Whoville Grinch Psychology

In Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, readers explore how the Grinch holds hatred towards Christmas and the Whos who celebrate it in Whoville. Under the lens of psychoanalytic theory, we can interpret the Grinch’s underlying motivation for ruining the Whos’ special holiday by applying the Freudian concepts, such as defense mechanism, unconscious thoughts, id, ego, and superego, etc. Delving into the character’s subconsciousness can provide us with a better insight into how the character’s actions are expressed as a manifestation of his own unconscious desires. The Grinch’s hatred towards Christmas in Whoville can be interpreted through the defense mechanism. The Grinch is furious when he hears the Whos decorating and celebrating. His reaction to gathering …show more content…

Being unwelcome and outcast, he needs to ensure the Whos share his misery as a defensive response to the feeling of rejection. The Grinch’s attempts to eradicate the Christmas atmosphere are rooted in his suppressed desires and deep-seated insecurities. His outward expression of resentment serves as a shield against his underlying feelings of loneliness and longing for acceptance. While conscious of his irritation, he takes action immediately– goes on miles on a freezing winter night, destroys the Christmas spirit in Whoville, and stops the smiles on the Whos’ faces at Christmas. However, he is unable to identify the jealousy lingering in his heart. He is jealous of the Whos that have families around, and those who celebrate the presence of Christmas, as they were things he could not possess. The jealousy, unknown to Grinch, has misguided him to pursue his ill intentions, seeking to abolish the holiday joy in Whoville. The Grinch’s destructive spree in Whoville is halted upon encountering Cindy Lou, leading to an internal struggle between his id and