A Psychoanalytical Analysis Of Edgar Allan Poe s The...

A Psychoanalytical Analysis of Edgar Allan Poe s Use of Characterization in The Cask of Amontillado and The Tell-Tale Heart The mind is like an iceberg, it floats with one-seventh of its bulk above water. -From Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud s topography model of the mind explains that a person s psyche has three levels of consciousness: 1.) the conscious, which holds what a person is aware of; 2.) the preconscious, which stores thoughts and information; and 3.) the unconscious, which warehouses urges, feelings, and ideas. Freud compares the mind to an iceberg with 10 percent of a person s psyche consisting of the conscious mind. This includes thoughts and perceptions. The next level is 10 to 15 percent, and it is referred to as†¦show more content†¦Shameful experences are driving forces of the unconscious level. As Montresor attempts to cope with the anxiety and pain he has endured due to Fortunato s insults, he experiences shame. Outwardly confessing that he has endured insults in the past, Montresor admits: The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could (415). He is ashamed of how many times he has dealt with Fortunato s abuse, and this shame has overtaken his mind to the point o f him acting out in revenge. Thus, his unconscious mind, where he has stored shameful experiences, has overtaken the other parts and resulted in violence. Likewise, in The Tell-Tale Heart, the narrator s unconscious level, which warehouses fear, overtakes his rationality in order to cope with the anxiety he feels about the old man. Fear is a driving force in the unconscious mind, and when fear is allowed to come to the forefront and dictate one s behavior, consequences result. The narrator explains that he loves the old man and has no desire for his money; however, he is so repulsed by the eye that he is fearful. He explains: Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold (317). His fear of the eye is so great that he resorts to murder, thus giving into violent motives