Which approach studies the thought processes of both the author and characters within a text?

• A. Psychoanalytic
• B. New Historicism
• C. Christ Figure
• D. Aestheticism

Answer: (A)

Psychological analysis focuses on hidden thoughts, desires, and conflicts that shape what a text reveals and how its characters act. It treats the author as someone whose own unconscious themes can surface in the writing—through motifs, voice, and recurring images that reveal personal concerns or drives. At the same time, it sees the characters as motivated by inner conflicts, wishes, and past experiences, analyzing how those mental processes influence decisions, relationships, and conflicts within the story. By looking at things like dreams, symbolism, and defense mechanisms, this approach uncovers how inner life fuels both the creation of the work and its characters’ behavior. This makes it the method that most directly attends to the thought processes of both author and characters, unlike approaches that focus mainly on historical context, religious symbolism, or artistic form.