In the 1950s, Jacques Lacan decided to reinterpret Freud’s theories and create his own method of psychoanalysis. Lacan was “interested in accepting the unconscious as the core of one’s being” (Dobie 64). He believed an individual moves through Orders in developing the psyche and the self. In the Imaginary Order, one “uses what it sees to create the ego” (Dobie 65). As one develops language and the means to turn their needs into demands, they begin to exist in the Symbolic Order (Dobie 66). The Real Order is unattainable and “symbolizes what is external to an individual” (Dobie 66). Lacan’s Orders can be a little lofty and overwhelming but they can help the literary critic understand how the unconscious motivates the characters in a piece of literature.
Russell Banks’ short story, “My Mother’s Memoirs, My Father’s Lie, and Other True Stories,” provides good material to which one can apply some of Lacan’s theories. In the story a gentleman, Earl, is putting his relationship with his parents in perspective by recalling some of the stories and lies they told. Applying Lacan’s theories of psychoanalysis, one can see that the lies of Earl’s parents show that they exist in the Imaginary Order and seek love and attention to erase the feeling of separation. Moreover, Earl’s own unconscious desire to return to a period of oneness with his mother creates fragmentation within himself as he tries to distance himself from his parent’s lies.
Earl’s mother’s stories focus on well-known and well-loved people and situations. Earl tells the reader that his mother grew up “poor and beautiful in a New England mill town” (Banks 63). By telling stories about romantically rejecting the glamorous movie star Sonny Tufts, knowing the infamous characters Peyton Place, and seeing Earl on television being interviewed by Dan Rather, she has unconsciously created an image of glamour and notoriety to make up for the lack of both in her own life. Earl’s mother hopes to gain the love that Sonny Tuft, Peyton Place, and Dan Rather receive by creating a fictitious association to them.
Earl’s mother exists in the Imaginary Order. She has created an illusion of herself and seeks wholeness in the image of others. Her external image in manufactured. Her true desires for love and companionship are unspoken as if she has no language. Furthermore, since she uses these stories to fulfill this need, she knows no distinction between herself and anything else.
Earl describes his father as a “depressed, cynical alcoholic” (Banks 64). Earl tells the reader that, in contrast to his mother, his father didn’t tell stories. The one story Earl’s father did tell was that of his beloved Uncle Earl, after whom he named his son, our narrator. Earl’s father lamented that his parents “tried to get rid of [him] in the summers” but Uncle Earl loved him (Banks 64-65). Earl later finds that this story is a lie, that Uncle Earl didn’t exist. Earl’s father recognized his lack of love and, in an effort to find wholeness, he created a self that once had the love he seeks.
Like Earl’s mother, Earl’s father’s desire for love is unspoken. By telling a story about a time when he was loved, Earl’s father hopes Earl will love him and he will be whole. Earl’s father’s story shows that he is a fragmented self and the love he lacks that will make him whole eludes him. This leads him to create the reality of Uncle Earl and see a reflection of love in that creation.
Initially, the narrator, Earl, would appear to exist in the Symbolic Order. He has made the distinction between himself and everything else. He has separated himself from his parents and uses language to distinguish himself as a separate being. He tells the reader that he interprets his mother’s stories in order to find a “clue about her psychology” and further discover for himself that he is not like her (Banks 67). However, his external cynicism conflicts with his internal, unconscious desire to be one with his mother. The reader sees a glimpse of this when Earl discusses his children’s response to his own stories. He remarks, “Soon I, too, will be living in exile […] like my mother in San Diego” (Banks 64). The exposure of this unconscious drive shows that Earl actually exists in the Imaginary Order.
Earl turns stories into reflections of himself. On one hand, Earl remarks that he “pay[s] scant attention to the stories [he] is told about the lives and events that precede the remarkable event of [his] own birth” (Banks 64). On the other, he says that he interprets stories to figure out his parents’ psychology and in turn “unravel the puzzle of [his] own” (Banks 67). He goes a step further and admits that he only listened to his father’s story because he thought it was about him (Banks 65). These statements show that Earl is recognizing parts of himself in other entities and seeking wholeness.
In “My Mother’s Memoirs, My Father’s Lie, and Other True Stories,” the reader encounters three characters that initially appear to be different. Earl seems to be the most grounded and fully-realized person, interpreting the stories of his parents in an effort to show his development against their lack of it. Earl’s mother can be dismissed as merely a woman who tells tall tales. Earl’s father on the other hand is an alcoholic, so his lies are almost expected. By examining these characters through the lens of Lacanian analysis, the reader sees that the characters are very similar in their desires and motivation.
Using Lacan’s theories helps the reader understand why Earl’s parents told the stories they did. Instead of dismissing the stories as mere lies, Lacan offers the means to recognize that the stories are motivated by a desire to find wholeness and love. Lacan helps the reader understand that the characters exist in a stage wherein they cannot verbalize their needs. The reader can also recognize fragmentation in the characters because the wholeness they seek in the Real Order cannot be attained. At first glance, Lacan’s theories seem to be farfetched and irrelevant, but a closer look reveals that they do indeed aid in character analysis and illuminate elements of a story that may otherwise be hidden.
