Conscious vs. Unconscious Realms
Sabina has two lives/ two selves which are drawn from her conscious and unconscious states. It is as if her life with Alan is in the conscious world, and her life with Philip along with her many lovers is in a dream-like state. This is displayed when she feels a "piercing joy of her liberation: she was free, free as man was to enjoy without love" when she is with Philip (Nin 49). However, when Sabina is with Alan, she is obedient and longs to make him happy. In addition, when Sabina is with her lovers, she experiences a feeling of "fever" most associated with passion or sex, which is described as being like "moments in a dream" (63). So it can be said that when Sabina is with her lovers, it is as if she is in the dream world of her unconscious state, and in this state, she feels a sense of liberation and freedom to explore her world.
On several occassions, the novel mentions that Alan treats Sabina as his daughter, since he is so loving towards her, but he also wants to shelter her from the world. This can also be seen as he becomes somewhat upset whenever she leaves to go on her trips to act in plays. Overall, he wants her to be domesticated. However, he does not know that Sabina actually goes to meet her lovers when she goes on her trips to "act". Indeed, she does play a role when she is with these men; that is the role of a free woman who is without constraint. With Alan, Sabina conforms to the society of her time, since women were expected to be submissive. However, in her unconscious state, she cannot take this sumissiveness anymore, and so she allows her body to explore her unconscious desires as well as her sexuality.
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Introduction
Conscious vs. Unconscious Realms
Freud's Theories Applied to Sabina's Mind
Conclusion
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Suggested Readings
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