A Freudian Analysis of Siddhartha and the First Garden

I am referring to the Freudian Theory of personality components. The First Garden (Le Premier Jardin) is an English-translation of a French novel written in the early 1900s by Anne Hébert. It regards the protagonist's - Flora Fontanges - acceptance of a performance in her childhood city of Quebec, causing an encounter with herself and her past. On the other hand, Herman Hesse, a German Christian-school dropout, used a protagonist's pursuit of faith to address disagreeability in oriental religions and a tailoring of these to attain eternal happiness. Siddhartha, the eponymous protagonist faces many transitions and discoveries with "hands-on learning" for this happiness. Both characters show the deterioration of the effect of one personality component and amelioration of another. In terms of the Freudian Theory, this is clearly seen. Sigmund Freud's theory of the ID, ego and superego can assess the aspect of the characters that dominates them and further explore the intention and effect of this. In consideration of the theory, Flora Fontanges and Siddhartha are not loyal to one personality but diminish to different personalities, as they become self-actualized individuals.

Sigmund Freud was a 19th century theorist of neurological, behavioral and psychological elements in individuals. He was born an Austrian Jew to a 21-year old mother and a wool-merchant father. At that time, his family's monetary poorness did not disturb his educational accomplishment, as they seeded his visible intellect. Sigmund Freud designed a personality components theory consisting of the ID, ego and superego. The ID is the “irrational and emotional part of the mind…It contains all the basic needs and feelings”1. These are usually primitive: to avoid pain and seek pleasure. The Superego is a moral-driven judge that inflicts rules and seeks faultlessness. The ego balances the two through constricting some of the ID desires and diminishing the intense values and morals of the superego. Ego supremacy in an individual symbolizes that they are at equilibrium.

Flora Fontanges, when younger showed ego and superego-type qualities as she constantly attempted to adapt to the various "roles" she had to play: Pierrette Paul, Marie Eventurel. Her impression of the perfect daughter for Mr. and Mrs. Eventurel created rules which she must follow to be a suitable daughter; “One does not say: "I ain"t, supper, her and me, sweat, I should of went'. Rather one says: “I'm not, dinner, she and I, perspire, I should have gone.” (112), “… [She] found herself to be able to play the part the Eventurels intended for her” (113) and in order to do so, she is governed by self-made rules. This is ironic in that in the superego, the rules of "good behavior" and moral standards are usually adapted from parents. Signifying that Flora has had to act like her own parent, it creates pathos of her lack of major parental figures. Her ego intendeds to change in relation what is wanted by society, her false grandmother and the Eventurels and herself. Ironically, unlike most young adults, her ID desires are not an essential to her at this point; these are desires such as the avoidance of pain and the seeking of pleasure.

As she enters into the marital age, she realizes her passion and wants to pursue it: acting. This is not the primary aspect of ID. However, since she is choosing to let her wants come before those of the Eventurels, it can be considered surface ID-type behavior. Her decision to leave the Eventurels and consideration of their feelings is seen when she states that, “they are deeply offended and angry with her for all eternity, motionless and congealed in their resentment” (71) as she sails away posed as a "chambermaid" in the Empress of Britain. Flora has shown a shift from being an almost "angel-child" to being the incessant heart-follower she is. Flora does not seem to be dominated by superego aspects of her personality now but by ID aspects. This is parallel to most other teenagers or young adults. Rebelistic behavior is not often seen in people in their young years but most often in their teenage ones.

Siddhartha, on the other hand, at the beginning of the novel contains a large ego-based personality; he is in touch which reality and is driven between his personal desire to find eternal bliss and the religious rules that govern him. “'Tomorrow morning, my friend, Siddhartha will go to the shramanas. He will become a shramana.'” (9) Siddhartha's desire at this age is to find a desirable and dominating superego. This is unlike the oriental aspect of getting married and having children in a cycle. His use of the third person may symbolize his almost alter ego speaking. The third person also makes way for alliteration with "Siddhartha" and "shramanas". The alliteration adds emphasis to that statement and further identifies the slight detachment of Siddhartha from himself. The word "shramanas" is also repeated. This ego behavior, however, does not present Siddhartha as good-natured and respectful since it does lead him to shun Hinduism and Buddhism.

Near the beginning of part 2, a dynamic change in personality is visible in Siddhartha, as his ID seems to dominate him. As he encounters a young woman by the steam, Siddhartha “felt longing and felt his sexuality stir…” (52) Plunged with sexual desire, he later befriends Kamala, an archaic depiction of a modern prostitute and gets involved in trivial behaviors compared to his previous ambition of nirvana. Avoidance of grief and annoyance (another primitive ID desire) when he chooses to mingle with towns folk after a deal failed; “But when he arrived the rice had already been sold to another dealer…Siddhartha remained a number of days in the village, hosted the farmers…and came back from the journey quite content.” Despite his actions baring positive results in the future from his perspective, Siddhartha still choose to avoid the negative thoughts that may invade through diversion in the trip. He frankly asserts, “I definitely took this trip for pleasure”. This desire-filled stage in his life was probably triggered by his hormonal activity at his adolescent age. Emerging into adulthood, Siddhartha, at this point, symbolizes independence and a breakage from the teachings and values with which he was brought up. This is typical of most juvenile characters. Flora also sheds the proper-girl culture she attained from Mr. and Mrs. Eventurel and asserts her independence in a different form of desire.

Flora Fontanges and Siddhartha, in their youth change from being dominated by one personality component to another. The Freudian theory provides an in-depth look at their circumstances and reasons for modification.