LITERATURE AND PSYCHOANALYSIS IN DIALOGUE: FREUDIAN DYNAMICS IN “LORD OF THE FLIES”

Abstract

This article presents an analysis of the literary work Lord of the Flies by William Golding through the lens of Freudian psychoanalysis, with particular emphasis on the concepts developed by Sigmund Freud in his works Totem and Taboo and Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego. The methodology adopted is theoretical in nature, applying psychoanalytic principles to the characters and narrative events in order to interpret the underlying conflicts within the plot. The results highlight the intrinsic struggle between the psychic structures — id, ego, and superego — as well as instinctual drives and the tensions between social order and primal impulses. The study relies on an interdisciplinary approach that bridges literature and psychoanalysis, demonstrating the analytical richness that emerges from this intersection. On a practical level, the article contributes to interdisciplinary dialogues between literature, psychology, and the social sciences, while also offering insights applicable to educational contexts. As a suggestion for future research, the analysis of other literary works through the psychoanalytic lens is proposed, along with the exploration of psychic and social dynamics in various cultural and historical settings.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56238/sevened2025.021-053