The Kite Flashcards
1
Q
Explain Freud’s id, ego, and superego concept briefly.
A
- Freud saw that the psyche structured into three parts: the id, ego, and superego.
- According to Freud, humans are not in control of the everyday decisions they make, but that they are completely controlled by three sections of the unconscious mind: the id, the ego, and the superego.
Although the three components are purely symbolic concepts about the mind and do not correspond to actual structures of the brain, Freud believed they are all constantly working against each other in order to push ideas into our conscious or “awake” mind.
2
Q
Explain the id.
A
- The id is the most primitive part of the human mind, it is the source of our bodily needs, wants, desires, and impulses. Freud believed that the id acts according to the “pleasure principle”.
- The id is the only component of personality that is present from birth, and for good reason. The id is the part of the mind that compels a baby to cry when he or she is in need of something, ensuring a healthy and happy upbringing.
- The id, according to Freud, is the most selfish part of our mind. It is only concerned with the immediate satisfaction of whatever want or need the body is experiencing at the moment. Freud stated that the id “knows no judgements of value: no good and evil, no morality” - only the fulfillment of immediate desires. The id simply demands what it wants, without regard for the reality of the situation, ethics, or the convenience of others.
3
Q
Explain the ego.
A
- The second part of the human subconscious is what Freud called the ego: the rational part of our mind. Freud said that “The ego represents what may be called reason and common sense, in contrast to the id, which contains the passions.”
- The ego acts according to the reality principle; i.e. it seeks to please the id’s drive in realistic ways that will benefit in the long term rather than bring grief.
- Freud considered it a mediator “between id and reality.” It is concerned with our interactions and relationships with others, understanding that other people are also driven by their own ids, and that indulging in our selfish impulses can sometimes be problematic.
4
Q
Explain the superego.
A
- The superego is the moral part of us, reflecting the internalization of cultural rules, mainly taught by parents applying their guidance and influence.
- According to Freud, “The Super-ego can be thought of as a type of conscience that punishes misbehavior with feelings of guilt,” working in contradiction to the id.
- The superego strives to act in a socially appropriate manner, whereas the id just wants instant self-gratification. It controls our sense of right and wrong, and helps us fit into society by getting us to act in socially acceptable ways.
- Freud believed that this part of human beings is not inborn, and that human beings do not develop the superego part of their mind until the age of five. In other words, he believed that human beings are not born with a moral sense, but that they can develop it through the rules and expectations of our caregivers.
5
Q
Balancing the three. (To be continued, need to add relation to characters)
A
- According to Freud, most people should be able to balance the three parts of the unconscious mind in a way that keeps them happy and healthy.
- A successful person, he believed, would have a strong ego in order to satisfy its id and its superego.
-> Maybe this applies to Samuel, throughout the short story, he has been the voice of reason to other characters. - Freud believed that when the three components become too out of balance, a person can suffer physical or emotional repercussions.
- If a person’s id is too dominant, he or she may indulge in harmful impulses without considering the consequences.
- If a person has an overly dominant superego, he or she may live an overly ordered, rigid life, may ignore their own wants and needs, or may be too judgmental of others.
- In other words, Freuď’s theory of the human mind is that it is in a constant battle with itself - a conflict between the id, ego, and superego.
For Herbert Sunbury
- Herbert marrying Betty (a woman who looks exactly like his mom) was a result of the compromise between his id (which wanted to be with his mother) and his superego (which wanted for him to become a father and form a socially acceptable family). So the result was him settling for a replica of his mother while enjoying flying the kite with his mom.
“Betty Bevan looked very much as Mrs Sunbury must have looked at her age.”
So to Herbert, marriage was more of something he has to do to fit in society, we can see that when he said “A fellow has to marry sometime” and to keep his id happy, he chose a woman who looks exactly like his mom. - The act of Herbert flying the kite with his mother is also another compromise between his id (his desire to sleep with his mother and be with her) and superego (desire to have his relationship with his mother be socially acceptable).
- Herbert let his id take over at the end, he harmed himself and his social status just to get the satisfaction out of “thinking what a devil of a time his wife is having.”
For Betty
- Betty destroying the kite could be interpreted in two way:
- Her id took over and her action was influenced by her feelings of jealousy and hatred for what was destroying her marriage.
- Her superego took over so that act for her meant standing up for her morals and trying to destroy the immortal relationship Herbert has with his mother.
(All these compromises were possible thanks to the ego, as he plays a vital role by being the mediator between the id and the superego)
For Beatrice
- In Beatrice’s case, she has an overly dominant superego; she’s overly upright and judgemental, and thus looks down on anyone else who’s not her family because they don’t reach the moral expectations she set for herself and her family. She believed that “Evil communications corrupt good manners.” and that’s why she made sure to be the only influence on her son, and to teach him how to be the perfect gentleman. “If you bring up somebody right they’ll be a credit to you.”
