Abstract
When Donald W. Winnicott conceived his psychoanalytical concepts and theories, initially meant to address problems associated with the relationship between a mother and her child, the British paediatrician was aware they could be meaningful for understanding cultural issues too. One of the key questions when dealing with literature as a form of culture is to what extent the representation of the self in it is true or false. Winnicott’s theory of transitional objects – items used to provide psychological comfort – can operate as a significant critical tool when trying to answer such questions. This paper firstly explores the reception of Winnicott’s theory of transitional objects and phenomena and other associated concepts in literary criticism. It moves further to demonstrate it is especially relevant when literature travels or deals with international migration. Last but not least, it presents several possible limitations for the field of literary criticism, taking into consideration contemporary theories about the location of culture.
Highlights
In the early 1990s, American psychoanalyst, literary critic and cultural historian Peter L
“Transitional Objects and Transitional Phenomena” (1953), Winnicott explains that, when a mother leaves her baby alone, the baby starts playing with objects in order to deal with the sense of frustration caused by the mother’s absence
When the British pediatrician attempts to explain the way he uses the concept of culture in connection with psychoanalysis, he is rather cautious: “I am thinking of the METACRITIC JOURNAL FOR COMPARATIVE STUDIES AND THEORY 7.2 inherited tradition
Summary
In the early 1990s, American psychoanalyst, literary critic and cultural historian Peter L.
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