A Psychoanalytic Study of James Baldwin’s ‘Giovanni’s Room’.
This paper presents a psychoanalytic study of three characters in James Baldwin’s novel Giovanni’s Room: David, Giovanni, and Hella. Each of these characters is seen through the scope of psychoanalytic literary criticism theories.
The behaviour of these characters in terms of their conscious and unconscious provides a better perspective for analysis. David’s character is psychoanalyzed in terms of unconscious conflicts with his father, his repressed desires with Giovanni, his relationship with Hella, and self-deception.
This comprehension of these psychanalytical aspects delves the readers deep into the psychological dynamics of the characters. Additionally, it emphasizes how important psychoanalytic theory is for interpreting literature and human behaviour.
Introduction
Theoretical Framework
Psychoanalytic literary criticism is a form of literary criticism that interprets or analyzes literature by applying the techniques of psychoanalysis. It is one of the most prominent literary theories.
Austrian Sigmund Freud (1856), a psychiatrist, introduced the term Psychoanalysis. This theory was also developed by him.
It is an approach to interpreting and analyzing the literature by applying theories and concepts coined by various theorists and psychiatrists. It came into being around the 19th century, and its development and evolution are fundamentally accredited to Austrian Sigmund Freud.
In this paper, with the context of the novel ‘Giovanni’s Room’, two theories have been frequently used, Freudian Psychoanalysis, Tranference and Object Relations Theory.
Object relations refers to the comprehension of how individuals form and maintain relationships with others, both internally(within their minds) and externally(in actual interactions). And how these relationships play major roles in future relationships and psychological functioning.
Gap Area
While much work is done on homosexuality, queerness, and different aspects of James Baldwin’s Giovanni’s Room, the focus on the Psychoanalysis of the characters is still lacking.
Objective
The objective of the study is to offer a psychoanalytical study of James Baldwin, Giovanni’s Room, to understand the psyche of the characters. It will psychoanalyze the characters in different situations and relationships concerning the novel.
Methodology
It is a qualitative and in-depth study of the novel ‘Giovanni’s Room’ to show the psyche of characters concerning their relations with other characters through psychoanalysis. While doing it, various theories are used.
Overview
James Baldwin
James Baldwin was a well-known American author, essayist, and civil rights activist who lived from 1924 until 1987. He was raised in New York City’s Harlem, and his writing frequently dealt with issues of race, sexuality, identity, and social injustice.
One of the 20th century’s most significant voices is considered to be Baldwin’s.In addition to exploring African American realities and confronting the intersections of race, class, and sexuality, Baldwin’s writing took on challenging and delicate subjects. His writings stood out for their honesty, insight, and emotional depth and frequently reflected his own life experiences.
Among his best-known literary works are the novels “Go Tell It on the Mountain” (1953), “Giovanni’s Room” (1956), and “Another Country” (1962). With essays on racial inequity, the civil rights movement, and the challenges of identity in America, Baldwin’s non-fiction works like “The Fire Next Time” (1963) and “Notes of a Native Son” (1955) had an equally significant impact.
Baldwin’s writing was distinguished by its beautiful lyricism, keen intellect, and profound empathy. He was skilled at portraying marginalized populations’ challenges and desires and capturing the human experience’s subtleties. His legacy as one of his time’s most influential literary and social voices was established by his deep understanding of human nature and his unwavering commitment to justice and equality.
Giovanni’s Room
The novel “Giovanni’s Room” by James Baldwin was first published in 1956. The storyline is set in the 1950s in Paris. Love, identity, guilt, alienation, and the pursuit of one’s true self are among the issues covered in the book.
The title of the book, “Giovanni’s Room,” refers to the actual room where most of the plot’s unfolding occurs. It represents a lot of conflicts as well as emotions that David experiences throughout the story. “Giovanni’s Room” is a profound and introspective journey into love, sexuality, and the human condition as a whole. It has received praise for its emotional depth and the crucial contribution it has made to LGBTQ+ literature.
Psychoanalysis of the Characters
David
David is a complicated character who goes through a crucial emotional journey in the book. He is an American living in Paris in the 1950s. He struggles with clashing impulses, societal norms, and an overwhelming fear of acceptance by those around him.
He undergoes a push-pull dynamic, frequently oscillating between intimacy and emotional withdrawal. As he tries to fully embrace his urges and accept himself, self-sabotaging behaviours result from his fear of vulnerability and a yearning for connection.
Through the scope of psychoanalytic theory, David’s behavioural patterns and actions are comprehended throughout the novel.
