The Memory Keeper's Daughter Psychological Analysis

As an AP Psychology student, I find myself applying psychology principles to all aspects of life. For example, I now treat my younger brother with more respect as this allows a child to develop self-esteem in adolescence. The psych-fiction novel, The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards, was written in a way that allowed me to empathize with the protagonists and justify their actions using the Freudian psychology theories of the triple personality and defense mechanisms I learned in my class.
David’s decision concerning the birth of his mentally retarded daughter, Phoebe, is justified due to the influence of his id, ego, and superego. When David decided to give Phoebe away after noticing her downturned eyes and small features, his actions seemed selfish and cruel, especially because he did not take Norah and her feelings into consideration. Edwards then reveals, in a non-pedestrian way, the motives behind David’s actions: at that moment, David’s id--the part of his personality that is completely unconscious, avoids pain (strives for pleasure), and is irrational--kicks in. David remembers his younger sister who was also unwell and died at the age of twelve. …show more content…
Despite knowing that Howard, the first man she cheats with, has a wife and children who have gone to visit his sick mother-in-law, Norah feels no guilt about stripping naked on the beach for him. Even though her actions can be classified simply as disgusting, she only does this because her id suppresses her superego, which would normally cause her to feel guilt. When David found Norah’s clothes lying discarded on the beach after a cancelled fishing trip, he did not confront Norah nor did her hold any resentment or anger towards her. His superego made him believe that “...his own secrets were darker, more hidden,” and that “his secrets had created