A-Study-of-Bernard-Malamud’s-The-Magic-Barrel-from

AStudyofBernardMalamud’sTheMagicBarrelfromthePsychologicalApproachTheMagicBarreltellsastoryaboutLeoFinklewhoisarabbinicalstudentandinwantofawifetransactswiththemarriagebrokerPinyeSalzmanandfinallymarryhisdaughterStella.ByusingSigmundFreud’sPsychoanalyticalCriticism，thispaperaimstoexploretheLeo’schangesinthoughtandemotionstowardsloveandmarriageandhistormentduringhisprocessofthepursuitofloveandhappiness.I.IntroductionTheMagicBarrel，whichisacclaimedasBernardMalamud’s“superstory”，istakenfromthecollectionofshortstoriesofthesametitle.ThenarrativerevolvesaroundLeoFinkle，arabbinicalstudent，inwantofawife.ThemarriagecounselorPinyeSalzmanintroducesseveralwomentohimbuttrunsoutinnoresults.Atlasthefalllovewithcounselor’sdaughter.Thedifferencesbetweentheidealandtherealitywhicharereflectedinmanyaspectsgiverisetolotsofconflictsinthisstory.ByusingSigmundFreud’sPsychoanalyticalCriticism，thispaperaimstoexploretheLeo’schangesinthoughtandemotionstowardsloveandmarriageduringhisprocessofthepursuitofloveandhappiness.II.Freud’sPsychoanalyticalCriticismSigmundFreudproposedthatthehumanpsychecouldbedividedintothreeparts：theid，theegoandthesuper-ego.Theidistheimpulsive，child-likeportionofthepsychethatoperatesonthe“pleasureprinciple”andonlytakesintoaccountwhatitwantsanddisregardsallconsequences.Theegoregulatestheinstinctualdrivesoftheidsothattheymaybereleasedinnondestructivebehavioralpatterns.Whereastheidisgovernedbythepleasureprinciple，theegoisgovernedbytherealityprinciple.Therationalegoattemptstoexactabalancebetweentheimpracticalhedonismoftheidandtheequallyimpracticalmoralismofthesuperego.Thesuper-egooriginallyderivedfromparentalprohibitionsandcriticism.Thesuperegoprovidesguidelinesformakingjudgments.Thesuperegoisdominatedbythemoralityprinciple.III.TherepressionofLeo’s“id”LeoFinklehasthedesireofloveofhappinesswhichcanbeinterpretedasthe“id”ofhispersonality.The“id”isembodiedmorespecificallyinLeo’sviewtowardsmarriage.ThefirstgirlSophieWhoisintroducedbySalzemanisawidowandhaswonderfulwholesalebusiness.Salzemansays，“Awidowdon’tmeanspoiled，rabbi.Shelivedwithherhusbandmaybefourmouths.Hewasasickboyshemadeamistaketomarryhim”，“Awidow，especiallyifsheisyoungandhealthylikethisgirl，isawonderfulpersontomarry.Shewillbethankfultoyoutherestofherlife.Believeme，ifIwasnowforabride，Iwouldmarryawidow”（578）.ButLeosays，“Marryingawidowhasneverenteredmymind”（578）.Afterthisfailuremeetingwiththemarriagebroker，Leobecomesdepressedbecauseoftheconfrontationsbetweenhishopeandthereality.Underthiscircumstance，the“id”ofLeoisquitehardtoachievewhichmeansthatLeo’s“id”isrepressedbythereality.Inordertofindasolutiontothistorment，Leomustusethesecondpartofpersonality：theego.IV.TheadjustmentbytheegoAfterthefirstconflicthappensbetweenLeoandSalzeman，Leobeginstointrospectabouthiswishaboutmarriage.Intermsofthisphenomenon，Leoisconductedbytheegopartofhispersonality.WhenLeo’s“id”isrepressed，his“ego”comesouttoinstructhimtochangehismindandfacethereality.However，thesecondconflictbetweenLeoandLilyhappenswhentheyhaveadatealongRiver-sideDrive.WhenLilyasks，“WhendidyoubecomeenamoredofGod？”（583）.Heanswers，“Iamnotatalentedreligiousperson.IthinkthatIcametoGodnotbecauseIlovedHim，butbecauseIdidnot”（583）.ThisconfessionshookbothLilyandLeohimself.Afterthismeeting，Leorealizesthat“hiswholelifestoodstarklyrevealedandhesawhimeselfforthefirsttimeashetrulywas----unlovedandloveless”（584）.Leobeginstothinkabouttheloveandmarriagemorerationallywhichcanbeownedtotheadjustmentbytheegopartofhispersonality.V.ThesublimationofLeo’sspiritbyhis“superego”Leosoonregainshiscomposureandsomeidealpurposeinlifetogoonasplanned.Hethinks，“Althoughhewasimperfect，theidealisnot”and“yetperhapswiththisnewknowledgeofhimselfhewouldbemoresuccessfulthaninthepast”（585）.Finally，heseesthephotographsandfindsasnapshotofthetypetakenbyamachineforaquarterwhichmakeshimletoutacry.Hethinksalotandfinallydecidestofindher.（下转第84页）（上接第66页）“...againwithexcitementheexaminedthefaceandfounditgood：goodforLeoFrnkle.Onlysuchaonecouldunderstandhimandhelphimseekwhateverhewasseeeking.Shemight，perhaps，lovehim”（587）.ThegirlwhoLeoloveturnsouttobeSalzman’sdaughterStellawhoisactuallyaprostitute.LeothinkshislifethroughandfinallydecidestomarryStella.“Hethenconcludedtoconverthertogoodness，himselftoGod”（589）.Fromthisaspect，thesuperegopartofLeo’spersonalitycomesoutandfacilitateshimtointrospect.Atlast，Leo’s“id”isrepressedandhis“ego”issurpassed.Hissoulispurifiedandhisspiritissublimatedbyhis“superego”.VI.ConclusionThispaperexplorestheLeo’schangesinthoughtandemotionstowardsloveandmarriageduringhisprocessofthepursuitofloveandhappinessfromthethreepartsofpersonality：theid，theegoandthesuperego.Fromwhatdiscussedabove，itcanbeconcludedthatduringLeo’sprocessofthepursuitofloveandhappiness，his“id”isrepressed，andhis“ego”burstsoutwithhugeenergytoguidehisaction.His“ego”letshimfacetotherealityandseekacompanionfromamorepragmaticallyview.Thenatlasthis“ego”issurpassed.References[1]BernardMalamud.“TheMagicBarrel”.InUnderstandingFiction，3e.editedbyLiFeng，576-590.Beijing：WorldBookPublishingPress，2006.