Comparing Lisel Mueller's Reading The Brothers Grimm To Jenny

In Lisel Mueller’s poem “Reading the Brothers Grimm to Jenny,” the narrator details the relationship that he or she has with a child named Jenny. A central aspect to the connection between Jenny and the narrator are the fairytales that the narrator reads to her. Although this is a part of their relationship that Jenny enjoys, the narrator is conflicted by it. The archetypes utilized in fairytales is having an effect on the development of Jenny’s mind. However, as the narrator explains what is happening to Jenny, he or she also reveals the state of his or her own mind. To gain an understating of the impact that Jenny and the narrator have on each other, a Jungian analysis of this poem is required. In the Jungian analysis of a character, there are three archetypes that must be considered. Carl Jung believed that the three archetypes that made up a person are the shadow, the anima or animus, and the persona (Dobie 64). In “Reading the Brothers Grimm to Jenny,” the narrator first introduces readers to Jenny’s shadow and animus. Jung saw the shadow as a human’s “darker side,” and the “part of ourselves we would prefer not to confront” (Dobie 64). Whereas the animus or anima is the “the life force within an individual,” and “life itself and the

Throughout the poem, the narrator the shadow animus, and persona of both character’s are discussed. How Jenny constructs her shadow and animus is being influenced by the archetypes that the narrator is teaching her. Yet, the shadow of the narrator does not stop him or her from doing this. On the other hand, the anima or the animus of the narrator seeks to protect Jenny’s innocent persona. However, the narrator is in conflict with Jenny’s use of projection uses this as a way to project onto her. Nevertheless, the relationship between these characters reflect a great portion of the Jungian