In terms of David’s relationship with his father:
In the novel, there is a constant tension, distance, and lack of emotional connection, evident in David’s relationship with his father. As the story unfolds, it becomes apparent that David sees his father as an epitome of traditional masculinity and societal expectations and norms. He feels a strong compulsion to conform to these norms in order to fit in the society. This compulsion and pressure create a conflict within David’s unconsciousness as he struggles to accept his own identity and desires.
I was beginning to judge him. And the very harshness of this judgement, which broke my heart, revealed, though i could not have said it then, how much i had loved him, how that love, along with my innocence was dying. David quotes.
According to Sigmund Freud, there is a major role of a father in the psychosexual development of the child. Thus, despite having his own different desires and sense of self, David feels a constraint to adhere to his father’s masculine identity which is seen as an expression of Repression of desires.
He quotes, He thought we were alike. I did not want to think do. I did not want to think that my life would be like his…
The absence of his mother from an early age plays a significant role in moulding his relationship with his father. His father represents authority and power, which can evoke feelings of rivalry and urge to maintain a safe distance while craving fatherly love.
David quotes, He wanted no distance between us, he wanted me to look on him as a man like myself. But I wanted the merciful distance of father and son, which have permitted me to love him.
Furthermore, according to the Transference and Objects Relation theory, a part of how David behaves in his further relationships reflects his unresolved past emotions and desires onto his partner, Giovanni. The unfulfilled early attachments can affect one’s ability to build and maintain future relationships.
For instance, David’s relationship with Joey made him delve into the fear of losing his manhood, which he perceived as he grew up seeing that manhood in his father. The father had all heterosexual relationships. Thus, his shame and his fear of losing his masculinity budded from there.
David quotes, That body suddenly seemed the black opening of a cavern in which I would be tortured till madness came, in which I would lose my manhood; I was ashamed.
Overall, the depiction of David’s relationship with his father illustrates the conflict between cultural norms, sexual identity, and personal desires.
In terms of David’s relationship with Giovanni
David’s relationship with Giovanni is the most significant and complex one in the novel. Thus, David’s thought process, behaviour, desires, and life decisions are analyzed psychologically concerning Giovanni.
In the novel, David experiences Repression concerning his affection as he develops some unconscious impulses and constraints that make him deny his own feelings for Giovanni. He struggles with his repressed homosexuality.
Due to this, David tends to hold back his emotions and maintain a distance, especially in homosexual relationships. For the sake of society, he keeps this curtain of heterosexual relationships so nobody can question his masculinity.
As Alaina Masanto in their research paper says, “Coupled with the common perception that gay men are effeminate, David continuously hides his sexuality and he feels uncomfortable in his relationships because he doesn’t want people to label him as effeminate and therefore marginalize him.”
Furthermore,
David says, What kind of life two men have together, anyway?
He further states, But I’m a man, a man! What do you think can happen between us?
David’s deep-rooted fear of intimacy is a recurring theme in the novel. He often pushes Giovanni away, sabotaging the intimate relationship they build within the walls of Giovanni’s room. This emotional withdrawal may have stemmed from his fear of vulnerability, abandonment, and the thought of being unworthy of love and affection.
Besides, his fear of rejection or potential judgment plays a major role in his running away from various situations. This fear arises from the feeling that one has to conform to certain societal norms, or else one will be rejected, alienated, or judged.
These fears have incorporated themselves within him in the form of self-deception. He uses it as his defense mechanism to cope up with his internal conflicts. He initially even tries to convince himself that his relationship with Giovanni is just a phase and, thus, denies his homosexuality. Like society, David sees heterosexual relationships as the idealized one which results in him suppressing his feelings and desires.
He states about self-deception, People who believe that they are strong-willed and the masters of their destiny can only continue to believe this by becoming specialists in self-deception.
David lies and deceives himself and others throughout the novel by denying his homosexuality while being physically indulged with his lover Giovanni. He keeps on deceiving his fiance, Hella, as well as cheating on her by still maintaining his relationship with Giovanni.
David thinks of Giovanni even when he is involved with Hella mentally, emotionally, or physically. Eventually, he betrayed Giovanni as well. Throughout the novel, David has concealed his true emotions for the sake of maintaining his preconceived image in society.
Giovanni quotes, You are not leaving me for her, you are leaving me for some other reason, You lie so much, you have come to believe all your own lies.
