Fairy tale which shapes reality: psychoanalytical perspective on the pathology of the father igure and figure of the third through the prism of Little Red Ridinghood story

Psychoanalysis of a fairy tale

Abstract

Today psychoanalytic theory emphasizes the importance of the father figure in the normal psychosexual development of the child. The father's function is not limited to biological fatherhood, but includes a wide range of psychological and emotional aspects: the father is the one who separates the child from the mother, which is a necessary step in the development of the baby; represents external world and introduces such notions as distance and difference, which helps the child develop individuality and autonomy. The father is also a model for the child in the formation of identity as well as the development of symbolism. The oedipal conflict is one of the key points in the development of the individualwhich shows law and order, as well as prohibitions and restrictions. The father function represents by not only the father himself, but also by the function of the third which canmodify the dyadic relationship between mother and child. But what if the manifestation of paternal function is insufficient or pathological? How can this affect the development of the child? And can the symbolism of fairy tales and legends increase this negative impact? This article proposes to trace the development of psychoanalytic thought on the father's role and the role of the third, including pathological and compensatory aspects. The authors also study the symbolization of the ambivalence of the werewolf father through the prism of the wolf as the figure of the third in one of the most popular fairytales – Little Red Ridinghood.