Psychoanalytic Critique of Autobiography of My Mother
Early experiences shape how individuals develop. When individuals suffer pain as children, they are likely to develop difficulties in their efforts to trust and relate with others (Gulec et al., 2013). The impacts that early experiences have on an individual’s development is one of the issues that Jamaica Kincaid sheds light on in her novel The Autobiography of My Mother. This novel narrates the experiences of a child whose mother did not survive to see her daughter grow up as she dies during child birth (Kincaid, 1996). This novel offers insights about human psychology. As one reads the novel, they are able to draw parallels between the events in the novel and real experiences that individuals encounter. Kincaid’s novel is the subject of this paper. The paper conducts a psychoanalytic critic of the novel.
The voice and perspective that Kincaid uses offers the first opportunity to conduct a psychoanalytic critique of the novel. The book uses the perspective of Xuela Claudette Richardson, a girl who lost her mother at the time of her birth (Kincaid, 1996). That an entire book could be based on the experiences of a girl whose mother has died is worth noting. All the events in the book are based on the painful experiences of the girl who is deprived of the love and care that other children receive from their mothers. The perspective that the novel adopts highlights the power that childhood experiences wield over the experiences of individuals. The childhood experiences that Xuela recounts in the novel occurred seventy years ago. The fact that the memories of these experiences are still fresh points to the fact that childhood experiences leave a permanent mark in the lives of individuals. Additionally, childhood experiences set the stage for how one develops. Painful experiences tend to have a damaging effect (Perez et al., 2016). On the other hand, experiences that cause elation allow a child to develop in a healthy fashion. Xuela’s experiences as a child were mostly negative but there are some positive moments. She recalls some of these experiences. For instance, she remembers how Eunice attended to her when her father had left her alone. The tone that Xuela assumes in her narration of her childhood is sad and almost depressing. The depth of this tone points to the powerful impact that childhood experiences have. This novel clearly offers insights on the role that the experiences that one is exposed to as a child have on how they develop.
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In addition to the perspective adopted in the novel, specific events in the novel also shed light on psychological concepts. There is a scene where Xuela wonders who her father is. She proceeds to reveal to readers that her father served in the police force and earned the admiration of many (Kincaid, 1996). Xuela represents the many children whose fathers are either absent or uninvolved in their lives. Across the globe, there are many fathers who have abandoned their children. The neglect that the children suffer drives them to isolation and could cause a decline in the level of their confidence (Horwath, 2007). For example, a child whose parents abandoned him may blame himself for their parents’ departure. The Autobiography of My Mother allows one to recognize the important role that parents play in building the confidence of their children. Thanks to this novel, one is able to understand the damage that poor parenting does to children. Additionally, one is able to recognize the need for parents to remain involved and active in all aspects of the lives of their children. This is the essence of effective parenting.
As she describes her experiences, Xuela manages to remain emotionally detached from the events in the book. She describes the events with a level of sobriety and objectivity that can only be achieved by an objective observer. Additionally, she sounds rather cold and it appears that she simply lacks the capacity for human emotion. This is seen in how she describes her own experiences. For instance, as she remembers how Eunice catered to her needs, she states “I thanked Eunice for taking care of me. I did not mean it, I could not mean it.” (Kincaid, 1996). The choice of words and the tone in this statement highlight Xuela’s ability to remain detached emotionally from the events in the novel. The emotional detachment can be attributed to the fact that Xuela did not receive maternal love. As mentioned earlier, her mother died during childbirth and was therefore unable to provide Xuela with love and attention. When a child is denied maternal love, their emotional development could suffer (Mercer, 2006). They may become unable to respond to events emotionally in an appropriate fashion. Xuela’s development was impeded further by the failure by her father to play an active role in her development. Xuela serves as a representation of the many children who are unable to develop emotional intelligence as a result of parenting failures.
Almost all individuals desire to establish relationships with others. It is common for individuals to seek out those that they would like to have in their social circle. While many are able to make friends with ease, there are those who seem unable to establish friendships. Xuela serves as an example of the challenges that some face as they seek to establish relationships. Xuela recounts how her father forbade her from making friends. She mentions that “we were never to trust each other.” (Kincaid, 1996). Xuela also describes the environment that she grew up in. This environment was characterized by distrust. The fact that Xuela blames her parents for her inability to make friends highlights the damage that children can suffer when they are subjected to poor parenting. Parents play an important role in instilling values and beliefs in their children (Trevathan & Goff, 2010). When a parent discourages the child from establishing relationships, the child is likely to struggle in their attempts to invite people into their lives. Xuela is clearly the victim of poor parenting. She has grown up believing that people are not to be trusted. Her world view has been corrupted by misinformation and prejudice. Autobiography of My Mother should serve as a warning to parents who mislead their children. These parents need to understand that the damage that they do to their children may be irreversible. They should endeavor to impart positive values such as community, love and trust in their children. By doing this, they will be preparing their children to go out into the world and form communities that are bounded together by unbreakable ties.
After having been absent from her life for years, Xuela’s father finally returns. It would be expected that he would embrace her and try to make up for the time that he was absent. Instead, Xuela’s father is resentful. He even questions if she is truly his daughter (Kincaid, 1996). The reader gets the impression that Xuela’s father hates her deeply and views her as a huge blunder. Her father is clearly a man who regrets having had Xuela. His situation is rather common. There are many people who regard their children as inconveniences who make it difficult for them to achieve their dreams. This is especially true if the children were not planned for. Parents whose children fail to live up to their expectations may also develop resentment towards their children. The behavior of Xuela’s father is unacceptable. However, it provides insights into the complex relationship between children and their parents.
