Lacan and Literature

Booknews

Any discourse based on Lacan is not for the postmodern feint hearted, but armed with a basic understanding of his theories this collection of 10 essays (and a guiding light of an introduction) reflects well on the nearly disembodied notions that characterize the psychoanalyst's work. The contributors proceed from the thesis that a literary work mirrors a reader's ego, linking language and unconscious to produce a kind of psychic schemata. They demonstrate this intricate interplay through the analysis of five 20th century writers: D.H. Lawrence, Ernest Hemingway, Albert Camus, Roland Barthes, and Alain Robbe-Grillet--a particularly virulent male group whose large egos can survive even a deconstructionist's dissection. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)