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Freud 's Theory Of The Human Personality

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Freud’s theory of the human personality consisted of 3 parts, the Id, Ego, and Superego. The Id is the inner child. Freud’s Theory also separates the Id into two subcategories, Eros (the parent-loving libido) and Thanatos (the self-preservation instinct), also known as the life and death instincts, respectively. The Ego, or the “I”, is the self-awareness part of the brain. This part takes into account reality and tries to compromise between Id and the real world. The Superego, or the “above I” applies moral principles to the Ego’s solutions [McLeod, Id, Ego, Superego]. Many times this works, but sometimes these systems of judgment fail. This applies not only to people, but also to societies, as represented in The Crucible. The Id, as mentioned previously, is the need and want driven part of one’s psyche. The girls who were pretending to be ailed and bewitched are the Id of the society, acting primarily upon Thanatos, their will to live and preserve their own lives. The power of the Id, combined with the Ego, but lacking the Superego, can be a powerful force to recon with, especially in ones so young. This is evident in the part of the play when Mary is testifying in court against the girls. At first Mary is trying to persevere against them, “MARY: They‘re sporting...! GIRLS: (Cutting her off.) They‘re sporting! MARY: (Turning on them all, hysterically and stamping her feet.) Abby, stop it! GIRLS: (Stamping their feet.) Abby, stop it!” [Miller, 48] Eventually, her Id

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