Psychoanalytic Interpretation of Marina’s Character in Kyomuhendo’s Secrets No More
Corresponding Author(s) : esther j. masele
Journal of Humanities & Social Science (JHSS),
Vol. 8 No. 2 (2019)
Abstract
Based on the assumption that characters in a literary text are true representations of
human beings, this paper intends to interpret Kyomuhendo’s characterization of Marina
in Secrets No More, applying psychoanalytic theory thereby, authenticating Freud’s concept
of personality in the understanding of characters’ deeds in the novel. Taking into
consideration that Freud’s psychoanalysis is a wide and complex theory, this paper focuses
on the basics of ‘Id’, ‘Ego’ and ‘Super-ego’ as modes of interpretation to evaluate the
effectiveness of the theory in providing a deeper understanding of a character’s
personality and meaningful interpretation of a text. In the same context, Freud’s
psychoanalysis is also linked up with the literary trauma theory in the discussion of
characters’ behaviours, particularly those associated with tragic events and memories of
the past. The study reveals that Freud’s psychoanalysis and traumatic theories, as
employed in Kyomuhendo’s Secrets No More, demonstrate plainly the achievement of the
theories in generating knowledge about characters in literary works. Also, through
psychoanalysis and traumatic theories, the study proves the role of characters in literary
works on conditioning acceptable behaviour patterns in a society.
Keywords
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- Arlow, J. A. 1995. Psychoanalysis. In R. J. Corsini & D. Wedding (eds.), Current Psychotherapies (5th
- ed., pp. 15–50). Itasca, IL: F. E. Peacock.
- Armstrong, A. H. 2009. Reporting from the Edge of Reality: Writing as Phantom Limb in Goretti
- Kyomuhendo’s Fiction. Journal of International Women’s Studies, 10(4), 259–275:
- http://vc.bridgew.edu/jiws/vol10/iss4/16.
- Fine, R. 1973. A History of Psychoanalysis, New York: Columbia University Press.
- Freud, S. 1964. New Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis. Trans. James Strachey. London: Penguin
- Books.
- —. 1957. Collected Papers vol. V, ed. J. Strachey, London: The Hogarth Press.
- —. 1940. An Outline of Psycho-Analysis: Trans. James Strachey, London: The Hogarth Press and the
- Institute of Psycho-Analysis.
- —. 1923. The Ego and the Id. S.E., 19, 1–66. London: Hogarth.
- Giovacchini, P. L. 1977. Psychoanalysis: In R. J. Corsini (ed.), Current Personality Theories. 1977–07–07).
- Green, A. 1996. Key Ideas for a Contemporary Psychoanalysis (A. Weller, Trans). NY: Routledge. New
- York.
- Hansen, J. C., Stevic, R. R. & Warner, R.W. 1982. Counselling: Theory and Process (3rd ed.), Boston:
- Allyn & Bacon. Michigan.
- Hanne, M. 1995. The Power of the Story: Fiction and Political Change. Oxford: Berghahn Books.
- James, R. & G. Burl. 2003. Psychoanalytic Therapy: Theories and Strategies in Counselling and
- Psychotherapy (5th ed). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
- Kyomuhendo, G. 2018. Goretti Kyomuhendo in Conversation with Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi,
- Wasafiri, 33(3), 39–42, DOI: 10.1080/02690055.2018.1468403: https://doi.org/ 10.1080/
- 2018.1468403.
- —. 1999. Secrets No More, FEMRITE Publications Limited. Uganda.
- Long, C. Z. 2012. Toward an Early Modern Theory of Trauma: Conscience in ‘Richard III’. Journal of
- Literature and Trauma Studies, 1(1): 49–72.
- Njogu, W. 2019. Freudian Psychoanalysis and the African Folktales. International Journal on Studies in
- English Language and Literature, 7(1): 23–27.
