Psychoanalytic Theory And Subjectivity

Introduction

Readers are informed of how Esther created an enthralling and compelling picture of a teenager undergoing her “worst nightmare”.  This is because she was fighting against the identity of being called Esther.

Based on some parts of novel such as “I am not Esther. Im Kirby” and in the second quote “…I’m Kirby,” I yelled. “I’m not Esther, for God’s Sake.” When her mother informs Esther that she is going away and that she is going to leave her with relatives that she has not heard off, she becomes disappointed especially when she learnt that they belonged to “strict religious cult (Beale, 2004). Her devastation arises from the fact that she is forced to change her name from Kirby to Esther and she is also forced to adhere to a “severe set of social standards” which have been put in place by the strange cult. 

It is quite apparent that there are rules which Esther is supposed to follow and among them is rule number 10 which quoted here “…A Daughter respects her elders. She is modest. She does not draw attention to herself…” Through this quotation, it is apparent that Aunt Naomi was telling Kirby (Esther) new rules to ensure that she lived by “The Rule”. This is clearly freedom of both identity and expression. About Uncle Caleb’s assertion that “…The women of our faith always dress with modesty…”  (Sly, 2004). This is a clear indicator that Esther is forced to wear the garments that she is not comfortable with.

Based on the above reading, it is quite apparent that the issue of identity has highly manifested itself.

References

Beale, F. (2004). I am not Esther. Disney-Hyperion.

Sly, C. (2004). Re-membering the self: psychoanalytic theory and subjectivity in adolescent fiction. Papers management: Explorations into Children's Literature, 14(1), 40.