Mrs. Gallo-Yatcko uses Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to analyze literature. To illustrate this, I will use examples from Brandon Sanderson’s novel Mistborn. Maslow’s hierarchy goes from base physiological needs to self-actualization, with characters needing to fulfill lower-tier needs before focusing on higher ones. The first level is basic survival needs (food, water, shelter, and health). In Mistborn, Vin, the protagonist, begins as an orphaned street urchin. Her main priorities are securing food and avoiding abuse by the gang with whom she stays. The second level concerns safety needs (personal security, employment, health, resources). After Vin is introduced to the group of rebels who are trying to overthrow the oppressive government, she begins to focus on her safety and her role within the rebellion. She develops trust in her allies, which builds her sense of security. The third level is love and belonging (friendship, intimacy, family, and social connections). Throughout the story, Vin builds friendships and develops romantic feelings, especially with the character Elend Venture. These bonds provide her with a sense of belonging within the rebel group, and the love and camaraderie she shares with them fuel her resolve to continue her fight.

The fourth level is esteem (respect, self-esteem, status, recognition). Vin’s confidence as a Mistborn (a person who has learned to use all the powers of metal in allomancy) increases over time as she gains respect from her allies and enemies alike. The final level is self-actualization, where individuals seek to realize their full potential. For Vin, self-actualization occurs when she embraces her abilities and the responsibility that comes with them. She learns to trust herself, leading the rebellion with courage and wisdom. Through Maslow’s framework, one can see how Vin’s personal growth mirrors the fulfillment of these needs. By analyzing how characters strive to meet their needs and the obstacles they face, we gain a deeper understanding of the story’s emotional and thematic depth.

Mr. McCarty likes to psychoanalyze using Jungian (pronounced YUUNG-ee-Uhn) theory. Developed by Karl Jung, it focuses on the unconscious mind, archetypes, and the collective unconscious. The collective unconscious, Jung’s most famous theory, is the shared psyche of all human beings. Not the memories and thoughts of an individual, but a reservoir of shared experiences, instincts, and knowledge. It transcends culture and time, with the same basic motifs present in all biblical texts and myths. An example of the collective unconscious at work is the motif of a “Great Flood” in both The Epic of Gilgamesh and Noah in the biblical story. While distinctly different cultures, they still had the same motif. Within the collective unconscious, he divided up between various types of symbolic, character, and situational archetypes. The symbolic archetypes are mostly binary oppositions and things humans have been concerned with for a long time. Some examples are life versus death, good versus evil, the search for meaning, love versus betrayal, etc.. Some of the key character archetypes are: The Hero, a protagonist who embarks on a journey, faces challenges, and achieves some sort of apotheosis or transformation. The first example that comes to mind is Ulysses in Homer’s Odyssey. The Shadow, a character that represents the darker and repressed aspects of a character’s psyche. The Shadow usually symbolizes inner conflict and mirrors some of the symbolic archetypes. The Sage, a wise mentor with roots in characters like Merlin or Athena, and many more. The situational archetypes are all classic tropes, like quests for renewal, or a journey.

The next step in a Jungian Psychoanalysis is to find all of these archetypal patterns. Who has all of these roles, what sort of theme is the story focused on, and does it have a recurring pattern in its plot? The next step is to look at the conflicts between the other characters and The Shadow. How does The Shadow manifest in their conflicts/actions? In Crime and Punishment, The Shadow is Raskolnikov’s Great Man Theory and his pride. The conflict between him and his shadow leads to the wonderful moral complexity that makes Crime and Punishment among the top 20 novels ever written. Then, as the narrative unfolds, one must find the eventual synthesis of the conflict between a character and their shadow. In Crime and Punishment, it is through Raskolnikov’s deteriorating mental state. Then, one must contextualize all of those things. What was their root/the part of the collective unconscious they drew from? Having a good knowledge of myths and being generally well-read will help with this step. Jung theorized that all literature, myth, and poetry revolves around key themes that have concerned humans for a millennium and is not specific to one ethnicity or culture. Some good examples of this are purity, conformity, and altruism. One could link a modern piece of literature about a person defying a known power structure at a great risk for themself to the tale of Prometheus using Jungian theory. 

Knowing these connections are really interesting, as they shed some light on the nature of the human condition. Jungian theory allows one to tap into a universal network in order to both gain a deeper understanding of the text and the human psyche. 

Authors Note: Jungian theory is incredibly complex and interesting, it doesn’t neatly fit into a category . While developed by a Swiss psychiatrist (thus making it a psychoanalytical method of analysis), it shares several similarities with structuralism. It is different than other psychoanalytical theories by, say, Freud or Lacan. It is hard to fit it into such a short article, if I wrote any more, Ms. Young would tease me. As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t cover it holistically. However, below are some resources a person interested in literary theory and Jungian theory would enjoy reading:

Lévi-Strauss and Mytheme | Definition and Examples

Joseph Campbell’s Four Functions of Myth

Jung vs. Freud: Contrasting Approaches to Psychoanalysis | by Oliver Walker

Carl Jung’s Collective Unconscious Theory: What It Suggests About the Mind

Carl Jung | Literary Theory and Criticism Class Notes | Fiveable

Structuralism Literary Theory: Examples | Vaia