In terms of David’s relationship with Hella
David’s relationship with Hella can be seen as his struggle to figure out his own identity and sense of self. Thus, in understanding David’s psychology behind his actions and thoughts, his heterosexual relationship is as significant as his homosexual one.
David’s heterosexual relationship with Hella is a manifestation of his repressed homosexuality and self-deception for his homosexual relationship.
These repressed emotions and sexual identity become the root cause of his internal conflicts the complexity of his relationship with Hella and the ultimate demise of Giovanni. He wants to keep his relationship the way it was when he had not yet met Giovanni.
David states, “Everything was as it had been between us, and at the same time everything was different.”
David’s ambivalence and confused feelings towards Hella are evident throughout the text. He often struggles with conflicting emotions and desires, oscillating between his sincere affection for Hella and his suppressed attraction to men, especially in light of his intimate relationship with Giovanni. This emotional ambivalence creates tension and complexity within his relationship with Hella.
David says, “I told myself I would not think about Giovanni yet, I would not worry about him yet; for tonight, anyway, Hella and I should be together with nothing to divide us.”
Additionally, David’s defense mechanisms such as denial of his true sexual identity and repression of emotions work like a shield for him to be protected from judgment and rejection from society. These very mechanisms hold interactions with Hella back as he constantly suppresses his genuine emotions and creates a semblance of heterosexuality.
David thinks, Perhaps I can get out of it without having to tell her anything.
This quote shows David’s cowardice as he has no backbone while thinking that he could get out of this situation without having her hint of his true sexuality and the truth about him cheating on her.
David’s urge for social acceptance is so much emphasized in the story as the novel was published in 1956 when the topic of homosexuality was highly condemned. This desire of his leads him to enter into a relationship with Hella as a way to maintain a facade of normalcy. His relationship with Hella with all the complexities reflects his internal grapple with sexual identity, fear of rejection, and societal norms.
Giovanni
Giovanni is one of the major characters in the novel. He is an Italian bartender who gets intimately indulged with the protagonist David, when they meet in Paris. He is depicted as economically challenged as he is an immigrant. This adds up to his sense of alienation and a yearning to make connections. He is depicted as a contrast to David’s personality, as he does not struggle to embrace his true sense of self.
Through the scope of psychoanalytic theory, Giovanni’s behavioral patterns and actions are comprehended throughout the novel.
In terms of Giovanni’s relationship with David
The character of Giovanni displays a strong desire for love and acceptance throughout the novel. He is comfortable in embracing his homosexuality both privately and publically. Giovanni is the kind of person who is more in touch with his authentic self and less burdened by internal conflicts regarding his sexual orientation. He seeks emotional connection and yearns for a sense of belonging. This urge of his seems to be stemmed from past life experiences, according to the Object Relations theory. Giovanni says,
If you cannot love me, I will die. Before you came I wanted to die, I have told you many times. It is cruel to have made me want to live only to make my death more bloody.
Giovanni is comparatively more emotionally expressive than David. His Italian roots contribute to his characterization as a sensual and sensualist individual. He is delineated as a passionate lover. His ability to express emotional expression and vulnerability may be linked to past traumatic experiences and unresolved trauma. He says,
I have been alone so long — I do not think I would be able to live if I had to be alone again.
Nevertheless, this style of putting effort into making strong attachments may ease for him to showcase his genuine emotions. He does not need to suppress his emotions from anyone, but he still does it on being encountered with Hella, because that is how much he loves David.
David introduces Hella to Giovanni, “Giovanni, I want you to meet my fiancée. Mlle Hella. Monsieur Giovanni.”
According to Psychoanalysis, early relationships can have a significant effect on later relationships. Through this angle, Giovanni’s style of making intense attachments can be analyzed. It may be his fear of attachment and abandonment, that makes him so crave affection and acceptance that he starts putting his heart at his sleeve. He says,
You know I cannot be alone. I have told you. What is the matter? Can we never have a life together?
Giovanni’s rage and self-sabotaging tendencies at instances give a glimpse of his mishandling of inconveniences and rejection. His rage can be seen as a defense mechanism, serving to protect him from perceived threats or to regain a sense of control. Besides, his destructive nature may be an accumulation of possessiveness, jealousy, or a need for constant reassurance. David thinks,
“I watched him. He carefully poured two drinks. I saw that he was shaking — with rage, or pain, or both”
Giovanni’s heartbreak due to David’s betrayal and abandonment revealed that it was Giovanni’s love that never questioned David’s actions, however, he, all along knew it. And this very love and affection of his becomes the reason for his downfall after their breakup.
