人格结构视域下《老人与海》中圣地亚哥人物形象研究

.IntroductionTheOldManandtheSeawaspublishedin1952andwontheNobelPrizein1954.ItisaclassicofErnestMillerHemingway.TheNobelcommitteespokehighlyofthiswork,pointingoutthatinthisnovel,thenaturalworshipofeveryonewhostrugglesforfaithandprincipleintherealworldiscoveredbyviolenceanddeath.Basedonthesimplesyntacticstructure,limitedvocabularyandaccurateimages,Hemingwayformedaconcise,compact,telegraphstyleandobjective,dramaticwritingtone.TheheroisminthenovelandHemingway’soutlookonlifearerecognizednotonlyinEnglishspeakingcountries,butalsoallovertheworld.SantiagotheoldmanistheheroinTheOldManandtheSea.Asanoldandfrailman,hehasn’tcaughtfishfor84daysinarow,buthedidn’tcomplainandgotpessimisticbecauseofthedifficultiesoflife.Instead,hechosetogototheseaagain.Hecaughtabigmarlinfarawayfromthecoast.Afterthreedaysandtwonightsofhardwork,Santiagokilledthebigmarlinwithhistenaciouswillpowerandabundantexperience.Asthefishwastoobigtobeputintotheboat,hetiedittothesideoftheboat.However,thebloodysmellofthefishattractedsharks.Santiagostruggledwiththesharks,injuringandkillingseveralofthem.Atlast,becausehewasoutnumberedbythesharks,thebigmarlinwaseatenup.Heonlycarriedapairoffishskeletonsontotheshore.Thestorydepictstheimageofatoughmaninthehistoryofworldliterature.TheOldManandtheSeahasalwaysbeenthefocusofresearchathomeandabroad.Intheearly21thcentury,scholarsmainlystudiedthisnovelfromtheperspectiveoffigure,icebergtheoryandnihilism:first,fromtheperspectiveoffigure.ZhengChenggongandGuoJinghong(2006)analyzedthetragiccharacterofSantiagoandelaboratedhistragicimageof“toughman”.GuoMingwei(2008)exploresSantiago’sspiritoffightingandnevergivingupinthefaceofharshenvironment,whenatthesametime,heseesSantiago’sinnerworldandaverykindheartunderhissurface;second,fromtheperspectiveoficebergtheory.LiYingandWanLing(2006)useHemingway’sicebergtheorytoappreciateTheOldManandtheSeainordertointerpretitsartisticformandtechnique.WangJiayu(2012)analyzedtheconcisewritingstyleandthelinedrawingsandsymbolicwritingtechniquestoshowicebergtheoryinthenovel;third,fromtheperspectiveofnihilism,KangXiaoyun(2008)exploredtheconnotationofnihilisminthenovelfromtheperspectiveofphilosophy.Inrecentyears,researchersbegantopayattentiontotheartisticfeaturesandecologicalcriticisminTheOldManandtheSea.Thestudyofartisticfeaturesstartsfromthenarrativeangleofthenovel.ZhangKangkang(2016)regardsthenovelasafablestory,whichhasastrongsymbolicsignificance.Inaddition,manystudieshavebeenmadeontherhetoricaltechniquesofthenovel.Intheperspectiveofecologicalcriticism,thestartingpointistheideaof“manandnature”,whichiscloselyrelatedtothebackgroundandcontentofthenovel.ChenChunsheng(2010)mainlyseizesthethemeoftherelationshipbetweenmanandnatureembodiedinthenovel,callsoneveryonetolovenature,andexposestheterribleconsequencesofhumandisobediencewithit.Tosumup,thecurrentresearchonSantiagomainlyfocusesonEnglishlanguageandliterature,ecologicalcriticism,symbolicart,newhistoricism,etc.Forexample,JiaoLu(2018)analyzesanddiscussestheimageofSantiagowithtragiccolorfromtheperspectiveofEnglishlanguageandliterature,shecanseehisfightingspiritandinnerfeelings;GongTing(2015)analyzesvariousimagesinthenovelandrevealsthehiddenspiritualpowerofSantiago;ZhangYi(2018)expoundsthehistoricityofSantiago’simage,anddiscussestheimagefromtheperspectiveofnewhistoricism.Comparedtothose,however,theresearchonpsychologyisinsufficient.Therefore,thispaperanalyzesSantiago’simagefromtheperspectiveofpsychoanalyticcriticism.Tobespecific,theoriginaltheoryofFreud’spsychoanalysisisadopted.Psychoanalyticcriticismisoneofthemostinfluentialcriticismsamongthewesternliterarycriticisminthe20thcentury,whichexploresthedeepspiritualworldofthecharactersandtheauthor.SigmundFreudprovidesuswithanewandpowerfulwaytothinkandobservehumanthoughts,behaviorsandtheirinteraction,soastoclarifythoseexperiencesthatareoftenignoredandmisunderstood.ThispaperintendstoapplyFreud’stheoryofpersonalitystructure,dreamsandpsychologicalmotivationtointerpretingTheOldManandtheSeaandanalyzingtheimageofSantiago.Santiago,thoughamaterialfailure,isanindestructiblegiantinspirit.Undoubtedly,hisspirithasgreatsignificancetoother’slife.ThroughtheanalysisofSantiago’simage,readerscanperceivetheuniquepersonalitycharmofSantiagoinTheOldManandtheSeaandthewayitispresented.

2.LiteratureReview2.1TheOldManandtheSeaErnestHemingway(1899-1961)isafamousAmericanwriter.Heisrecognizedasoneofthemostimportantandoutstandingwritersinthe20thcentury.Heexperiencedsomanysetbacks,participatedinthetwoWorldWarswhichcausedhimaseriousphysicalandmentaltrauma.Hebecamedisappointedaboutthefutureoftheworld,pessimisticaboutthefateofmankind,andexpressedhisfeelingsaboutlifeinwriting.Hehascreatedmanyclassics,suchasFarewelltoArms,TheSunStillRises,ForWhomtheBellTolls,andTheOldManandtheSea.OfallHemingway’sworks,TheOldManandtheSeaisthemostfamousonebecauseitwonthe1954NobelPrizeforliterature.Inthenovel,Hemingwayexpoundssuchprofoundthemesasfightingchallengesandstrugglingalone,facingfailureswithgreatdeterminationandcourage,andlivinggracefullyunderpressure.Santiago,theheroofthenovel,hasalsobecomeafamous“toughman”imageinthehistoryofliterature.Thenovelhasattractedgreatattentionofreadersandcritics,andSantiagotheoldman,isthemoststudiedimageintheworld.ForeignresearchonTheOldManandtheSeaismainlyfromthefollowingfouraspects:first,theperspectiveofliterature.Someresearcherspayattentiontothespiritandvalueinthenovel.Young(1952)andBaker(1961),forexample,analyzedtheworshipofhumannatureandtheheroiccoloroftragedy.Burhans(1960)analyzedthecourage,love,humility,loneliness,interdependenceandothervaluesexpressedinthenovelfromsymbolsandsatire.Theabovethreeresearchersanalyzedthespiritembodiedinthenovelfromdifferentperspectivesofhumannature,heroiccolor,symbolandsatire.Afterthat,researchersbegantopayattentiontotheimageofthetoughmaninthenovel.Roberts(1966)discussedthetoughmaninHemingway’snovelonthebasisofsummarizingthecharactersinhisotherworks.Someresearchershadrisentotheheightofspiritualliberation.Gurko(1968)studiedtheideaofescapingfromsocietyandpursuinghumanspiritualliberationinthenovel.Otherschoosetodiscussthesymbolicmeaninginthenovel.BarbourandSattelmeyer(1975)analyzedthesymbolsofthedialogueaboutbaseballinthenovel.Bickford(1996)analyzedthesymbolsfromtheculturalbackgroundofCuba;second,theperspectiveofreligion.Backman(1955)analyzedSantiago’spraying,leftandrighthand,suffering,woodandotherimagesinthenovel,whichshowshispiety.AlthoughSantiagosuffersphysically,hegainsspiritualpeaceandsatisfaction.Similarly,Baker