R. Gray

German 390/Comp Lit 396/Engl 363/CHID 498/JSIS 488/Lit 298

Freud and the Literary Imagination

Short Writing Assignment 5

Write on one of the following topics (from the study sheet on Kafka's "The Judgment") in 150-200 words!

A. Despite his attempts at self-assertion and independence from his father, Georg accepts and carries out his father's final wish. Although seemingly hypocritical, can Georg's behavior be explained otherwise, specifically in Freudian terms? Can we apply such ideas as wish fulfillment, semantic opposition, or even the Oedipal revolt to shed some light on his actions?

B. Freud relies primarily on a male model for his Oedipus complex, but he also outlines a female version. What might Kafka's "The Judgment" look like if the main character were a daughter (following the "negative" Oedipal path) rather than a son (adhering to the "positive" Oedipal relationships)?