Giovanni says, You smiled at me the way you smiled at everyone, you told me what you told everyone — and you tell nothing but lies. What are you always hiding? And do you think I did not know when you made love to me, you were making love to no one? No one! Or everyone — but not me, certainly. I am nothing to you, nothing, and you bring me fever but no delight.
Hella
Hella is one of the central characters in the novel. She is depicted as the potential love interest and the fiance of the protagonist, David. She goes through a significant journey of self-discovery and internal conflicts.
She is a young American woman who embodies conventional femininity and represents societal norms and expectations. Throughout the novel, Hella serves as a contrast to David’s internal conflicts and repressed homosexuality.
Through the scope of psychoanalytic theory, Hella’s behavioral patterns and actions are comprehended throughout the novel.
In terms of Hella’s relationship with David
Hella appears to play the role of a loving and caring fiance. She has love and affection for David. Her feelings seemed to be deepened as she was away from David for some time. She dreams of having a small happy world with David.
Hella says with damp eyes, Let me look at you, she held me at arm’s length, searching my face. Ah. You look wonderful. I’m so happy to see you again.
Hella’s search for stability and security can be suggested through her actions and choices. She seeks a conventional relationship and attempts to fulfill societal expectations of marriage and family. This desire may arise from a need for emotional security and a sense of belonging, which can be attributed to her personal history or upbringing.
Hella says, I began to realize it in Spain — that I wasn’t free, that I couldn’t be free until I was attached — no, committed — to someone.
Hella displays a fear of abandonment towards David. This may be due to her past life experiences or any traumatic events. Her seek for constant reassurance and security can be easily marked through her words and actions. After returning, she starts to blame herself, displaying self-doubt, as David behaves indifferently. She keeps on making silent guesses that it may be because of her letting him wait too long, or late replies to his letters, etc.
David thinks, In Spain, until near the end, this had probably not worried her; not until she herself had come to a decision did she begin to be afraid that I might also have arrived at a decision, opposite to hers. Perhaps she had kept me dangling too long.
This quote reveals how David wants Hella to be entangled in her thoughts and blame herself. David wants to admit nothing, none of his deeds, and none of his thoughts. All he wanted was for her to self-analyse whatever she could, so he wouldn’t have to explain.
And at last, she asked him, with a smile, Have I been away too long?
Hella experiences betrayal, trust issues, and heartbreak, as she gets to know the truth about David’s sexuality. It has been unjust to her since she returned. All she has expected is that David must admit whatever it may be. She is questioning the trust she put in him. She is questioning all the men and even all the little boys who exist. She feels humiliated but not cowardly enough to still stay with him. Thus she decides to leave him.
She says, I knew. This is what makes me so ashamed. I knew it every time you looked at me. I knew it every time we went to bed. If only you had told me the truth then. Don’t you see how unjust it was to wait for me to find it out? To put all the burden on me? I had the right to expect to hear from you — women are always waiting for the man to speak. Or hadn’t you heard?
Conclusion
Discussion & Result
In this paper, an extensive study of the significant characters in the novel ‘Giovanni’s Room’ is conducted, through the lens of psychoanalysis.
Relationships play a major role in molding an individual’s thoughts, words, actions, and thus, identity. Psychoanalyzing relationships of a character with other characters provides valuable insight and understanding of the intents and motives behind their actions and interactions.
Uncovering a character’s unconscious desires, fears, and conflicts concerning other characters provides a crucial insight into their personality. Circumstances also vitally contribute to shaping a character’s personality.
Understanding the conditions in which a character exists makes it easier to connect the dots between their behavior, personality, actions, thoughts, etc. A character’s circumstance is evolved by family dynamics, traumatic past events, cultural influence, developmental stages, and societal influences.
In conclusion, observing the queerness of the novel from the perspective of psychoanalysis makes it comprehensible that there’s so much more behind the superficial dialogues and conscious decisions of a character. Unconscious desires are as much part of one’s identity as conscious actions are. Thus, the psychoanalytic study of David, Giovanni, and Hella gives readers an entirely new perspective on interpreting a text.
Credits
It’s certified that this mini research paper is crafted by Khushi Chauhan for the fulfillment of the requirement for the award of the degree B.A. English (Hons.) by the School of Humanities & Social Sciences at Gautam Buddha University.
This paper wouldn’t have been a success without Asst. Prof Mandeep Sen, who made countless efforts to support me throughout the journey of creating this masterpiece.