6
Q
Name of writer?
A
William Somerset Maugham
7
Q
Freud’s dream symbolism. (to be continued)
A
- Dreams perform important functions for the unconscious mind and serve as valuable clues to how the unconscious mind operates. (If the kite flying are shown as dreamlike then maybe that’s the time when both of their subconscious come to light?)
- Freud proposed that dreams are a form of “wish fulfillment”. They represent the unconscious desires, thoughts, and motivations that our conscious mind represses.
- Freud believed that the latent content of a dream is often related to unconscious desires, wishes, and conflicts. These are thoughts and feelings that are so troubling or unacceptable that the conscious mind represses them. However, they can emerge in a disguised form in our dreams.
- Displacement is part of the dreamwork process, which means to censor the latent content.
8
Q
Oedipus complex.
A
- Oedipus involves a boy, aged between 3 and 6, becoming unconsciously sexually attached to his mother, and hostile towards his father (who he views as a rival).
- I can argue that Herbert Sunbury never overcame his Oedipus complex.
- When Betty destroyed Herbert’s kite, his reaction was extreme to say the least. Maybe it was because she dared interfere in his relationship with his mom and deemed their favorite activity as abnormal, that lead him to unleash a tremendous amount of anger at her.
- Herbert and Beatrice flying the kite in such a ritualistic manner could be an indication of how valuable that time is for both of them. Beatrice ended up using the kite as a string to keep Herbert close to her.
- Herbert’s whole life revolved around his mother and vice versa. Beatrice made it her mission to shape Herbert the way she wanted, she enjoyed being in control of every aspect in his life and she lost that control when Herbert married Beatrice.
- Beatrice described Betty as “common as dirt.” To her, Betty was in no way deserving of her perfect gentleman son, to put it better no one was good enough for her precious Herbert, no one but her, because she’s the one who brought him up and knows what’s best for him more than anyone. She’ll never be able to trust a stranger with her son.
- “if you marry that woman you’re not going to fly my kite.” this statement is very interesting, Beatrice gave Herbert an ultimatum in order for him to continue flying her kite. She treats Betty as a competitor which says a lot about the kind of relationship she has with her son. Betty in a moment of anger experessed: “she’s just trying to get you away from me.” She also sees Beatrice as a competitor to her.
- Herbert is also possessive when it comes to his mother, he doesn’t want anyone flying the kite with her. “Herbert was seized with a pang of jealousy.”
9
Q
Main characters.
A
- Herbert Sunbury.
- Beatrice Sunbury.
- Samuel Sunbury.
- Betty Bevan.
10
Q
Fetishism.
A
- Fetish has been recognised as an attraction to objects with the aim of achieving sexual gratification.
-> The Kite’s cord can be a symbol for the umbilical cord. (Maybe both Herbert and his mother were not ready to cut the invisible cord between them?) “felt the little tug it gave his hand” / “as the kite caught the breeze lengthened the cord in his hand.” / “He had never had such a thrill in his life.” / “Saturday afternoons were his moments of glory.”
-> Herbert obviously has an obssesive fetish for the Kite. For him the Kite represents his mother, he knows he can’t have his mother (in the way that he wants) so he replaces that desire with his relationship with the kite.
-> Both Herbert and Beatrice find pleasure in flying the kite.
-> Since Herbert sees his mother in the kite, he’s overly protective of it, he doesn’t want anyone touching it, because to him that means they’ll be touching his mother.
-> To him when Betty tried to stop him from flying the kite, she was getting between him and his mother. And when she destroyed the Kite she basically killed his mother, that’s why he refused to forgive her till the end. - Fetishism can cause significant distress or impairment in an individual’s life. (Herbert for example, just to chase his fetish, ruined his marriage and life)
- “I knew from the beginning he wouldn’t be able to keep away from it.” Her saying”it” instead of “us” says a lot.
11
Q
Sublimation.
A
- Through sublimation, people are able to transform unwanted impulses into something that is less harmful and often even helpful.
-> Herbert transformed his desire to sleep with his mother into a family activity which led him to become a master at kite flying and be viewed by other kite flyers with admiration. - Sublimation is one way that the ego reduces the anxiety that can be created by unacceptable urges or feelings. It works by channeling negative and unacceptable impulses into behaviors that are positive and socially acceptable.
12
Q
Displacement.
A
- Displacement is an unconscious defense mechanism in which a person redirects an emotional reaction from the rightful recipient onto another person or object.
-> For example Herbert Sunbury redirects his urges and attraction towards his mother to the kite. - Displacement can result in inappropriate reactions to people or situations, harm relationships, and have an overall negative effect on one’s life.
