Discussed about the effect of anxiety towards main characters’ existence as found in the short stories entitled Miss Brill and The Daughters of the late Colonel. The method applied in this research was qualitative. The writer used phrases, sentences, and paragraphs found in the short stories as the data of this final project. The procedure of collecting the data included reading, identifying, classifying, selecting and interpreting the data. The study finally found that First, anxiety occurred not only in several people with some serious condition such as lack of affection and company but also occurs in people who obtain too much affection. Second, the anxieties suffered by each characters on both short stories has strongly influence their characters on their community. And the third, each character of the short stories has different defense mechanism to cope with their anxiety. The different defense mechanism used by those characters’ are defined by their personality.
Table of Contents
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY
ANALYSIS
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
Research Objectives and Themes
This research aims to analyze the effects of anxiety on the existence of the main characters in Katherine Mansfield's short stories, specifically "Miss Brill" and "The Daughters of the Late Colonel," by applying a psychoanalytic framework to examine how these characters perceive their community and manage their internal struggles.
- The influence of anxiety on the self-perception and social existence of characters.
- The role of individual personality and childhood trauma in shaping psychological defenses.
- Comparative analysis of characters facing different levels of social and familial affection.
- The application of Sigmund Freud’s structural model (id, ego, superego) to literary characters.
- Identification and interpretation of defense mechanisms like reaction formation, displacement, and denial.
Excerpt from the Book
Main Character’s Personality in Creating Anxiety
Miss Brill is a lonely spinster who survives in her life on the community. She has to act and react on Jardins Publiques, the place where she is struggling her existence. The Jardins Publiques, as the background of place in the story represents the community according to its various visitors. The visitors are started from a fine old man, a big old woman, the old couple, little children, two young girls, two young soldiers, two peasant women, a beautiful woman, a gentleman, a couple of girl and boy and Miss Brill herself. At this rate, all of them unite as one in the Jardins Publiques to build a community where Miss Brill alive to become exist. In other words, the community in Jardins Publiques is Miss Brill’s community.
Miss Brill is a kind of ignorance person. She follows the drive of her will without examine what the reality will react over what she’s been doing. Her will drives her to use her fur so that her ego lets it become real. She needs to use her fur because she needs to use it. She likes the fur. The primary process then transforms her need to satisfy the wish. She doesn’t put her ears on what people talk, think and judge about her. She still wears her fur although she already knew that the weather is nice. The sky is blue and the air was motionless, yet, the fur that she wears is not completely necessary except it is her own decision about her fashion. But on the contrary, people who see her fur think that it is an old fashioned and queer.
Summary of Chapters
ABSTRACT: Summarizes the qualitative study on how anxiety influences the existence of characters in two specific short stories by Katherine Mansfield.
INTRODUCTION: Establishes the theoretical link between human character, community interaction, and the definition of anxiety as an unpleasant emotion affecting existence.
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY: Outlines the application of Freudian psychoanalysis, including the structural model of the psyche (id, ego, superego) and the case study approach.
ANALYSIS: Examines the specific manifestations of anxiety in Miss Brill, Josephine, and Constantia, and identifies the varying defense mechanisms they employ.
CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the findings, confirming that anxiety impacts individuals regardless of whether they lack affection or receive oppressive, excessive affection.
REFERENCES: Lists the academic works used to support the psychoanalytic analysis of the short stories.
Keywords
Anxiety, Community, Existence, Psychoanalysis, Katherine Mansfield, Miss Brill, The Daughters of the Late Colonel, Freudian Theory, Defense Mechanism, Ego, Personality, Social Interaction, Literature, Psychological Analysis, Spinsterhood.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The research investigates how anxiety impacts the existence and social integration of the main characters in the short stories "Miss Brill" and "The Daughters of the Late Colonel" by Katherine Mansfield.
Which theoretical framework is utilized?
The study employs a qualitative approach based on Freudian psychoanalysis, focusing on the structural model of the mind (id, ego, and superego).
What are the main psychological themes explored?
Key themes include the struggle for acknowledgement within a community, the effects of isolation, and the impact of childhood trauma or upbringing on adult personality.
How is anxiety defined in this work?
Following Ewen (2003), anxiety is defined as a highly unpleasant emotion similar to intense nervousness, which prevents individuals from maintaining their sense of existence.
What is the central conclusion regarding the characters?
The study concludes that anxiety hinders the characters' ability to express themselves authentically and that their distinct defense mechanisms are shaped by their specific personal histories.
Which methodologies were applied to gather data?
The methodology included reading, identifying, classifying, selecting, and interpreting phrases, sentences, and paragraphs from the source texts.
Why does Miss Brill experience anxiety in the Jardins Publiques?
Miss Brill experiences anxiety because her internal desires for social acknowledgement clash with the judgment and perceived rejection she receives from other members of the community.
How do Josephine and Constantia differ from Miss Brill?
While Miss Brill struggles due to a lack of affection and companionship, Josephine and Constantia suffer from anxiety caused by the overwhelming, dictatorial affection and control exerted by their late father.
How do the characters utilize defense mechanisms?
The characters use various mechanisms, such as reaction formation, displacement, fantasy, and denial of reality, to shield their egos from the dangers or discomforts they perceive in their environment.
- Quote paper
- Tami Rizki (Author), 2015, Anxiety Effects towards Existence in Katherine Mansfield’s Short Stories "Miss Brill" and "The Daughters of the Late Colonel", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/359354
