An Illusionary Image of Self—Lacanian Reading of Quentin’s Tragedy

Abstract

Lacan’s mirror theory explains that human’s image of self is formed in the mirror stage of the imaginary order. In the stage, an infant has a complete image in a mirror for the first time, and believes that the illusionary image is himself/herself. An infant gets the joy of being a complete unity and thinks that he/she can control himself/herself. Although the stage will be ff nished when an infant is 18 months old, the image will continue to inffuence him/her, and the happiness and sense of control always forces human to pursue it. However, according to Jacques Lacan, the image is illusionary and unattainable, which makes human painful. Quentin, as the eldest son of Compson family in William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury, he just is caught in the illusionary image. His construction of himself is a savior of family and old southern culture, but his sister’s loss of virginity and his failures make him realize that the image is illusionary and he can never gain the joy of being a unity. Finally, he chooses to commit suicide to get rid of the psychological pain.