(1961)analyzedSantiago’spiety,suffering,holyhumannatureandsalvationformeaninglessexistencefromtheperspectiveofreligion.HebelievesthatSantiagoisaheroofJesusstyle;third,thepsychologicalpointofview.Benstoltzfus(1991)usedLacan’stheorytoexplainthatSantiagowasareflectionofHemingway’sowndestiny.Inaddition,inhispaper“LacanianInterpretationofTheOldManandtheSea”(Benstoltzfus,1996),Saussure’ssignifierandsignifiedconceptareusedtoanalyzemetaphorsinthebook,suchaslion,turtle,andgreatmarlin.Benstoltzfus(1991)appliedLacan’spostpsychoanalytictheorytoanalyzeTheOldManandtheSea,andregardedSantiagoasthemappingofHemingwayhimself;fourth,theecologicalpointofview.Love(1996),thepioneerofAmericaneco-criticism,thinksthatSantiagoisatypicaltragiccharacterandhishumanwillexpressconflictswiththelawsofnature,whichshowsthatHemingwayattachesgreatimportancetotherelationshipbetweenhimselfandtheearth.Generallyspeaking,theliteraryperspectiveaccountsforthemajority,anditmainlyinvolvesthewritingtechniques,artisticstylesandthethemeofthenovel.ThestudyofTheOldManandtheSeainChinaalsoinvolvesliterature,religion,psychology,ecologyperspectives.Butdifferentfromforeignstudies,thestudyofmetaphorinTheOldManandtheSeaismorepopularinChina.ZouQin(1993)analyzedHemingway’spersonalexperienceandotherworkstoexplainthattheBiblehadanimportantinfluenceonHemingway’swritingstyleandconnotation,andspecificallyanalyzedthemetaphorsrelatedtotheBibleandreligioninthenovel.LiGuoqing(2001),guidedbythetheoryofgrammaticalmetaphor,analyzedtherelationshipbetweenSantiagoandthechildinTheOldManandtheSea,andfoundthattherelationshipbetweenthetwomaincharacterscanbeseenastherelationshipbetweenteachersandstudents,fathersandchildren,saintsanddisciples.DaiGuiyu(2005)usedLacan’stheoryofsymbolicpsychologytoexplorethemetaphorandmetonymicslideofdreamsandfantasiesofSantiago,aimingtoclarifythatdreamsandunconsciousfantasiesofSantiagoembodyhisowndesiretobeachampionfisherman,buthisdesireandthevalueheembodiesareexactlythecharacterizationofthereplacementofHemingway’sownunconsciousdesireandthevaluehepursues.WangYong(2007)mainlyusedFreud’spsychoanalytictheorytoexplorethemetaphoricalmodernwesternpatriarchalcultureinhisworks,aimingtoclarifythatalthoughHemingwayhimselfpursuesthismodernwesternpatriarchalculture,hetranscendsthiscultureandexpresseshiscomplexviewoffeminism.SuLan(2011)usedtheinteractionprincipleinmetaphortheoryandmetaphorworkingmechanismtheorytoanalyzetheoperationofmetaphor,andspecificallyanalyzedthemetaphoricalmeaningofimagessuchasSantiago,thelittleboy,theseaandpetrel.ZhengXiaolan(2011)tookthetheoryofcognitivemetaphorasthestartingpointtorevealthedominantmetaphorof“lifeisastruggle”inthenovel.YueJinxiu(2013)combinedHemingway’slifeandconsistentwritingthemetostudythemetaphoricalmeaningofthesea,thegreatmarlin,thesharks,thechild,thelion,Santiagoandotherimages.Domesticscholars’studiesaremoreconcernedaboutthemetaphorsofthisnovel.ByanalyzingmetaphorsinTheOldManandtheSea,researchersrevealspecificaspectofthenovel.2.2PsychoanalyticCriticismThepsychoanalyticcriticismistheresultofthecomprehensiveinfluenceofnaturalscienceandhumanscienceinthe19thcentury,withSigmundFreudasitsfounder.Freudwasoriginallyadoctorandtookanewwaytointegratetheexistingmedicalknowledgeandpsychologicalknowledge,finallycreatedanewschoolofpsychology,psychoanalysis.Hisapplicationofpsychoanalytictheorytoclinicaldiagnosisisaveryshockingpracticeinthehistoryofpsychologyandhaslaidafoundationforthetreatmentofhumanmentaldiseases.Generallyspeaking,therearetwotheoreticaloriginsofpsychoanalyticcriticism:first,scientificheritage.Darwin’sevolutionismmadeFreudseethesimilarityofhumanandanimalpsychology,andhumanhavetheinstinctdesireasanimals.Ferdinand’spsychologyconvincedhimthathumanpsychologycanbeanalyzedscientifically.ModernphysicsrepresentedbyHelmholtzmadehimrealizethathumanpsychologyalsohasdynamiccharacteristicsanditcreatedthedynamicpsychology.ThescientificachievementsofthiseralaidthefoundationofnaturalscienceforthestudyofFreud’ssubconsciouspsychology;secondly,subconscioustheory.Onthispoint,hemainlybenefitedfromtheexplorationofsubconsciouspsychologyinEuropeansubconsciousphilosophyandromanticliterature.Freudhimselfisverysatisfiedwithhistheoryofsubconscious.TheabovetwopointshavedirectlycontributedtotheformationofFreudianpsychoanalysisschool.Psychoanalyticcriticismisthemostinfluentialtheoreticaltrendinthewesternideologicalandculturalcirclesinthe20thcenturyandthemostlastingcriticismtheory.Inthenatureofliteratureandart,Freudthoughtthatartistheartist’sdaydream.Dreamisaninexhaustibleeternaltopicinthehistoryofhumanculturefromancienttimestothepresent.Whenhumanbeingsjustlearnedtorecordtheirthoughtsinwords,theybegantoexploredreams.Theancientsoftenregardedthedreamasanoracle,akindofomenofgoodfortuneandbadfortune.In1900,Freudpublishedhisrepresentativework“TheInterpretationofDreams”,whichbroughtthetraditionalmethodofdreaminterpretationintothefieldofmodernpsychologyandgavedreamsanewpsychologicalsignificance.Freud’scontributionisthathefirstputforwardtheviewthat“dreamistherealizationofdesire”,andmadeanin-depthanalysisofdreammodification,dreamoperation,etc.Theinfluenceofthistheoryonliteraturecan’tbeoverestimated,becausenotonlydreamitselfisamanifestationofhumanlife,animportantandmysteriouscontentofhumanlife,butalsoFreudmadeagroundbreakingdefinitionoftherelationshipbetweenliteratureanddream:literatureisawriter’sdaydream.Thatistosay,theessenceofartisthewaytosatisfythesubconsciousinstinctdesire,andtheworkofartistheproductoffantasytosatisfythesubconsciousinstinctdesire.Thewriter’screationistodisguisethesubconsciousinstinctdesireintheformthatcanbeacceptedbythesocietythroughsublimationactivities,totransformthesexualenergyintotheartisticandculturalenergy,soastotransformthedisgustedfantasyintotheappreciatedobjectthroughtheartisticexpression,toprovidethewayforpeopletoventthedepressedemotion,andtorelievethedepressedphysicalandmentaltension.Therefore,likedreams,literaryworksarejusttheresultofthesubtledisguiseofsubconsciousdesire.Inthetheoryofliteraryandartisticcreation,Freudadvocatedthatthemotiveofcreationshouldcomefromthesexualimpulseofmoreforce,andthatthecreativeactivityisthepsychologicalactivityofsubconsciousorfreeassociation.Freudemphasizedtheindividualityandindependenceofpsychoanalysis.Intheaspectofliterarycriticism,asinthepathologicalanalysis,hetooktheindividualsubconsciousasthepowerfulandonlydrivingforceofliteraryworks.Therefore,literarycreationistheexpressionofdesire.Throughtheformofartisticcreation,thewritersatisfiesandsublimatestheinstinctivedesirethroughmodification.Freudattachedgreatimportancetohumanchildhoodwhenhestudiedhumanpsychologicaldevelopment.InFreud’sview,althoughhumanpsychologicaldevelopmentinthefirst20yearsisagradualandcontinuousprocess,itcanbedividedintoinfancy,childhoodandadolescence,adulthood,eachperiodwithitsownpsychologicalcharacteristics.Generallyspeaking,peopledevelopsteadilyfromonestagetothenext,butifthereisaprobleminthatperiod,thedevelopmentwillslowdownandcannotgotoahigherstage.ThisproblemiscalledconsolidationbyFreud,whichismostlikelytoforminchildhood.Itisoftencausedbysometraumaticexperienceinchildhood.Onceformed,itishiddeninthedynamicstructureofhumanpersonalitydevelopment.Ifthereisnochancetountieorreleasethisconsolidation,itwillhaveasubconsciousbutrealimpactonthedevelopmentofhumanpersonalityatallstages,whichhindersthefullreleaseofhumanpsychologicalpotential.However,duetotheconstraintsofvariousconsolidationsonthedevelopmentofpersonality,someconsolidationislikelytoleadtoakindofpersonalitydeviation.Forthewriter,aspecialconsolidationmayresultinhisuniqueartisticstyle,andforthecharactersinhisworks,auniqueconsolidationmayproduceauniqueartisticmodel.Therefore,thisformstheoperationmodeofliterarycriticismbyexploringthewriter’ssubconscious,revealingthesubconsciousofthecharacters,explainingthepotentialsignificanceoftheworks,exploringthecollectivesubconsciousinliterarycreationandpayingattentiontothereaders’readingreaction.Psychoanalyticcriticismhasgreatlyexpandedthefieldofliterarycriticismbyfindingtheimportantpositionof“subconscious”inpeople’spsychologicalactivities.Fromthispointofview,itmakesavarietyofuniqueexplanationsforliteraryphenomena,revealsimportantpsychologicalcharacteristicsofliterarycreationandacceptswhatwereignoredinthepast.

3.TheAnalysisofSantiagoAccordingtotheTheoryofPersonalityofStructureFreudrevisedhisearlytheoryafter1920sandputforwardthetheoryoftriplepersonalitystructure.Thebasicclaimisthatpersonalityconsistsofthreecloselyconnectedparts:ID,egoandsuperego.Inordertomaintainabalancedpersonalitystructure,thethreemustcoordinatewitheachother.TheIDisverydirect,happiness-seeking,tryingtomeetone’sowndesires;thesuperegoissubjecttotheconstraintsofsocialmorality,tryingtoformaperfectindividual;egoisincompliancewithreality,andregulatestherelationshipbetweentheIDandsuperego.Itcanbeseenthatallthepsychologicalactivitiesinpeople’sdailylifecanbeinterpretedfromtherelationshipamongtheID,egoandsuperego.Iftherelationshipamongthethreeisbalanced,theindividualcanmaintainahealthypsychologicalstate.Whenthethreepartsimbalanceandconflict,itleadstomentalillnessandpersonalitydisorders.ThroughanalyzingthedifferentpersonalitystructureofSantiagointhefaceoftheboy,thesurroundingpeopleandthebigfish,thelonelinessoftheoldmanSantiagoisevident.3.1SantiagoFacingtheChild-thecallofIDInthepersonalitystructure,itistheIDthatiscompletelyinthesubconscious.TheIDexistssincethebirthofhumanbeing.Itrepresentstheinstinctivedesireofhumanbeingandisthemostdirectandrealpartofpersonalitystructure.TheIDisthedeepestpartofpersonalitystructure,composedofinstinctimpulseanddesire,aimingatpursuinghappinessandsatisfaction.FreuddefinedtheIDasthedarkestpartofthepersonalitythatcouldnotbemadeexplicit.TheIDiscompletelysubconscious,basicallycomposedofsexualinstinct,andactsaccordingtothe“HappinessPrinciple”notboundbyanymoralityandvalues.ThecallofIDcanbefoundintheinteractionbetweenSantiagoandthechildinthenovel.ThechildalwaysgivesSantiagospiritualsupport.WhenSantiagohasn’tcaughtafishfor84daysinarow,everyoneandeventheparentsofthechildthinkthatheisunluckyandareunwillingtocontacthim.Onlythechildiswillingtotakecareofhim.Whentheoldmanisfishingatsea,heoftensaysloudly,“Ihopethatboycanbehere.”