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Man and His Symbols

By Carl G. Jung

(10)

| Mass Market Paperback | 9780440351832

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Book Description

Illustrated throughout with revealing images, this is the first and only work in which the world-famous Swiss psychologist explains to the layperson his enormously influential theory of symbolism as revealed in dreams.

2 Reviews

1 person find this helpful

So, finally Carl Jung in his own words. He even so happened to write in English, so it is truly his own words without translation.
Jung's interpretation of subconsiousness and dreams is very different from Freud. Jung believe that humans as a race have collective memory. When we were still in ... (continue)

So, finally Carl Jung in his own words. He even so happened to write in English, so it is truly his own words without translation.
Jung's interpretation of subconsiousness and dreams is very different from Freud. Jung believe that humans as a race have collective memory. When we were still in our primitive phase where language is not well-developed, men used to think in symbol and metaphore. But while we have language and grow "sophisticated", we lost connection with this ancient, collective wisdom.
Carl's shadow here does not necessarily mean the dark force. It is just the suppressed part of self into sub-consciousness, which means, shadow could be the angel for a devilish man....
And, Jung believe in the SELF in capital letter, which is the total SELF, a summation of both the conscious and unconscious mind.
Jung think dream is the way to bridge the unconscious and conscious mind. Since dream is the "language" of unconscious, it is expressed in symbols significant to the dreamer. So, unlike Freud, Jung does not believe in one-set-fit-all-dream-interpretation. The interpreatation got to be tailor and meet the inspirations of the dreamer before it is meaningful. So, a lock-and-key could be un-sexual (as Freud will immediately interprete it), it can be the solution, or, simply, a lock and a key....
But, I am quite surprise to see how many mistakes there are in this book. It is quite an old one and I suppose the Westerners that time were not really quite sure what "Far East" people and thinkings are. So, on of the writer of this book could even put an very obvious India picture, and mark it to be a Chinese one.........
Hm..... Jung's school of Depth Psychology should be developed a lot since Jung's time. And Jung live a good example of psychiatrist. Unlike Freud, Jung lived a healthy, happy life. So, I suppose this is a good news to know.
I won't believe any psychologist's theory if he has a lot of internal struggles and unsolved complex himself.

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Samsara said on Sep 28, 2009 | Add your feedback

Immensely intriguing

To read Jung's Man and his symbol was like to read a footnote of Hesse's Steppenwolf, and to read Steppenwolf was like to read a novel that Jung would have written!
(tbc)

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Paul Yeung said on Aug 9, 2010 | Add your feedback