If I Could But Choose Again, I Would Choose Wisely: A Psychoanalytic Approach To Mark Twain’s The Five Boons of Life

Abstract

There are myriads of wants, wishes, and desires in the minds of human beings. However, the fulfillment of these needs is not always possible, for there are some internal and external factors governing the satisfaction of each desire. Before gratifying any needs and deciding whether or not to fulfill any request, it is crucial to examine the nature of this specific demand and consider the consequences that might eventually be brought about. The paper aims to represent the theme of repentance in The Five Boons of Life, which emerges from making wrong choices in life and the bitter consequences that follow. Further, it claims that Freud’s psychoanalytic theories can be applied to Mark Twain’s short story, The Five Boons of Life. The study is important as it may give some insights about where the regret comes from and how the human psyche works.