כפילותו של הגיבור הספרותי על רקע כשל בתהליך הספרציה-אינדיבידואציה: החתונות שלנו לרביניאן כמקרה מבחן

This article is part of a doctoral dissertation dealing with the theme of the double as it appears in several literary works of the 19th, 20th and early 21st centuries. Literary works focusing on this theme present a protagonist who encounters his/her double ('multiplication)', or disintegrates into several self-parts ('split'). The basic assumption guiding the dissertation is that doubling is a complex phenomenon, characterized by both mental and epistemological aspects, whose underlying issue concerns the very nature of human identity. Thus, the approach adopted by this study is inter-disciplinary, as it seeks to analyze the theme from philosophical, psychoanalytic and linguistic perspectives.
Adopting a psychoanalytical approach, one section of the study seeks to answer the questions of when and why the phenomenon of the double might emerge. The answers it provides for these questions stem from various developmental theories and the difficulties which might evolve in the course of an individual's development.
The present article shows how the double theme can be perceived as resulting from failure in the separation-individuation process put forward by Margret Mahler (1897-1985) and her colleagues, as well as a few other developmental psychoanalysts writing after Mahler. Mahler relates to the child's "psychological birth", as differentiated from his or her biological one, as a period lasting between the ages of four months and three years old. This period is characterized by physical and psychological processes essential for the infant's definition as a separate and consistent entity. This process was entitled "separation-individuation", and, like other psychological processes, it often persists throughout life.
The "separation-individuation" process consists of several stages, preceded by two significant antecedent sub-phases. During 'the primary autism', babies are not yet aware of the existence of their mother – or any other external factor - as fulfilling their needs. During 'the normal symbiosis' sub-phase the baby functions and behaves as if together with his mother they constitute an omnipotent system, a dual unity existing within a common membrane. It is characterized by lack of differentiation between 'me' and 'not-me', as well as between internal and external entities.
These two primary sub-phases are prerequisites for the following "separation-individuation" process. Early child psychoses are perceived by Mahler as extreme identity disorders, which represent fixations or regressions to the above mentioned phases. Early autism is characterized by deficiency in perceiving the mother as gestalt and differentiating between the internal and external worlds. In several literary works whose main theme is the double, one can point to a similar 'autistic' pattern, where the protagonist cannot but see the other as his reflection.
The symbiotic syndrome reflects fixation or regression to the omnipotent merging with the mother as a provider of the infant's needs. Children suffering from this syndrome manifest labile homeostasis and mutual penetration between ego and id. As a result, the ego is not capable of fulfilling the developmental tasks leading to self differentiation and separation from the mother. Consequently, the achievement of separation-individuation is prevented.
Some of the literary works dealing with the double clearly include manifestations of the protagonists' tendency towards merging with the double in order to strengthen themselves. Creating such a dual unity fulfills their fantasy of being omnipotent and immune to any sort of impingement.
The "separation-individuation" process begins with differentiation and body image development, goes on with practicing, marked by the infant's investigation of his broadening surrounding and celebrating his relative independence, and continues with the Rapprochement. This latter stage is characterized by ambivalence on the infant's part, who wishes to re-merge with the mother, yet struggles to maintain his newly-acquired autonomy. Protagonists of literary works dealing with the double often engage is such an ambivalent attitude, craving for unity with their double while fearing to lose their autonomy and unique identity.
The final stage in Mahler's "separation-individuation" process, 'consolidation of individuality and the beginnings of emotional object constancy', leads to the formation of self identity by way of differentiation which contributes to the development of individuation. Following Mahler's insights, Peter Blos (1904-1997) claims that any adolescent has to undergo a "Second Individuation Process", in which s/he re-negotiates separation from his/her parents' images. Adolescents having trouble completing this process might strengthen their attachment with early internalized objects, rather than replacing them with others by means of developing meaningful relations with new objects.
This developmental process is deeply relevant to the phenomenon of the literary double for several reasons. First, underlying this process is the infant's developing ability to differentiate between his inner and outer worlds, between reality and imagination, and, primarily, between himself and the other. This ability is one often extremely challenged among the protagonists of literary works dealing with the double. Secondly, this process is founded on the infant's growing separation from the mother. Most protagonists of the discussed literary works tend to yearn to merge with their double, and suffer extreme difficulty separating from the latter. Finally, the ultimate objective of this developmental process is individuation, i.e., earning defined individuality along with object constancy. The majority of the protagonists in case possess rather blurred self boundaries, which prevents them from accomplishing this developmental goal.
Focusing on the novel Our Weddings by Dorit Rabinian (1972- ) as a case study, this article illustrates that the protagonists of the works discussed face difficulties in distinguishing between themselves and others, which is fundamental for achieving individuation. Instead of separating themselves from others, they tend to see the other as their reflection, or as their extension. For this reason, they often experience identity disorders related either to the autistic pole, by way of splitting and isolation, or to the symbiotic pole, by way of merging with the other into a unity which does not preserve any separateness, hence cannot possibly lead to individuation.
The tendency towards de-differentiation seems to function as a thematic axis in Rabinian's novel. This issue is epitomized in the doubling between Matti and her dead twin Moni, though questions regarding separateness and distinctiveness arise with respect to the other characters as well. It is, in fact, a leitmotif running through the protagonist family. Much as the father and mother characters used to hold extremely intimate relations with their mothers, respectively, so does the mother maintain a highly symbiotic rapport with her eldest son. The older sisters mingle with each other in a way that is hard for both themselves and the other family members to tell them apart. This "daughter bundle" is explicitly encouraged by their mother, who wishes them to be as equal as possible.
The lack of a skin, or a defining membrane, for each individual member of the family seems to underlie the familial pathology. This constellation sets up obstacles before the achievement of individuation by all its members. As a result, none of the children succeed in establishing sound relationships viable apart from their original family, as they fail in finding the optimal distance, allowing for both separateness and independence.
Unlike her older brothers, Matti, the youngest of the children, born shortly after her twin Moni died during labour, does not identify with the female whole represented by her sisters. By contrast, she mentally and physically adheres to her dead twin, who constitutes her primary sub-group. In fact, her identity is not fully defined without his constant presence at her side.
Whereas her sisters and elder brother seem to be drawn to the symbiotic pole of identity disorders, both with their mother and among the girls, Matti is driven to the autistic pole with respect to her mother and to alternative symbiosis with Moni. This is evident in her excessive self-aggressive behavior, which is aimed at sharpening her awareness of her self-body border.
Eventually, Matti expels Moni from her life, thus choosing life over death. This seems possible thanks to her entering adolescence, a period when she can finally be accepted into 'the daughter bundle'. Yet, having been born into this undifferentiated family, it is unclear whether she is indeed on her way to individuation (the desired "psychological birth"), or rather substitutes her primary identification-merging with a more mature one. In other words, she might be moving from the autistic pole to the symbiotic one, never stopping to experience a true "hatching."