- Okuyade, O. 2014. Body as Battlefield: Genocide, and the Family in Goretti Kyomuhendo's Secrets
- No More. Journal of Literary Studies, 30(2): 135–151,
- Rodríguez, B. C. & C. Verdier. 2016. Narrating Gender and Trauma: An Introduction. Journal of
- Literature and Trauma Studies, 5(2): 1–5.
- Selden R. 2005. A Readers Guide to Contemporary Literary Theory (5th ed), Great Britain: Pearson
- Education Limited.
- Tembo, N. M. 2017. Reading the Trauma of Internally Displaced Identities in Goretti Kyomuhendo’s
- Waiting, Eastern African Literary and Cultural Studies, 3, 2–4, 91–106, https://doi.org/
- 1080/23277408.2017.1393251.
References
Arlow, J. A. 1995. Psychoanalysis. In R. J. Corsini & D. Wedding (eds.), Current Psychotherapies (5th
ed., pp. 15–50). Itasca, IL: F. E. Peacock.
Armstrong, A. H. 2009. Reporting from the Edge of Reality: Writing as Phantom Limb in Goretti
Kyomuhendo’s Fiction. Journal of International Women’s Studies, 10(4), 259–275:
http://vc.bridgew.edu/jiws/vol10/iss4/16.
Fine, R. 1973. A History of Psychoanalysis, New York: Columbia University Press.
Freud, S. 1964. New Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis. Trans. James Strachey. London: Penguin
Books.
—. 1957. Collected Papers vol. V, ed. J. Strachey, London: The Hogarth Press.
—. 1940. An Outline of Psycho-Analysis: Trans. James Strachey, London: The Hogarth Press and the
Institute of Psycho-Analysis.
—. 1923. The Ego and the Id. S.E., 19, 1–66. London: Hogarth.
Giovacchini, P. L. 1977. Psychoanalysis: In R. J. Corsini (ed.), Current Personality Theories. 1977–07–07).
Green, A. 1996. Key Ideas for a Contemporary Psychoanalysis (A. Weller, Trans). NY: Routledge. New
York.
Hansen, J. C., Stevic, R. R. & Warner, R.W. 1982. Counselling: Theory and Process (3rd ed.), Boston:
Allyn & Bacon. Michigan.
Hanne, M. 1995. The Power of the Story: Fiction and Political Change. Oxford: Berghahn Books.
James, R. & G. Burl. 2003. Psychoanalytic Therapy: Theories and Strategies in Counselling and
Psychotherapy (5th ed). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Kyomuhendo, G. 2018. Goretti Kyomuhendo in Conversation with Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi,
Wasafiri, 33(3), 39–42, DOI: 10.1080/02690055.2018.1468403: https://doi.org/ 10.1080/
2018.1468403.
—. 1999. Secrets No More, FEMRITE Publications Limited. Uganda.
Long, C. Z. 2012. Toward an Early Modern Theory of Trauma: Conscience in ‘Richard III’. Journal of
Literature and Trauma Studies, 1(1): 49–72.
Njogu, W. 2019. Freudian Psychoanalysis and the African Folktales. International Journal on Studies in
English Language and Literature, 7(1): 23–27.
Okuyade, O. 2014. Body as Battlefield: Genocide, and the Family in Goretti Kyomuhendo's Secrets
No More. Journal of Literary Studies, 30(2): 135–151,
Rodríguez, B. C. & C. Verdier. 2016. Narrating Gender and Trauma: An Introduction. Journal of
Literature and Trauma Studies, 5(2): 1–5.
Selden R. 2005. A Readers Guide to Contemporary Literary Theory (5th ed), Great Britain: Pearson
Education Limited.
Tembo, N. M. 2017. Reading the Trauma of Internally Displaced Identities in Goretti Kyomuhendo’s
Waiting, Eastern African Literary and Cultural Studies, 3, 2–4, 91–106, https://doi.org/
1080/23277408.2017.1393251.