Psychoanalytical Interpretations: Kate Atkinson's Behind the Scenes at the Museum

Abstract

This paper analyses the psychological aspect of Kate Atkinson's Behind the Scenes at the Museum, mainly concentrating on its protagonist, Ruby Lennox, and how her intricately built psychological difficulties have been drawn in this novel. This paper employs psychoanalytic theories by Freud's psychoanalysis and Jung's theory on the collective unconscious to explore how Atkinson maps Ruby to embark on an odyssey of self-rediscovery intertwined with family strains and historical traumas. This study explores how Ruby's memories and experiences determine her identity and impact how she sees the world. The paper examines the Memory, trauma, and identity mechanics at work in the text and how Atkinson positions Ruby's traumatic experiences regarding her fragile identity— using her narrative devices. This investigation of psychological factors contributes to a broader comprehension of character and theme depths in the present-day literary cache. In conclusion, this study highlights the relevance of psychological analysis in literature and how it can reveal the nuances of human nature through artistic representation, particularly about familial and self-concept themes. In terms of psychological study, we can see Atkinson doing a nuanced instigation of existential reflection on Memory, trauma, and identity, thus rendering her novel an indelible word-of-mouth for the human experience.