Ismini - Freudian

     Ismini, the main protagonist is the story named after he character, has no gaps or silences, or topics she avoid talking about. She doesn’t avoid thoughts or ideas, and her parents do not have and particular gaps or silences. There are no aspects of the story that suggest the author is avoiding topics or themes, either.

     There are no significant dreams or dream sequences. There are parts where Ismini reflects on memories that show the problematic relationship her parents had. Ismini even suggests that he father raped her mother, but she doesn’t dwell of the topic.

     Ismini does have a strong bond with her father, but she is not blind to his problematic tendencies. Ismini becomes upset when her father does not come home for his birthday dinner, when she prepared a special dinner. This could suggest that she is feeling deprived of his affection and presence. Again, Freud would probably read too much into the sentences her father says to her, ‘you’re so beautiful’. It doesn’t align directly with the Electra complex, as the father initiates the more intimate moments between the two, but Ismini appears to respond in a non-negative way. The way he would ‘bend to heap hot kisses on her hands’, and claims she is ‘too innocent’, which suggests that he wants her to remain that way.

     Particularly, when Ismini reflects on the memory mentioned previously, her father says ‘don’t tempt me!’ in response to her saying she it ‘so tired of innocence’, and he proceeds to be ‘overcome by a wave of passion, crushing her fiercely in his arms he would carry her limp and golden to her bed’, definitely suggests the Electra complex has made an appearance, to a degree. Although it appears that her father is initiating the potentially sexual situations, Ismini is the narrator, and could be projecting.