Works Cited
Banks, Russell. "My Mother's Memoirs, My Father's Lies, and Other True Stories." The Art of the Story. Ed. Daniel Halpern. New York: Penguin, 1999. 63-68.
Dobie, Ann B. "Theory Into Practice." Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2009. 63-67.
Russell Banks’ short story, “My Mother’s Memoirs, My Father’s Lie, and Other True Stories,” provides good material to which one can apply some of Lacan’s theories. In the story a gentleman, Earl, is putting his relationship with his parents in perspective by recalling some of the stories and lies they told. Applying Lacan’s theories of psychoanalysis, one can see that the lies of Earl’s parents show that they exist in the Imaginary Order and seek love and attention to erase the feeling of separation. Moreover, Earl’s own unconscious desire to return to a period of oneness with his mother creates fragmentation within himself as he tries to distance himself from his parent’s lies.
Earl’s mother’s stories focus on well-known and well-loved people and situations. Earl tells the reader that his mother grew up “poor and beautiful in a New England mill town” (Banks 63). By telling stories about romantically rejecting the glamorous movie star Sonny Tufts, knowing the infamous characters Peyton Place, and seeing Earl on television being interviewed by Dan Rather, she has unconsciously created an image of glamour and notoriety to make up for the lack of both in her own life. Earl’s mother hopes to gain the love that Sonny Tuft, Peyton Place, and Dan Rather receive by creating a fictitious association to them.
Earl’s mother exists in the Imaginary Order. She has created an illusion of herself and seeks wholeness in the image of others. Her external image in manufactured. Her true desires for love and companionship are unspoken as if she has no language. Furthermore, since she uses these stories to fulfill this need, she knows no distinction between herself and anything else.
Earl describes his father as a “depressed, cynical alcoholic” (Banks 64). Earl tells the reader that, in contrast to his mother, his father didn’t tell stories. The one story Earl’s father did tell was that of his beloved Uncle Earl, after whom he named his son, our narrator. Earl’s father lamented that his parents “tried to get rid of [him] in the summers” but Uncle Earl loved him (Banks 64-65). Earl later finds that this story is a lie, that Uncle Earl didn’t exist. Earl’s father recognized his lack of love and, in an effort to find wholeness, he created a self that once had the love he seeks.
Like Earl’s mother, Earl’s father’s desire for love is unspoken. By telling a story about a time when he was loved, Earl’s father hopes Earl will love him and he will be whole. Earl’s father’s story shows that he is a fragmented self and the love he lacks that will make him whole eludes him. This leads him to create the reality of Uncle Earl and see a reflection of love in that creation.
Initially, the narrator, Earl, would appear to exist in the Symbolic Order. He has made the distinction between himself and everything else. He has separated himself from his parents and uses language to distinguish himself as a separate being. He tells the reader that he interprets his mother’s stories in order to find a “clue about her psychology” and further discover for himself that he is not like her (Banks 67). However, his external cynicism conflicts with his internal, unconscious desire to be one with his mother. The reader sees a glimpse of this when Earl discusses his children’s response to his own stories. He remarks, “Soon I, too, will be living in exile […] like my mother in San Diego” (Banks 64). The exposure of this unconscious drive shows that Earl actually exists in the Imaginary Order.
Earl turns stories into reflections of himself. On one hand, Earl remarks that he “pay[s] scant attention to the stories [he] is told about the lives and events that precede the remarkable event of [his] own birth” (Banks 64). On the other, he says that he interprets stories to figure out his parents’ psychology and in turn “unravel the puzzle of [his] own” (Banks 67). He goes a step further and admits that he only listened to his father’s story because he thought it was about him (Banks 65). These statements show that Earl is recognizing parts of himself in other entities and seeking wholeness.
In “My Mother’s Memoirs, My Father’s Lie, and Other True Stories,” the reader encounters three characters that initially appear to be different. Earl seems to be the most grounded and fully-realized person, interpreting the stories of his parents in an effort to show his development against their lack of it. Earl’s mother can be dismissed as merely a woman who tells tall tales. Earl’s father on the other hand is an alcoholic, so his lies are almost expected. By examining these characters through the lens of Lacanian analysis, the reader sees that the characters are very similar in their desires and motivation.
Using Lacan’s theories helps the reader understand why Earl’s parents told the stories they did. Instead of dismissing the stories as mere lies, Lacan offers the means to recognize that the stories are motivated by a desire to find wholeness and love. Lacan helps the reader understand that the characters exist in a stage wherein they cannot verbalize their needs. The reader can also recognize fragmentation in the characters because the wholeness they seek in the Real Order cannot be attained. At first glance, Lacan’s theories seem to be farfetched and irrelevant, but a closer look reveals that they do indeed aid in character analysis and illuminate elements of a story that may otherwise be hidden.
Works Cited
Banks, Russell. "My Mother's Memoirs, My Father's Lies, and Other True Stories." The Art of the Story. Ed. Daniel Halpern. New York: Penguin, 1999. 63-68.
Dobie, Ann B. "Theory Into Practice." Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2009. 63-67.
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