From the lens of a Psychoanalytic Critic...Many questions are raised from Goldilocks' observed behaviour:
How old is Goldilocks? Why is Goldilocks alone in the forest? And where are her parents/guardians? Friends? What type of morals is she being taught at home that she feels entitled belittling the Bears' house? Why does Goldilocks believe her behaviour is acceptable to intrude a stranger's house? Why does she have such poor manners and social skills? The analysis of Goldilocks The classic tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears is a friendly story to the average viewer. However, there are many hidden layers behind Goldilocks' sporadic behaviour that can be observed from the perspective of a psychoanalytic critic based on what is outlined in the article Introduction to Modern Literary Theory by Dr. Kristi Siegel. Goldilocks is introduced into the story picking flowers from a hill. While observing the Bears' house from afar, she mocks how ugly the Bears' house is, and she is confident that Baby Bear's house is not as beautiful as hers. The fact that Goldilocks makes this commentary demonstrates her superficiality present at a young age, making it questionable as to how she is being raised. For young children, this attitude can be dangerous because it can lead to the child feeling a sense of superiority over others as they get older. Then, Goldilocks fiercely knocks on the front door. Since there is no response, she uninvitedly breaks into the Bears' house. This shows Goldilocks' lack of manners, as well as her unusual morality to welcome herself into a stranger's house. As she explores the empty house, she obnoxiously eats all the porridge, breaks Baby Bear's chair, and falls asleep in Baby Bear's bed. Throughout her journey, these actions do not phase Goldilocks since she does what she pleases without hesitation. When she is finally caught, instead of owning up to her actions, she escapes her problems by running away from the scene. From this collective evidence, it is clear that Goldilocks feels a sense of entitlement, but it may be rooted from the deprivation in other areas in her life, such as having good family dynamics at home or having friends to hang out with leisurely.
Archetypes and theme
Character - The Outcast
Despite Goldilocks' narcissistic demeanor, she can also be seen as the archetype of The Outcast. In the beginning of the tale, she is alone picking flowers from a hill. Throughout her exploration of the Bears' house, she continues talking to herself. Once she is caught in the bed, she does not even speak to Little Bear, which she is acquainted with, and she decides to run away instead of confronting the family. From this evidence, it could be possible that Goldilocks does not have any friends or any siblings to converse with, otherwise her social skills would be much more developed. Symbolic - The Crossroads
In this tale, there are two instances where the archetype of The Crossroads is present: when Goldilocks is knocking at the front door of the Bears' house and when Goldilocks is found sleeping in Baby Bear's bed. In the first instance, Goldilocks has many options as to what she could do when no one opens the front door, such as: go back home, come back at a different time, wait until the Bear family comes back, or explore the house. In the end, she barges through the front door and begins her free tour of the house. In the second instance, Goldilocks also has options as to how to respond to the angry Bear's family, such as: own up to her actions, lie about what happened, or stay quiet and run away. In the end, she decides to run away from the situation. Theme - Every Action has a Resulting Consequence This is a major theme in Goldilocks and the Three Bears through Goldilocks' behaviour. While she adventures around an unfamiliar household, she eats what she wants, sits where she wants, and sleeps where she wants, all the while critiquing the items in the house to her standards. Ultimately, she is unaware that this misbehaviour is socially and morally unacceptable, and there will consequences because of it. By the end, her consequence is being found guilty by the Bears' family after coming back home. In real life, every action, whether it is positive or negative, will have some sort of impact to the future accordingly. For example, if someone steals a product from a store, there will be resulting legal punishments. If someone donates money to a charity, that person will be rewarded in ways greater than money can afford, such as eternal happiness. This theme can be applied to many aspects of life but proves to be an underlying theme in Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Works CitedIntroduction to Modern Literary Theory. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 July 2017.
McLeod, Saul. "Saul McLeod." Id Ego Superego | Simply Psychology. N.p., 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 13 July 2017.
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