James Joyce and the Internal World of the Replacement Child

This book explores James Joyce's internal world, particularly his experience as a "replacement child" born into his parents' grief after the loss of their firstborn son. It links Joyce's emotional difficulties with the trauma of being a replacement child and compares his experience to psychoanalytic cases and other well-known figures. The book discusses issues such as survivor guilt, sibling rivalry, and the "dead mother syndrome." Joyce is seen as maturing through his writing, intelligence, humor, and poetic sensibility, finding greater emotional freedom and a new sense of belonging in exile. The book offers insights into Joyce's emotional development and his literary works.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 128 pages
Publication date: 29 January 2024
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This captivating book delves into the intricate inner world of James Joyce, shedding light on the profound impact of his birth into the midst of his parents' grief following the loss of their firstborn son. Through meticulous exploration, Mary Adams offers a fresh perspective on Joyce's emotional struggles, drawing connections between his deep-seated sense of guilt and abandonment and the trauma of being a'replacement child.' Adams skillfully compares Joyce's experiences with those of two psychoanalytic cases and explores the broader context of replacement children, drawing upon the insights of figures such as Freud and others. The book addresses a range of complex issues, including survivor guilt, sibling rivalry, the complexities of the 'illegitimate replacement son,' and the phenomenon known as the 'dead mother syndrome.' Joyce's journey is portrayed as a transformative one, as he matures through his writing, intelligence, humor, and exquisite poetic sensibility. By escaping the oppressive realities of life in Dublin and finding solace in exile, Joyce experiences a newfound emotional freedom and a profound sense of belonging. A notable contrast is observed between the claustrophobic intrusive identification present in Ulysses and the vibrant, imaginative identification, intimacy, and compassion found in Finnegans Wake. James Joyce and the Internal World of the Replacement Child serves as a valuable resource for psychoanalysts, psychoanalytic psychotherapists, child psychotherapists, students of English literature, psychoanalytic studies, and readers with a keen interest in James Joyce's life and work. In addition to the main text, readers can access an additional piece by the author online at http://replacementchildforum.com/a-white-bird-trapped-inside-me-beating-scared-wings/. This supplementary material provides further insights into the themes explored in the book and encourages deeper exploration of the complex emotional dynamics of the replacement child.

Weight: 194g
Dimension: 215 x 138 x 11 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032314778