PSYCHOLOGY AND LITERATURE

Evening Star, Issue 23025, 2 August 1938, Page 3

PSYCHOLOGY AND LITERATURE

REMARKABLE MODERN INFLUENCES CONTEMPORARY AUTHORS DISCUSSED The novels of H. G. Wells, Janies Joyce, Aldous Huxley, D. H. Lawrence, and other writers were discussed from an unusual angle last night in the Education History Class Room at the Otago University, by Dr Thomas Greenwood, M.A., Ph.D., L. es L., of Birkhcck College, London, in an address on 1 The influence of Psychology on the Contemporary English Novel.’ Dr J. Findlay, Professor of Philosophy at Otago University, occupied the chair. After generalising on the development of psychology, Dr Greenwood led up to the four main forms of psychology dominating- literature t'o-day, the influence of which was largely indirect. It was not necessary to study psychology to be a good writer, the speaker stated, but many novelists were influenced by traditional ideas of psychology. Other novelists favoured social psychology, and their novels dealt with subjects having a definite influence on society. The third group made use of abnormal situations, and presented the marvellous side of the imagination, while the final group stressed psychology from the point of view of behaviourism and psycho-analysis. The speaker cited Wells’s ‘ Island of Doctor Moreau ’ as a splendid example of the use made of abnormal situations. The author had illustrated the use of human and animal psychology, and from comparisons made between the two had drawn imaginary results. Wells had used imaginative biological psychology in writing of -wars between the planets. Later Wells concentrated on social psychology, and this was developed in ‘ The Wheels of Chance.’ ‘ Love and Mr Lewisham,’ * The History of Mr Polly,’ and ‘ Kipps.’ Behaviourism also was stressed in the central characters] reactions to sudden changes of environment. These characters were not depicted as intellectuals, but rather as persons without much education, and not always gentlemen, and their reactions to changes in environment were interesting, revealing Wells’s knowledge of man. There were evidences of evolutionary influences in their attitude towards God, dutv. and action, and the future life. Wells also stressed other movements of social psychology, and clashes between the individual and society and the individual and the State formed the central thesis of ‘ The World of William Clissold.’ ‘ The New Machiavelli,’ and ‘ First and , Last Things.’ In some of his later works, the speaker stated, Wells, in basing his thesis on changes of processes of civilisation, went beyond the bounds ot social phychology _ and entered the realms of international ethics. Abnormal situations were to be found in many of Sir Janies Barrie’s novels and plays, and the speaker cited ‘ Dear Brutus ’ as a particularly outstanding example. Discussing behaviourism, Dr Greenwood said that some of the works ot May Sinclair provided examples that tended towards idealism, and which was often explained in rather technical terms: This newer psychology was to be found in the works of many writers, such as Joyce, Huxley, and Lawrence. The average reader needed an adjustment in his views of psychology to understand Joyce’fully. Believing in this new psychology, Joyce attempted in ‘Ulysses ’ to describe the moments and phases of his hero. According to students of pscho-aualysis, primitive motives were to be discovered at the beginning of every action, and belief was followed in ‘ Ulysses,' but it was hard to follow. Joyce was a master of words, and he often put them together just for the sake of obtaining beautiful sound, and was heedless as to meaning. He was giving way to his own desire for selfexpression, and this method he followed in ‘Anna Livia Plurabelle.’ Joyce had found it necessary to defend ‘ Ulysses ’ on technical grounds, and argued that his book, being based on psychology, was not indecent, and that he had drawn upon every feeling and instinct. In the case of Lawrence, he believed that primitive instincts determined personality and that higher influences of life did not count. It was this kind

of message he gave to the world in his books. The' feelings of love and sex were most pronounced in his writings, and these feelings were developed on primitive instincts. In spite of a high literary standard, Lawrence’s works, because of ♦this theme, really based on the unconscious of Freud. tended to become monotonous. His . attitude towards marriage was intolerable, and were "it representative of life the law of the jungle would prevail. Yet his books were important contributions to literature from the point of view of psycho-analysis. Lawrence defended his books in his recently published * Letters,’ and Huxley also defended them in ‘Vulgarity in Literature.’ Huxley not only favoured r'sy.hoanalysis, but also behaviourism. He brought a deliberate equilibrium between mind and body, and , favoured the theory of matter over mind, rather than mind over matter. He had a peculiar attitude towards his charafccers. While tending to denounce their vices,' ■ he appeared to glory in them and detailed them fully. He wrote as an ascetic, but it was a false ascetism. in which lay the most powerful influence of his work. The use made of phychology in novels, said the speaker, and more especially the lack of criticism by psychologists of the methods used, were open to censure. Man had vices and virtues, and though it was permissible to *iiow the workings of the primitive urges, it should always be remembered there were other motives, of a much’ higher order, which had great influences upon man’s actions. At the conclusion of his address. Dr Greemvopd was asked' several ouestions. M. F. W. Guest then moved a vote of thanks, which was carried by acclamation.