Carol Ashey

ENGL 471
Dr. Land
Oct. 17, 2013
Regarding the Author as Patient Author(s): Phoebe C. Ellsworth Source: New Literary History,
Vol. 12, No. 1, Psychology and Literature: Some Contemporary Directions (Autumn, 1980), pp.
187-197 Published by: The Johns Hopkins University Press Stable URL:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/468814.
In her article Regarding the Author as Patient, Phoebe C. Ellsworth posits various
questions as to how a writer or author would perform his or her craft under the eye of a
psychoanalyst as a patient. She explains her goal as showing how the writer and patient have
differing intentions as well as audiences and that the tools, liberties, and texts differ depending
on the relationship between the writer and patient. The main tool that Ellsworth uses is
Psychoanalysis, evident in her use throughout the article in terms such as the self that the
author wishes to portray, as well as the id, attempts to satisfy needs (using the terms primary and
secondary processes), and dreams and grand impulses. The underlying theory, however, is
Reader-Oriented Criticism, which also shows itself throughout the article. Ellsworth uses
Reader-Oriented Criticism in her use of terms referring to audience or the reader, the text, and
how being under the scrutiny of both the psychoanalyst and the literary critic affects the author
and/or writer, and how this would affect the story the author/writer/patient produces. Ellsworth
demonstrates her research through theoretical questions and role shifting between the analyst, the
critic, and the author.
Ellsworths article is well written and is clearly understandable as she states in her
introduction what has been the usual talk concerning Psychoanalysis and the author, what she is
going to do differently, and her reasons why. Her pattern of organization is easy to follow as the
article is divided into four sections, each with its own topic. The train of thought is easy to follow
in each section although the connection between them occasionally comes across as a bit
muddled. While the author uses the term primary process frequently, the terms definition is
not given, as it is assumed that the reader is familiar with it prior to reading the article. Ellsworth
does cite her sources properly both within her article and in the notes at the end, but only makes
use of a few of them, which appear to the reader to be only mildly relevant to the articles topic.
As to whether or not the author accurately applied the theory, that remains debatable. While
Psychoanalysis is present in the title, Ellsworth uses the term as a tool to cover the surface, and
refers to it more in its relation to psychology rather than literature. The theory of ReaderOriented criticism appears to be the stronger of the theories applied especially through her use of
the terms such as audience, authors choice, and the writer/reader.