Analyze the Personality Structure of the Protagonist in the Moon and Sixpence

【Abstract】1.This essay analyses the protagonists personality feature by using the Sigmund Freuds personality structure theory in the Moon and Sixpence.2.This essay analyzes the three stages in the life of the protagonist called Strickland from the ego， id and superego in the personality structure theory. 3.This essay briefly summarizes the effect of the theory of personality structure on the analysis of characters in the novels.

【Key words】The Moon and Sixpence; The image of the protagonist; The personality structure theory; Id; Ego? Superego

【作者簡介】馬繼堯，中國海洋大學東區。

1. Introduction

According to Sigmund Freud， human personality is complex and has more than a single component. In his famous theory of personality， personality is composed of three elements. These three elements of personality are known as the id， the ego， and the superego. They work together to create complex human behaviors. This essay will closely analyze the protagonists personality structure in The Moon and Sixpence by using the Freuds personality structure theory.

2. From the perspective of the Freuds personality structure theory

The Moon and Sixpence is one of the William Somerset Maughams novels. The novel follows the life of Charles Strickland， a stockbroker who abandons his home， wife， and children to devote himself to painting. In a tiny studio in Paris， he lives in poverty but refuses to sell or even exhibit his work. In his later life， he drifts to Tahiti and lives a happy life with an Africa woman called Ata. He produces some of his most extraordinary works of art in that island and eventually died there in peace. Stricklands life has three main periods， including the period in England， in Paris and in Tahiti. Then， I will analyze Stricklands personality feature in different period.

As an English stockbroker， Stricklands personality feature reflects his ego. According to Freuds theory， the ego develops from the id and mainly ensures that the id can be accepted in the real world. The ego is based on the reality principle， which strives to satisfy the ids desires in socially appropriate ways （The Ego and the Id）. In the first set of this novel， the protagonist is a successful stockbroker in London. He has a beautiful and graceful wife， two little children and a decent job. Everything he strives acts a socially appropriate manner. The narrator describes him that he gives people somewhat the idea of a coachman dressed up for the occasion. He looks commonplace. He has no eccentricity even， to take him out of the common run; he is just a good， dull， honest， plain man （The Moon and Sixpence）. To follow the social norms and principles， his appearance and his behaviors both show him an ordinary people. Therefore， his sensibility leads him to live in a proper way and follows the reality principle， which lends him to the ego.

As a vagrant painter， Stricklands personality feature stresses his id. According to Freuds theory， the id is the source of all psychic energy， making it the primary component of personality. The id is driven by the pleasure principle， which strives for immediate gratification of all desires， wants， and needs （The Ego and the Id）. The second section happens in Paris， where the Strickland goes to pursue his dream. He abandons everything in London， including his wife， his children and his social status. His wife， upset and desperate， totally believes that his husband goes to Paris because of another woman. Therefore， owing to a kind of curiosity and sympathy， the narrator leaves for Paris to seek the truth. The dialogue between the narrator and the Strickland exactly shows the reason why Strickland goes to Paris alone and indicates his basic， instinctual drives.

“But arent you fond of them？ Theyre such awfully nice kids. Do you mean to say you dont want to have anything more to do with them？”

“Wont it mean anything to you to know that people loathe and despise you？”

“No.”

“Then， what in Gods name have you left her for？”

“I want to paint.”

“But youre forty.”

“Thats what made me think it was high time to begin.” （The Moon and Sixpence）

Stricklands id constitutes him in search of the pleasure to paint， without thinking of the moral principles or responsibilities. He endeavors to satisfy himself to be a painter at the cost of abandoning the previous life. In this section， Strickland also shows his sexual desires. He falls in love with his friends wife called Blanche. Consequently， he is tired of this woman， which leads to her suicide. Heard of the Blanches death， he just feels pity rather than guilty because he never thinks love is more important than his art works. From the novel， Strickland says to the narrator： “I dont want love. I havent time for it. Its weakness. I am a man， and sometimes I want a woman. When Ive satisfied my passion Im ready for other things.”（The Moon and Sixpence） Although his behaviors are disruptive and socially unacceptable， he still fulfills his desire according to the pleasure principle. He is controlled by his id.

As a painting pilgrim， Strickland eventually gets the superego. The superego， according to the Freuds theory， acts to perfect and civilize our behavior. It works to suppress all unacceptable urges of the id and struggles to make the ego act upon idealistic standards rather that upon realistic principles （Id， Ego and Superego）. In the later life of the Strickland， he moves to the “Eden” called Tahiti and lives with Ata， isolated and peaceful. The quotation from the novel indicates his later life. Ata told me that he never complained of his fate， he never lost courage. To the end his mind remained serene and undisturbed. It seemed to me that here Strickland had finally put the whole expression of himself. Working silently， knowing that it was his last chance， I fancied that here he must have said all that he knew of life and all that he divined. And I fancied that perhaps here he had at last found peace （The Moon and Sixpence）. When Strickland is in Tahiti， he doesnt care whether his paintings are appreciated or sell at a high price. He just enjoys the process of expressing emotions through painting. He goes through this desire ego， the indulgent id and finally achieves the result of superego.

3. Conclusion

In the Moon and Sixpence， the protagonist called Strickland hides his id and lives with ego in his early years in England. Then he abandons all his previous life and lives with id to pursue his body needs and desires. In his later years， attained his individual ego ideals and spiritual goals in Tahiti， he achieves superego eventually. Using the Sigmund Freuds personality structure theory， we can better analyze the personality structure of protagonist in the Moon and Sixpence. Furthermore， we can understand the change of the protagonists personality feature and learn the content of the novel from a innovative perspective.

References：

[1]Maugham，W. Somerset. The Moon and Sixpence[M]. Vintage Classics，2008（5）.

[2]Sigmund Freud. The Ego and the Id[M]. Dover Publications， 2018（4）.

[3]Lapsley， Daniel K.; Paul C.， Stey. Id， Ego and Superego[J]. Academic Press，2012.