The Psychology of Conflict and Creativity in Bernard Malamud’s The Tenants

Abstract

The Tenants (1971) contrasts two writers of different backgrounds, the Jewish Harry Lesser and the Christian, Willie Spearmint. Harry Lesser writes in order to make up or console his past failures. On the other hand, Spearmint “sees art as action and writing as an act of violence”16. But as the narrative proceeds, the roles change because Willie, basically associated with sexuality and violence, starts creating aesthetically, on the other hand Lesser is devoted more towards physicality and violence which rules Willie’s world. Irene Bell, the elementary feminine, a girl friend of Spearmint plays a positive role in the life of Spearmint. She is the carrier of Lesser’s anima and he experiences a transformative power after his mutual contact with her. After her communion with Lesser, Irene too feels a change in her way of thinking. She quit acting as she feels that she is not ‘natural’. She has the feeling of redemption as she becomes more organized, objective and reasonable. Thus, she plays a transformative role in the life of Willie Spearmint and she becomes more self-realized through her contact with animus.