Repression And Family Dynamics In Jiménez's What Happened To Ruthy Ramirez

Abstract

The present research study examines repression in Jiménez's What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by using Freud's psychoanalytic theory to interpret the psychological growth of the protagonist. The major defense mechanism of repression which Freudian theory acknowledges takes inclusive analysis of Ruthy’s unexpressed memories along with unresolved conflicts and hidden desires. The researchers used qualitative methods to explore specific critical points when Ruthy’s suppressed feelings especially regarding her family and past trauma become visible. This study uses Freudian concepts about internal mental processes and unconscious defense mechanisms to explain how Ruthy subdues her painful memories about abandonment by family members and domestic violence and losing her father. The unresolved experiences create changes in how she interacts with others and her sense of personal identity and the way she relates to people. The researchers reconnoiter theme of repression in the novel as a mechanism which exists both within Ruthy's self and as a collective element shaping her family and societal environment. This research demonstrates that repression heavily affects Ruthy's self-identity development while influencing the complex breakdowns within family trauma and unregulated emotional tension patterns. The researchers use repression as a central theme to improve our understanding of character development and narrative structure in Jiménez’s novel according to psychoanalytic literary practices.