It has been mentioned earlier that most of Xuela’s experiences are negative. However, there are rare moments where she experiences true happiness. Her marriage is one of the situations that allow her to experience some joy (Kincaid, 1996). Xuela offers a description of her husband and through this description, the reader is able to recognize the healing that Xuela undergoes. She describes her husband as a man whose life was influenced by external factors. Xuela is able to relate to her husband’s experiences. As is the case with her husband, her experiences were also engineered by external factors. Xuela is a woman who tries to find happiness in the company of an individual who has suffered similar pain and with who she shares experiences. Her marriage can be compared to the different communities through which individuals find healing. For instance, people who struggle with alcoholism and other forms of addiction join forces with others with similar struggles. The company that they receive allows them to inch closer to healing.
The theme of childhood pain recurs throughout Autobiography of My Mother. Xuela recollects various events that occurred while she was a child and allows the reader to understand the impact that these events had on her development. One of the events that stand out in the novel occurred when she was merely 14 years old. She established a close relationship with a friend of her father’s (Kincaid, 1996). This relationship results in her becoming pregnant. Xuela decides to terminate the pregnancy. The 14 year old Xuela was a confused girl who did not benefit from the guidance that children receive from their parents. Her mother was dead and her father was absent. This left her with no one to look to for direction. Her pregnancy and subsequent abortion highlight the fact that sexual irresponsibility can result when parents fail to play their role. When parents fail to keep a close eye on their children, the children are likely to engage in risky behaviors (Trevathan & Goff, 2010). The blame for Xuela’s mistakes falls squarely on the shoulder of her father. Had he been more loving and present, perhaps Xuela would have made better decisions. The fact that Xuela was made pregnant by her father’s friends further highlights the father’s irresponsibility. How is it that he did not notice that Xuela was getting too close to one of his friends? Any responsible parent would ensure that there were boundaries between their children and people who could pose a threat.
It is the desire of most individuals to have children. People go great lengths to ensure that they live on eternally through their children. For instance, parents who are unable to conceive through conventional approaches resort to fertility solutions in the hope of having a child. Xuela goes against the expectation of having a child. She deliberately chooses to have no children (Kincaid, 1996). This is very surprising but quite easy to explain. An argument can be made that Xuela is simply trying to shield her child from the pain, unfairness and justice in the world. She does this by refusing to introduce the child into the world. Her refusal to have children can be blamed on her childhood experiences. She suffered pain that she has not fully recovered from. This pain has left a lasting impression that keeps her from becoming a mother. It must be that her childhood experiences were very painful given that she denies herself the joys of motherhood. Xuela serves as evidence that childhood experiences are so powerful that they can keep one from sharing in some of the happy moments that life offers.
One thing is clear from the psychoanalysis conducted above: childhood experiences determine how one’s life turns out. Negative experiences set the stage for unhealthy development while positive ones allow children to grow up in a healthy manner. External forces colluded to subject Xuela to unpleasant experiences which stay with her even in adulthood. Her mother cannot be blamed for these experiences. Had she survived childbirth, it is possible that Xuela’s childhood would have been happier. All blame for the pain that Xuela endured should be borne by her father. This is a man who abandoned her daughter for years. Upon his return, he failed to provide Xuela with the direction and insight that children require for normal development. The father also failed to protect her daughter from predatory men who seek out young and vulnerable girls to exploit. This man’s failures are responsible for the damage and unhappiness that Xuela grapples with throughout her life.
In conclusion, Autobiography of My Mother narrates the experiences of a young girl who is denied the warmth and protection that parents are required to provide their children with. She walks the world alone and the pain that she suffered as a child follows her into adulthood. She makes costly mistakes that worsen her pain. This novel essentially makes it clear that children are impressionable and vulnerable. They should be accorded special protection to ensure that they do not fall victim to the many hazards that exist in the world. Xuela’s father and most of the adults in her life clearly failed to honor their obligation. Their failure created an environment that allowed for Xuela to be exploited and abused. Jamaica Kincaid clearly wished to appeal to parents and remind them of the need to love and participate in the lives of their children. Parents need to respond to this appeal if they truly desire to create a healthy environment for their children.
References
Gulec, Y. M., Altintas, M., Inanc, L., Bezgin, C. H., Koca, E. K., & Gulec, H. (2013). Effects Of Childhood Trauma on Somatization in Major Depressive Disorder: The Role of Alexithymia. Journal of Affective Disorders, 146 (1), 137-141.
Horwath, J. (2007). Child Neglect: Identification and Assessment. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Kincaid, Jamaica. (1996). Autobiography of My Mother. New York City: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Mercer, J. (2006). Understanding Attachment: Parenting, Child Care and Emotional Development. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group.
Perez, N. M., Jennings, W. G., Piquero, A. R., & Baglivio, M. T. (2016). Adverse Childhood Experiences and Suicide Attempts: The Mediating Influence of Personality Development And Problem Behaviors. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 45 (8), 1527-1545.
Trevathan, M., & Goff, S. (2010). Modern Parents, Vintage Values: Instilling Character in Today’s Kids. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group.
