The other self: psychopathology and literature

“Virtual Fictional/Factual Positioning”: Mediating dialogical concepts in psychological and literary studies

At the intersection of psychological and literary studies and acknowledging dialogical aspects of the self in Herman’s Dialogical Self Theory (DST), we coined the concept of “Virtual Fictional/Factual Positioning” (VFP), which is also guided by Bakhtin’s discussion on the author-hero relation. VFP evaluates the possible dialogical coalition of the author’s positions as “I-as-artist/novelist” and “I-as-the-hero-of-my-story,” amongst other positions in literary narratives. Evaluation of the existing literature on DST and the few adaptations of this theory for literary purposes highlights the insufficient consideration paid to the dialogical possibilities of the self in literary studies. To develop our argument based on our new model, we present a textual analysis of Paul Auster’s Man in the Dark and examine the protagonist’s narratives and his relation with his hero in the story within the story. Furthermore, we address the question of whether this protagonist/author’s self consists of polyphonized dialogical voices or merely a cacophony of various thoughts with fewer logical and no dialogical qualities.

[Swan Song: The Advent of the Psychotic Nucleus]

INTRODUCTION

Different forms of artistic expression, such as literature and cinema, constitute an inexhaustible source for the study of mental illness. The use of psychodynamic models may contribute to a better understanding of the spectrum between personality disorders and the psychosis spectrum, thus enriching the phenomenological approach in the psychiatric clinical practice.

OBJECTIVE

To examine from psychodynamic standpoints the main character of the American film Black Swan, and the nature of her psychotic symptoms.

METHODS

Reviewing of sources and relevant theoretical currents.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Analysis shows the usefulness of a psychodynamically- oriented dimensional model for understanding the so-called psychotic breaks as well as the applicability of psychoanalytic psychosis theories in general psychiatric practice, as they may provide a more flexible clinical approach, closer to the patient's subjective experience.