(Hemingway，2019:69)ThevoicecomesfromSantiago’sID.Itdoesthingsinaccordancewiththeprincipleofhappiness,withoutconsideringanyrealisticfactors.Aslongasitcanmeethisinnerdesire,itwilltryitsbesttodoit.Becausetherewasnoonetoaccompanyhim,eventhoughheknewthattheboycouldnotcometohim,Santiagokeptcallingforthearrivaloftheboyduringthefishing.TheIDofhimcalledseventimesintotal,hopingthatthechildcouldbearoundhimandsupporthim.Santiago’sinnercallsshowhowhelplessandlonelyhewasatthattime,eventhoughthecallingforthechildcouldnotgivehimanypracticalhelp.Yetwhenheencountereddifficulties,hewouldunconsciouslycallfortheboy.AccordingtoFreud’stheory,IDisasubconscious,unrealisticanddirectpartofhumanheart.TheinnerdesireisthemaingoaloftheID.Itisveryimpulsive.Ifthereisnowillpowertocontrolit,theIDwillsatisfyalldesires.SoitistheIDinSantiago’spersonalitystructurethaturgeshimtocallthelittleboy.Heneedshelpandwantssomeonetofacedifficultiestogetherwithhim.3.2SantiagoFacingtheSurroundingPeople-theStruggleofEgoIntheprocessofgrowingup,theegograduallydifferentiatesitselffromthe“ID”.Theegoisformedslowlyintheprocessofsocialization.Itcanbesaidthattheegoisaconsciouspartofthepersonalitystructure,whichregulatestherelationshipbetweenthedesireoftheIDandtherealenvironment.UnliketheID,whichisinnate,theegoisacquired.TheegoisbetweentheIDandtheoutsideworld,andisthesurfaceofpersonalitystructure.IntheprocessofinteractionbetweenIDandexternalenvironment,egoisgraduallyformed.Asarealisticego,itisthemostimportantpartofpersonalitystructure.Ifself-developmentiswell,thenindividualpsychologycandevelopinthedirectionofhealthandbalance;ifegoisdestroyed,andonecan’tfacetherealityrationally,handletherelationshipbetweenrealityandindividual’sinitialdesire,andallowittodevelopwithoutrestriction,thenindividualpsychologywillbedestroyed.TheegofollowstheprincipleofrealityanditmainlyregulatestherelationshipbetweentheIDandtheexternalenvironment.Ontheonehand,theegotriestomeettheneedsanddesiresoftheID;ontheotherhand,theselfwillnotmeetthesedesireswithoutrestraint,butadjustthisrequirement,sothatitcanberealizedinawayacceptedbythereality.PeoplearoundSantiagoareveryindifferenttohim.Whenhedidn’tcatchafishfor84daysinarow,theyregardedhimasunlucky.Infact,itwasaverydifficulttimeforSantiago,andthepeoplearoundhimcouldalsobeseenasthesocialenvironmentwhatwasextremelyindifferent.Whenfacingthereality,therepresentativeofpersonalitystructureisego,whichfollowstheprincipleofreality.Egoisindirectcontactwithreality.ItismainlytofindanacceptablewaytomeetthedirectdesireofIDintherealworld.WhentheegoreceivesthedesireinformationoftheID,itwillconsiderthepracticalconsequencesofthedirectdesire,andthendecidewhethertomeettheimpulse.Inmostcases,theegowillsatisfytheID’sneeds,butthispermissionwillnotappearimmediately.ItwillallowtheID’simpulsivebehaviorattherightplaceandtime.Lookatthefollowingdialogue:“Butdoyourememberhowyouspent87timesinarowwithoutasinglefish?Forthenextthreeweeks,however,alargefishwascaughteveryday.”Theoldmansaid,“IrememberandIknowyouarenotfarawayfrommebecauseyoudoubtmyability.”