Homecoming As A Way-out

House Made of Dawn, the masterpiece of the Native American Writer N. Scott Momaday published in1968, won him fame and recognition in dominant American society. Momaday was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in1969for the novel, which signified the renaissance of Native American literature. A great deal of research on the novel has been done from the perspectives of identity quest, post-colonialism, as well as existentialist relationship between man and nature. This thesis approaches the novel from the perspective of psychoanalysis to examine Abel’s personality structure, which relates closely to Freud’s theory of id, ego and super-ego and sublimation.According to Freud, The id contains the basic drives and is dominated by the pleasure principle; the ego is governed by the reality principle, or a practical approach to the world; the Super-ego aims for perfection, consisting of two parts, the conscience and the ego-ideal. Abel, the hero of the novel, experiences his prevalence of id, ego and superego. When his id governs the mind, he yields to his desire; his ego struggles between the bicultural worlds but fails to assimilate himself into the modern society; eventually his ego triumphs over his id under the guidance of his superego which leads him towards returning to his tribe and tradition. As for Abel, homecoming is his only way-out.The thesis consists of introduction and five parts:Introduction makes a sketch of Momaday’s life and his literary achievements and his masterpiece House Made of Dawn. It reviews the domestical as well as oversea research on the novel.Chapter One gives an account of the origin of psychoanalytical criticism. Freud is the first psychoanalyst and a true pioneer in the recognition of the importance of unconscious mental activity. Id, ego and super-ego are the three parts of the psychic apparatus defined in Sigmund Freud’s structural model of the psyche; they are the three theoretical constructs in terms of whose activity and interaction mental life is described. According to this model of the psyche, the id is the set of uncoordinated instinctual trends; the ego is the organized, realistic part; and the super-ego plays the critical and moralizing role.Chapter Two discusses Abel’s self-indulgence. The young Native American torn in two indulges himself in alcohol and sexual desire and kills the albino impulsively drawn by his prevailing id. It is apparent that when his id becomes prevalent, Abel loses his way, caring nothing but his desire which leads him to the hell.Chapter Three analyzes Abel’s ego in the frustration, desperation and pain in trying to assimilate into the modern society. His isolation in Indian culture resulting from the environment and experience and bicultural dilemma leads him to frustration and he feels that he never has any sort of appropriate identity. The frustration and pain he undergoes disillusion him but wind him up the way to return to his own culture. His ego fails to adapt to the modern society but may find its way in his original place. It is the ancient Indian tradition that arouses Abel’s racial awareness and releases him from the confusion and frustration.Chapter Four focuses on Abel’s superego directing his ego to transcend his id and awaken him to be on the way of returning to his tribe and the ancient tradition. He regains the conscience and morality by listening to his grandfather’s story-telling. Therefore his psychic energy eventually begins to stay away from its destructive effects and his superego is on its way to sublimation. The power he gains transfers into the integration with his tribal tradition during his running at dawn, which is constructive to the future of his tribe and himself. The conflict of his id, ego and superego is hushed into peace with balance. His superego gains sublimation.The final part summarizes what has been discussed in the previous chapters and comes to the conclusion:Abel cannot easily abandon his Indian culture; an Indian youth like him has difficulty integrating into the White culture and finding his place there; the best way for him is to return to his own culture. Studying Abel’s spiritual experience may help the shaping of healthy personality in modern society.