbs, and accepts being beaten. Hunter does a fantastic job of making Stella real by shying away from Brando’s violent movements, and being quick to embrace and kiss him on his return home. It is clear that the character is driven by passion, but deep down is scared of the animalistic side of her husband. Blanche DuBois is a vain woman who seeks the approval of men and claims “clothes are [her] passion!” (38). Vivien Leigh exaggerates Blanche’s insecurities and flirtatiousness well. She dances around Brando, touching him delicately and trifles with him. She asks multiple times about her appearance. Then, the drama reaches a fever pitch as the pair tosses about the contents of Blanche’s trunk, specifically the papers regarding Belle Reve. Altogether, the dramatic performances by Brando, Hunter, and Leigh add to the effectiveness of the film’s plot development and characterization.

            The set and lighting, along with the acting make the film production of A Streetcar Named Desire hold true to the original play. The restricted space and spotty lighting allow for the development of the conflict to be dramatized. Brando, Leigh and Hunter bring their characters to life. All in all, Scene 2 of Kazan’s production is true to what Williams originally wrote.

Works Cited

A Streetcar Named Desire. Dir. Elia Kazan. Perf. Marlon Brando

and Vivien Leigh. Warner Brothers, 1951. DVD.

Williams, Tennessee. A Streetcar Named Desire. New York: New

Directions, 1980. Print.

Independent Study Unit

Now that we have finished reading The Book of Negroes, we are starting to select our novels for the ISU. This is an ongoing assignment that will culminate with a compare and contrast essay in May.

I have selected…… DRUM ROLL PLEASE……



Cane River by Lalita Tademy

Cane River is an exaggeration of the lives of Tademy's female ancestors, passed down generation to generation. The synopsis of Cane River can be found here: http://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/index.cfm/book_number/803/cane-river#synopsis

I was drawn to this book because it is set in close proximity to my hometown. As a southerner, I am also interested in learning about a section of history that is not often recorded in textbooks. I would like to compare this novel to The Book of Negroes by examining the relationships between female slaves and their owners, as well as the themes of freedom, love, and racism/ segregation.

 

My 5 Top Quotes

Quote #1
Page 274
"Lindo began to sign a registration... as much right to life and liberty as the man who claimed to own me."
Aminata's narration
This quote is heavenly laden with significance and poetic appeal. When Solomon Lindo and Aminata arrive at Fraunces' Tavern in New York City, Solomon Lindo begins to write "Solomon Lindo and servant" in a registration book, but loses his patience for such a mundane task, and does not finish. I imagine the book would read something like this: Solomon Li. However, once Lindo is gone, Aminata writes her full, African name in exquisite script in the registration book. This is a small victory for Aminata because she has written her name on a public document, forever registering herself as a person and proving her existence.  It is important to not the differences in attitude between Aminata and her master. While she takes great pride in making her name beautiful, Lindo scribbles and does not even bother to completely identify himself. Once Aminata writes down her name, there is a obvious change in diction. Before, she was subservient to her owners, saying "yes sir, no sir" and hiding her disrespect from them. Now, Aminata has a new mindset and asserts her own freedom; Lindo only "[claims] to own [her]."

Quote #2
Page 348
"'I have nothing to say to the Jew,' Appleby said."
Robinson Appleby
It is a fair assumption that Robinson Appleby is the manifestation of all things wrong with slavery in the novel. He is a horrible man with no morals at all. He is too proud of even speak Lindo's name at the hearing over who claims Aminata. Historically, South Carolina was predominantly populated by Anglo-Americans and their black slaves. However, the racism did not stop at blacks, but was extended to the few French, Dutch, German, Jewish, and colonists from other backgrounds. The fact that Solomon Lindo is Jewish is one of the few unifying factors between him and Aminata- they are both outsiders. Furthermore, this quote allows the reader to assume Solomon Lindo is the better of the two men, because he does not discriminate against Appleby for being "Christian", and claims to subscribe to a set of values.

