Searching for Freud
Amidst the Cow and Bull
To Cow or the Act of Cowing

(v. intrans.) To list data (or perform
operations) without awareness of, or
comment upon, the contexts, frames of
reference, or points of observation
which determine the origin, nature, and
meaning of the data *(or procedures).
To write on the assumption that "a fact
is a fact." To present evidence of hard
work as a substitute for understanding,
without any intent to deceive.
To Bull or the Act of Bulling

(v. intrans.) To discourse upon the
contexts, frames of reference and
points of observation which would
determine the origin, nature, and
meaning of data if one had any. To
present evidence of an understanding of
form in the hope that the reader may
be deceived into supposing a familiarity
with content
Phallocentric?

Is William Perry…
Literature and Psychology
2002-2004

FREUD (ALL)
 LITERATURE (ALL)

In 13 weeks at the
sophomore level
ANXIETY



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Low exam scores
Poor essays
Abysmal quiz grades
General disinterest
Inability to translate
from one medium to
the other (Freud to Lit
or Lit to Freud.)
2002-2004 Grades
60
50
40
A Students
B Students
C Students
D Students
F Students
30
20
10
0
2002
2003
2004
3 year
total
How to be a Bull-y
Q:Articulate the course
goal – what is it that I
MOST want students
to leave this course
knowing?
A: How to apply
Freudian Theory to
Literature and Life in
general
Rethinking the Syllabus
EITHER
OR

ALL of Freud?
 ALL of Literature?
 For sophomores in 13
weeks?




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The Drives (Sex and
Aggression) and stages of
Development (oral, Anal
and Genital)
The Pleasure Principle and
Reality Principle
The Psychic Apparatus
The Oedipal Complex
Defense Mechanisms
Tools of the Trade





Three day a week
classes
Repetition
Repetition
Repetition
Modeling of
Application
New CATs implemented in
2005

One Minute Summaries
 Invented Dialogues
 Role Play
 Applying these exercises to the literature at
hand.
Cat in the Hat pre CAT
On page one, the
boy hears a
bump that draws
his attention.
On page two,
the Cat in the
Hat enters the
house.
He’s bored
because it’s
raining and he
can’t play
outside.
The Cat is
Talkative and
gets the boy’s
attention.
That bump is his
psychic
apparatus.
The Cat is a part
of the psychic
apparatus.
One Minute Summary
“The Cat in the Hat” is a ‘children’s’ story, but
it is pretty obvious that Dr. Seuss is talking
about the Psychic Apparatus. The Cat
represents the Id that wants what it wants
when it wants it. The Fish represents the
Superego or the Parent telling everyone
what they “should do.” The boy has to be
the Ego trying to balance the other two.
Invented Dialogue
Patient: “I seem to find it fun to do things I’m not
always supposed to do when my mom is out for
the day. I find ways to get into trouble, and then I
try to hide it from her before she gets home.”
 Dr. Freud: “Interesting. Do you think that this
need to act out might be a representation of the
Oedipal Complex?”
 Patient: “I don’t think so; I don’t feel any
aggression toward my parents.”
 Dr. Freud: “Interesting. Perhaps, then, it is an
overdeveloped Id – you want everything with
immediate gratification.”

Role Play
Student 1/Patient: I don’t see why I have to talk to
a therapist about my need to have fun.
 Student 2/Freud: Perhaps you are being self
destructive with this “fun.”
 Student 1/Patient: I think I deserve to have fun on
a rainy day!
 Student 2/Freud: Of course you do, but you don’t
have to endanger yourself or others in order to
have fun. If you can only wait until your mother
gets home to supervise your games, everything
will be okay.

Application

Essay Excerpt: “While most people
consider ‘The Cat in the Hat’ merely a
children’s story, its message goes much
deeper into the makings of the Psychic
Apparatus. Each character in this tale
represents the Id, Ego or Superego in an
effort to clarify the many compulsions each
of us must go through in making ‘mature’
decisions.”
2005 Literature and
Psychology Grades
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
2005
A
Student
s
B
Student
s
C
Student
s
D
Student
s
F
Student
s

Still in process, but the
first class shows
marked improvement.