Parental Influence and the Electra Complex in Alasdair Gray’s Poor Things
Parental Influence and the Electra Complex in Alasdair Gray’s Poor Things

Summary/Abstract: The paper examines the portrayal of parental dynamics and their impact on the psychological development of the main protagonists in Alasdair Gray’s Poor Things through a psychoanalytic lens. Drawing on the theories of Sigmund Freud and Jacques Lacan, the analysis explores the complex relationships between creators and their creations, as well as the themes of identity formation, autonomy, and the search for parental love. In Poor Things, Bella’s unique status as both creator and creation sheds light on Freud’s Electra/Oedipus complex and Lacan’s mirror stage, as she grapples with issues of agency, autonomy, and the desire for both maternal and paternal figures. By examining the parental dynamics in the novel, the paper aims to illuminate the psychological complexities of the character and the broader thematic concerns of the texts.

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