FEAR, DESIRE, AND MORAL DEVELOPMENT IN TARIQ RAHMAN’S THE INNOCENT THIEF: A PSYCHOANALYTIC STUDY

Abstract

This paper provides a psychoanalytic critique of The Innocent Thief by Tariq Rahman which explores how fear, desire and moral growth interact in the life of a child protagonist, Saleem. The research is based on a qualitative, interpretive methodology incorporating the theory of the unconscious and id-ego-superego model of Sigmund Freud with the child psychology and the defense mechanisms proposed by Anna Freud. As the analysis illustrates, fear in the story is most a product of the unconscious anxieties and not the external danger, and it manifests itself through the symptoms of physiological reactions, projection of imagination, and an increased suspense. Id impulsive desire of sweets is demonstrated by the fact that Saleem missing sweets and his planning and hesitation are the characteristic features of the mediating role of the ego and the early development of the superego with the help of guilt and self-blame. Based on the developmental paradigm by Anna Freud, the paper re-conceptualizes the theft act as a psychologically and developmentally relevant reaction to want and not as a moral offence. The study bridges a very important gap in the discussion of Pakistani English short fiction, specifically, child-centered stories, by incorporating both classical and child-centered approaches to psychoanalysis. Finally, the paper highlights the importance of psychoanalytic literary criticism to shed light on the psychology of childhood and the complexity of the process of negotiation between fear, innocence, and the unconscious in short stories.