English 11

Good morning!

Today we have a lesson that reviews the Id, Ego, and Superego - the structure of the psyche. We will also begin reading Lord of the Flies. After reading your three column charts, it's clear that many of you have a good idea what these components are. We are familiarizing ourselves with this because it will change the way we understand ourselves, and Lord of the Flies.

For today, it's important you read through my entire post so we can expand your understanding and prepare you for the reading that is to come.

A Glacier

Freud's structure of the psyche is often represented by a glacier. The visible part of the glacier represents the conscious - the part of our mind that we are aware of. This is where we do our thinking, this is where our "inner voice" lives, and this is where at least two of the three components of our mind do some of the work. Most of a glacier exists under water, and this represents the unconscious; some of this we can see from above the surface, but as we peer into the depth of the ocean below, the glacier ice gradually fades from sight. The deepest parts of the glacier are entirely invisible from the surface, and this part represents the depths of our unconscious.

If we apply the structure of the psyche to a glacier, it will look something like this:

Structure of the Psyche

This metaphor represents a healthy mind. We all have these components, and we all feel the drives of the Id; that is, we feel the push to be impulsive. Deep in our unconscious, people hunger for pleasure through the id, and its hunger is infinite. Using the reality principle, our ego, if it is healthy, will allow the Id limited freedom. The Superego thrives on being the parent in our mind, making us feel guilty for things we should typically feel guilty about.

Now, what happens if this iceberg rotates? Suddenly, the id comes closer to the surface, and the ego or superego move a little closer to the depths. In an unhealthy mind, one of these structures exerts too much influence over our behaviour. If the Id could act freely without as much authorization from the Ego, someone could become an impulsive shopper at best, or perhaps a murderer or rapist at worst. When the reality principle is compromised, we can behave in dangerous ways. The Id may be too strong to resist, or the ego could be too weak to stay in control of executive functioning. In the same sense, the Superego could be so overwhelming that we feel immense guilt for normal behaviour. If we become terrified of playing the piano because we remember the terrifying shame of making a mistake, our Superego is going awry.


Click on the TEXT tab above. There's an online version of Lord of the Flies. Read Chapter one by Wednesday, April 22.