Freud's Theory Of The Mind In The Great Gatsby

Our minds, like our hearts, are in a, “constant turbulent riot” (Fitzgerald 99). Restlessness, in a psychological sense, is a result of inner conflict. Through the eyes of Freud, this inner conflict can be attributed to the three parts of the mind; the id, the superego, and the ego. Freud’s structural theory of the mind can be applied to the main characters in The Great Gatsby. Each character is representative of a fragment of the mind, with the exception of the ego.

While the id feeds off of desire and instant gratification, the superego runs on conscience and morality. To balance out the two, the ego acts as a mediator. Because the id’s drives must be satisfied, and the superego finds them unacceptable, the ego has to compromise.

In other words, the id is motivated by emotion rather than thought. Thus, the id is not affected by reality or logic, and acts on impulses regardless of the consequences. Many of the key characteristics of the id are apparent in the characters in The Great Gatsby. For example, Tom Buchanan exhibits the necessity for instant gratification despite ramifications. His actions--cheating on Daisy, striking Myrtle, and being shamelessly racist and sexist--are a testament to his id-like qualities. Had he considered the outcome of his actions, he might have had the sense to restrain himself. Specifically, when he struck Myrtle, had he thought that her broken nose would create suspicion, he might have had some self-control. Of course, Tom--the id--is far too impulsive to have such