Author Archives: yevgeniy.frenkel

Reading the last paragraph of Chapter two makes me think that Gilbert based some of his arguments on Freud’s ideas in the last paragraph. “We may add the reminder that the dramatic and imitative art of adults, which differs from the behavior of children in being directed towards the spectator, does not however spare the latter the most painful impressions, e.g. in tragedy and yet can be felt by him as highly enjoyable.” In Gilbert’s arguments he tries to take into account all factors of pleasure no matter how twisted another person might see it. He deems it all as happiness even though it is considered to be sickening. Freud also seems to think that no matter how children play or how painful their games, happiness is still happiness, if they enjoy the game they are happy no matter how the game is played or what effect it could have. Children play to make themselves happy, and to get away from any problems daily life could contain. In Freud’s case the problem involved a child attached to his mother who would go away for long hours. It was painful as a memory and yet the child found comfort in playing the game of disappear and return.  This relates to something from the middle ages. The bubonic plague took out a large population of Europe and yet children sang Ring around the Rosie even though it was depressing and it meant death. They found comfort in something that was dangerous by turning it into play. Same with the child, it was dangerous for his psyche for his mother to go away and yet he turned it into play to find solace and comfort. As Freud stated, it may be a tragedy and yet it is highly enjoyable. To the casual observer what the child is doing is sad and yet to one who thinks about it, also as Freud has mentioned, the child is throwing away a toy and then retrieving it, while it causes pain by throwing it away, it also causes happiness and joy when the child retrieves the toy. The child is sacrificing some happiness now, for much happiness later. He knows that the mother will return so he plays the game to constantly remind himself that his mother will always return, he does not force himself into despair, he allows himself to feel happiness and excitement at the return of his mother. As Gilbert stated “Even when people forgo happiness in the moment- by dieting when they could be eating, or working late when they could be sleeping- they are usually doing so in order to increase its future yield.” This is an important idea and it relates to Freud’s analysis of this child. He is reliving the pain of his mother leaving just so when his mother finally returns he will feel extra happiness. He sacrifices some happiness in the moment so, as Gilbert stated, his future yield of happiness is increased. Gilbert received a lot of his ideas from that quote of Freud’s. The idea of decreasing happiness in the moment to increase its yield in the future, just as Freud observed and analyzed. This also relates to the Ring around the Rosie song that children used to sing. While it seems tragic and depressing, definitely not symptoms of happiness, it also paves the way to happiness. They want to be happy and by reminding themselves of the plague constantly, they know that when the plague finally ends their happiness will have no limit. They sacrifice some happiness now so their future yield of it would be exponentially increased. Though the children are also happy while playing the game since it takes their minds off of their problems, creating an area and moment of safety.

These are some of my thoughts and observations, I especially found that the bubonic plague reference was a good one and one that I enjoyed going into some detail of. What do you think? Are my connections valid or can it be improved?