The Painted Bird Compare And Contrast Essay

It would be accurate to say that Sigmund Freud in The Future of an Illusion and Jerzy Kosinski in The Painted Bird both take very pessimistic views when it comes to human nature and by association the state of nature. Given their combined sound arguments and experiences it is hard to see how one could find Marx’s ideas in the Communist Manifesto a plausible plan to create a sound and just society. On the other hand is the relatively optimistic John Mill. In his work On Liberty, Mill emphasizes the importance of personal liberty, individualism, and rationality in keeping society fair and just to all people. Combating illusions that would cause people to force their opinions onto others and restrict their rights. Similar to Freud's argument on illusions, and compatible with Kosinski’s ideas of human nature inside of society. Mill’s ideas strike the final nail in Marx’s coffin. Proving that violent rebellion against a ruling minority and forcefully suppressing

individuality are not viable ways to create a fair and just society.
Kosinski, being a novelist and not a political theorist, speaks through his characters and not directly for himself. Considering this, Freud will be used in many ways to speak from an ideological standpoint for Kosinski’s views. With the Painted Bird providing backup and reasoning for the views Freud establishes. This goes to strengthen both of their points. For freud and Kosinski build off of each other’s negative views towards human nature. Freud elaborates on his mistrust for human nature in society. Consequently The Painted Bird’s characters give Freud plenty of reason to distrust human nature. Such as the miller who gouged out the young farmhands eye with a spoon for simply being attractive to his wife.
The rash and violent impulses that people commonly give into on a whim in The Painted Bird lead us to believe that Kosinski sees government as an overseer that keeps individuals from acting on their violent behavior. This is further expanded upon by Freud in the Future of an Illusion. These thoughts show that Kosinski and Freud are both proven to have a deep mistrust in individuals abilities to act justly and morally for themselves without the fear of punishment. For Kosinski this especially speaks to his views on the state of nature, such as the breaking down of human morality when society crumbles into the state of nature. As given his description of society during the holocaust in The Painted Bird. Where humans take their darkest and most vile forms, or as Kosinski and Freud see it, they become more like their innate and immoral selves.
It could be said that there are some similarities in the ideas of Freud with Kosinski and those of Karl Marx in the communist Manifesto. Freud in the Future of an Illusion is clearly not impressed with the individuals capacity to think morally or justly for themselves. The Communist Manifesto solves this dilemma by bringing the working class together to form a collectivist government. As a collective it would be fine if an individual had a lapse in judgement, because the collective would surely sort that out. The collective also acts as an overseeing force that would suppress the primal instincts that Freud is worried about. Marx had also proposed that people should come together collectively and identify themselves with their social identity rather than a national identity to give them power in numbers over the Bourgeois. Given the influence nationalism had on the rise in power of the Nazi party in Germany and subsequently the Holocaust, Kosinski would surely be in favor of a social identity over a national identity.
However, the similarities between Marx and the pessimist duo are few and far between. As far as Freud and Marx both believing in collectivism to be the most just form of society, where Freud elaborates that people should be “sacrificing desires in favor for the group”. Marx albeit much more so. Freud himself later goes on to say in the Future of an Illusion that “People aren’t prepared for the sacrifices of communal life”. Freud’s distrust of the majority of individuals capacity to control themselves goes to further the thought that Freud believes in a government run by well educated, rational, and wealthy elites who are able to suppress their primal instincts. They would be capable, he believes, of making decisions that would be the best for all of society, and not just themselves. This is directly opposite to the Communist Manifesto’s idea of placing power in the uneducated majority. The Future of an Illusions ideal’s that the majority of people are so blinded by their illusions that they can’t think morally for themselves and must rely on the pressure of a higher power is reason enough to not give the majority power.
Furthermore, Kosinski’s experiences would lead one to believe that Marx’s ideas of putting the majority working class in power would end in tragedy.

The Painted Bird’s world gives a view of a world that has given all power to the majority. In Nazi Germany racist ideals saw christian whites taking all power for themselves and doing unspeakable things to the minority once they attained that absolute power. Given this, Kosinski would never agree with Marx’s idea of violently overthrowing the dominant power structure in favor of majority rule . He would also never want to participate in what Marx describes as destroying the established society through revolution. As Kosinski and his protagonist have both seen what the world becomes when society is swept away. Kosinski’s horrific experiences combined with Freud’s insight into human nature make Marx’s ideas to create a just and equal society appear like they would go to instead cause further tribulations for the citizens the Manifesto is trying to

empower.