Quote #3
Page 116
"But I have long loved the written word, and come to see in it the power of the sleeping lion. This is my name. This is who I am. This is how I got here. In the absence of an audience, I will write down my story so that it waits like a restful beast with lungs breathing and heart beating."
Aminata's narration
Books are amazing. They are written down once, and then last for ever. Whether it be for good or evil, books have the power to unite people (ie. Adolf Hitler's Mien Kampf, Thomas Paine's Common Sense). The words devour whoever reads them much like a lion devours its prey. Aminata may not be able to tell her story the way she wants to the abolitionists, but there is nothing stopping her from writing it down. Someday, someone will most likely stumble across her work. The lion which had been lying in wait will pounce. Then, at least, someone will know. This is a beautiful metaphor as well as the definition of elderly Aminata's mission.

Quote #4
Page 25
"'You must learn respect,' Papa said.
'But I do not respect her,' I said.
Papa paused for a moment, and patted my leg. 'Then you must learn to hide your disrespect.'"
Dialogue between Mamadu (father) and Aminata
This quote is significant in developing Aminata's character. Although she has not a clue yet, being a slave will present her with far more and worse injustices than being scorned by a jealous Fanta for using a bucket as a drum. Hiding her disrespect and holding her tongue gains Aminata favor again and again; it also saves her from numerous beatings. This simple lesson her father taught her at a young age greatly contributed to Aminata's survival.

Quote #5
Page 204
"'You don't own that baby anymore than you own the wool on your head,' Appleby said. 'They both belong to me.'"
Robinson Appleby
This quote is significant because it highlights the theme of dehumanization. Just before he says this, Appleby used a knife to shave Aminata's head and publicly humiliate her. He says that her hair is not hair, but rather wool. Clearly, this strips Aminata of her humanness, lowers her to the status of a sheep, only used for the gain of the owner, much like the role of slaves on an indigo plantation. However, the meaning of this is deeper than dehumanization. Recently, Aminata had been learning about and reading the Bible with Mamed. She would know that for Judeo-Christian women, their hair was their pride and dignity. It was something sacred, never to be cut with impure shears. This deepens the cruelty of Appleby's actions. Also, she would know about the Good Shepherd. If the slaves are the sheep, then Appleby is the shepherd; unfortunately, the divide between a shepherd who makes his sheep lie down in green pastures and a shepherd who rapes his sheep is vast. Furthermore, Appleby's choice of words here should be noted. Aminata would never claim to own her child, but rather see it as a blessing. This quote allows the reader to foster a hatred for someone who thinks owning other human beings, and extends this wrongdoing by treating them like farm animals.

Obstacles

Let me start this post off by getting one thing straight: I am not inviting anyone to throw a pity party, nor am I likening my experiences to those of the slave trade. However, there is a major emotion that Aminata experiences throughout the book that I understand on a level many cannot. There is no feeling like the loss of a parent. I do not have words to describe it. Both Aminata and I lost our fathers unexpectedly in a gun accident when we were young girls. The death of my father is by far the biggest obstacle in my life. Just like Aminata, the pain travels with me no matter where I go, and his memory haunts me each and every day. This is not a type of obstacle that you can overcome. For this reason, I empathize with Aminata's trying to listen for her father's words for guidance. Sometimes, the memory of those few sentences is all that can give me perspective. Each day is an uphill battle knowing I stand at a disadvantage to those who have fathers to guide them, but I also get a little bit stronger.

Stockholm Syndrome in The Book if Negroes

In my opinion, Aminata exhibits a few symptoms of Stockholm Syndrome throughout the novel. First, she develops an unusual bond with the medicine man on the slave ship. The other slaves only seemed to interact with him when they were trading sex for good favor. Aminata, on the other hand, learned from him, while receiving food and better living conditions, even though she was uncomfortable being held captive in his sleeping quarters. Over time, her complaints about the sleeping arrangements become fewer and fewer. Although much less severe, I also believe Aminata shows similar symptoms when Mrs. Lindo and her son die, even though she is their "servant".