Reviewing Identity in Postmodern Fiction: Modern Psychology vs. Psychoanalysis

Abstract

Abstract: This article reviews the theme of identity in postmodern literature through a comparison of psychoanalytical perspectives with modern psychological theories. It suggests that modern psychology offers a more encompassing framework to the analysis of identity in postmodern literature than does psychoanalysis. The article starts with an overview of the concept of identity in postmodern literature and a review of the evolution of psychoanalytic approaches to identity, tracing the shift from Freudian and Jungian theories moves to modern psychology and social psychological theories as the Cognitive-Behavioral Insights, Social Identity Theory, Identity Theory, and the Tripartite Theory. The article analyzes how key postmodern concepts related to identity like fluidity, multiplicity, fragmentation, and the rejection of grand narratives intertwine with these theories. Examination of the theoretical contributions of modern psychology as opposed to psychoanalysis through illustrations from selected postmodern texts highlights the advantages modern approaches offer in capturing the complexity of identity in postmodern fiction. Keywords : Identity, Postmodern literature, Psychoanalysis, Modern Psychology