“It’sdadwhokeepsmeawayfromyou.I’makid.Ihavetoobeyhim.”Theoldmansaid,“Iknow.It’snormal.”（Hemingway，2019:4）Atthistime,fromthecomfortoftheboytoSantiago,itcanbereverselyseenthattheIDinhispersonalitystructureiseagerforthesympathyofothers.Hedoesn’twanttobealone.Heneedsencouragementandhelp.Buttherealityisthatpeoplearoundhimthinkheisabadmanandactindifferently.ThentheegocomesouttomediatetherelationshipbetweentheimmediateneedsoftheIDandtheoutsideworld.EgotransferstheideatoID:it’snormalforpeopletothinklikethis,it’snobigdeal.Santiagohasconfidenceinhimself.Butthingsarenotover,eventhefishermenaroundbegantoteasehisincompetence,“Theysitonthebalcony,manyfishermenmakefunoftheoldman,theoldmanisnotangry.”(Hemingway，2019:4)ThedescriptionofthispassagefullyshowstheindifferenceofthesurroundingpeopletoSantiagoatthattime.ItisthereasonthatSantiagofinallydecidedtogofishinginthedistance.It’safightagainsttheindifferenceofthepeoplearoundhim.Inordertolivewithdignity,Santiagowentouttoseafaraway.3.3SantiagoFacingtheBigFish–theCrueltyofSuperegoInFreud’stheory,thehighestlevelofpersonalstructureisthesuperego,whichrepresentsthepowerofconscienceandsocialmoralityandisaperfectpartofpersonalitystructure.Everythingthatsuperegodoesisinaccordancewiththeestablishedmoralprinciplesinthesocialenvironment,andwillneverviolatemorality.OncetheegodoesnotcontrolthedesireoftheIDwell,andmakeitspracticeorbehaviorbeyondtheacceptablerangeofsocialmoralprinciples,thesuperegowilluseconsciencetomaketheindividualfeelguilty,andmakehimregrethisbehavior,andnolongermakesimilarmistakesinthefuture.Therefore,thesuperegopursuesthemoralprinciple,whichlimitstheimpulseoftheID,makestheego’sbehavioramodel,andachievestheperfectdevelopmentoftheindividual.WhenSantiagofacedthebigfish,hewasveryambivalent.Asafriend,herespectsandlikesthebigfish;asacompetitor,hewantstokillthebigfish.Santiagodidn’twanttobeafailure.Instead,hewantedtocatchthefishandrepaythelittleboy.Afterall,theboygavehimalotofhelp.Andhewantstolivewithdignity,toliveinaharmoniousenvironmentwithenoughfishtocatch.Inthepersonalitystructure,inordertomaketheindividual’sbehaviorconformtothesocialmorality,thesuperegowillcontaintheimpulseanddesireoftheID.Inreality,peoplejustwanttofishandsurvive.So,evenifSantiagoappreciatesthebigfish,heregardsitasafriendandabrother.Buthewillkillthebigfishintheend.Obviously,itissuperegothatdriveshimtofightagainstthebigfish.Superegoencourageshimtofightagainstthebigfishforabetterfuture.Theoldmansaidsoftlyandloudly,“Fish,IwillfightwithyouuntilIdie.”(Hemingway，2019:66)Itcanbeseenthatatthistime,thesuperegohasbeguntoperformitstaskstosuppresstheimpulseoftheID,andrestraintheIDfromtreatingthebigfishasabrotherorfriend.Theoldmanalsosaid,“Godletitjump.Ihaveenoughlinestodealwithit.”(Hemingway，2019:68)It’snoteasytowinthisfight.Santiagostayedattheseaalone,butsuperegourgedhimtokillhisonlycompanion,thebigfish.Hefeltextremelylonelyandhelpless,sohecalledtheboythreetimesatthattime.Hehopedthattheboycouldaccompanyhim,andfoughtwiththebigfishtogether.Fin