According to Dictionary.com, the ego is “the part of the psychic apparatus that experiences and reacts to the outside world and thus mediates between the primitive drives of the id and the demands of the social and physical environment.” The ego develops around age 3 and 4 when a child interacts more with the world because it begins to “understand that other people have needs and desires and that sometimes being impulsive or selfish can hurt us in the long run. Its the ego’s job to meet the needs of the id, while taking into consideration the reality of the situation.” (Heffner, “Freud’s Structural and Topographical Model.”) . This new development is often associated with the “reality principle” because the ego moderates the id through what can and cannot happen. A childhood example is when a young child will learn to cry less or not at all when hungry because they can comprehend the needs and wants of others.
In a more in depth understanding, “Freud theorized that the ego uses defense mechanisms to distort reality in order to deal with anxiety. The ego represses unacceptable feelings and memories from consciousness so that they remain below the surface. “ (60)
The Ego is represented by Marlow, who could also be seen as the alter ego of Kurtz because of the similarities between their Ids. When Marlow heads up the Congo River, he does not know what to expect; therefore, when Marlow sees Kurtz, he struggles to keep his Id in harmony with his Ego, whereas Kurtz’s Id consumes him.
This is the fundamental difference between Marlow and Kurtz and makes them stronger characters in the novel. The reader sees two potential paths of one character, but through the actions and fate of multiple characters. There was potential for Marlow to have the same fate as Kurtz because the doctor implied those who travel up the River, never come back. Clearly something happens to these men; they are either consumed by madness and die, or Kurtz kills them. Marlow’s action of staying true to his Ego allows him in the future to look at life more meaningfully.
In a more in depth understanding, “Freud theorized that the ego uses defense mechanisms to distort reality in order to deal with anxiety. The ego represses unacceptable feelings and memories from consciousness so that they remain below the surface. “ (60)
The Ego is represented by Marlow, who could also be seen as the alter ego of Kurtz because of the similarities between their Ids. When Marlow heads up the Congo River, he does not know what to expect; therefore, when Marlow sees Kurtz, he struggles to keep his Id in harmony with his Ego, whereas Kurtz’s Id consumes him.
This is the fundamental difference between Marlow and Kurtz and makes them stronger characters in the novel. The reader sees two potential paths of one character, but through the actions and fate of multiple characters. There was potential for Marlow to have the same fate as Kurtz because the doctor implied those who travel up the River, never come back. Clearly something happens to these men; they are either consumed by madness and die, or Kurtz kills them. Marlow’s action of staying true to his Ego allows him in the future to look at life more meaningfully.