Kiana Mondesir Essay Example For Students

Kiana Mondesir Essay PsychologyPeriod 1Teen NovelIn the book Breath, Eyes, and Memory Sophie Caco is a twelve yearold girl, living in Haiti who is on a spiritual quest to find her trueidentity. Throughout her journey we see Sophie grow up to be the vibrantyoung woman she was always destined to be. Due to her adolescent behavior,Sophie becomes curious and conjures an insatiable desire to find out herfamilys well hidden history. As the story continues we observe her modelsof personality (according to Sigmund Freuds theory) her strategies ofdefense mechanism ( accrding to Anna Freud) and finally, and her strugglesto establish her own identity (according to Erik Erikson). In the endSophie matures into a well rounded adult who has gained wisdom from hermild, rather intense childhood. The story begins when Sophie is twelve years old and she stilllives in Haiti under the care of her aunt Atie. Being dependent of anotherperson shows that she is still a child. In other words this would be anexample of Sophies id. Whenever she needs her aunt, whether it be food,care, advice or attention she always called on her aunt no matter thecircumstance. Her needs had to be met at that moment otherwise, she wouldnot necessarily cry like a baby but she would complain that she was feelingneglected. Although Sophie may have sometimes displayed a somewhat selfishbehavior, she also realized that she was not the only child living in thehouse. She came to notice that her aunt had a responsibility to tend to theother children living with her. So as a result, Sophie began to help outaround the house, and take responsibility of aiding her aunt with the kids. This part of her personality would be known as the ego. She realized thatthe other children needed her aunt just as much as she did and she steppedback to allow her cousins to be well taken care of. After living in Haiti for so long, Sophie is told that she will bemoving to New York to live with a mother she never knew. Reason being wasthat her mother has been asking for her and she feels it is now time forthe two to reunite. With so much drama circulating around her Sophie neverhad time to be a child. She had interact with adults and people that shenever seen in her life although they have part of her life all along. Thispart of her life could be looked at as the Latency stage.