A Psychoanalytic Study with focus on Defense Mechanisms in Select Fictional Works of Resident and Non Resident Indian Writers

Abstract

The concept of conflicts and anxieties in the lives of the protagonists or main newlinecharacters and the way how they deal with them using Defense Mechanisms either newlineconsciously or unconsciously is a motif of great interest among the researchers and newlinereaders of fictional works. The study of human behaviour and its connection to English newlinefiction has been a fascinating field as an area of research. Characters in the fictional newlineworks are the reflections of people in real life. How the characters cope with the newlineanxieties in the fictional works is one of the important areas for scholars to explore. This newlinestudy focuses on the analysis with regard to Defense Mechanisms in connection with newlinethe characters in select works of Manju Kapur, Cyrus Mistry, Tabish Khair and Jhumpa newlineLahiri. It is always captivating to know how the characters in fiction conquer their newlineanxieties due to conflicts, adverse feelings, intimidating situations, and how they get rid newlineof the burden they carry for a long time. By using the concept of Defense Mechanisms newlinefrom Psychoanalytic criticism, the study focuses on the portrayal of male and female newlinecharacters and their psychoanalytic traits when exposed to various situations. Many newlineof the characters encounter realistic anxieties. According to the findings of the study, newlinemost of the characters of select works are incapacitated by guilt and burden of the past. newlineThe men and women protagonists of Resident writers eventually find a solution for newlinetheir problems and find happiness. However, the protagonists of Non-Resident writers newlineare not able to deal with their conflicts and fail in finding a permanent solution. In newlinethe course of their lives, the protagonists and major characters of these select fictional newlineworks keep certain objects close to their heart that help them deal with their conflicts newlineand anxieties along with the Defense Mechanisms. newline