Exploring Psychic Dimensions in Dimension

Abstract

The human psychology, in varying proportions, has always been an inherent part of literature across the world. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that psychoanalysis has been widely used in the study of literature throughout the ages. It is the high compatibility and the ability that it provides to understand the text with more clarity brings it together with literature. It is pertinent to note that literature depicts human psyche and its conflicts whereas psychoanalysis examines it. It can be said that the analysis of literature from a psychoanalytical perspective broadens one’s understanding about the complexities of the human mind. Keeping in view all such points and the limitation imposed by the diminutive frame of short stories Karen Horney’s theory aptly suits to fill all the gaps in the narrative to understand the characters in a better way.

This paper attempts to understand psychologically complex characters presented in the story Dimension written by Alice Munro. Third wave psychoanalytical theory given by Karen Horney, has been used as a tool for the required purpose.