Wasp Factory
|
Landscape and gender
Female: fecundity fertile green grove lakes pools river water flow tides menses amniotic fluid well spring moon shade shelter woodland grove garden ocean sea cave valley Male: desert wilderness heat mountain sun road sand rock tower fire |
| Freud sought to understand the mind via the unconscious. As there can be no direct access to the unconscious he used the interpretation of dreams to divine . The material in the unconscious is very potent (that is why it is unconscious) and can reveal the deepest fears of desires of the individual |
 |
|
Such imagery can also be seen in the work of artists in all media. Such material, according to Freud, is predominantly sexual in nature - because in Freud's terms sexuality is central to the development of the individual. Such imagery can therefore represent the penis or phallus or aspects of the female genitalia and sexuality. They could also be symbolic of sexual intercourse or even birth. |
| Even everyday objects can be phallic or represent the womb or vagina. Pens, purses, boxes, candles and the like. |
| The imagery of landscape is redolent with sexual imagery. |
| In wasp factory there are many instances of sexual imagery, Frank specialises in it. The poles, like totem poles decorated with skulls are shaman's staffs -archetypal phalluses. The bomb with which he kills his brother Paul and the pipe bombs which he builds are clearly phallic. So too is the air-rifle, the catapult and the flame thrower, and the process of firing them. The vocabulary also uses sexual imagery, thrusting, pushing, tearing. |
 |
| Water can be looked upon as a female principle, fire as a male one. Frank dams the flow of streams and then bombs his creations attempting to take control of the female principle. He equates himself with the destructive force which he feels epitomises maleness. The death of Blyth by snake bite is another use of a phallic symbol. The death of Esmeralda could be read as a sexual act, being lifted up and carried away to her death by drowning. |
    |
