Self-Constructive Obsession in Philip Roth’s The Portnoy’s Complaint

Everyone familiar with the Freudian and overall psychoanalytical terminology somehow finds a very close link between the words” obsession” and “psychosis”, the words which, in turn become associated with sexuality. Over the years every living organism tries to acquire a means for survival. Most of the times, survival equals the prevalence of the species over its peers. Desires unfortunately or not overshadow everything that coincides with life, economic and political power, respect of peers, siblings, mates and even children largely depends on how well you are doing in your sexual life. In The Portnoy's Complaint we find the author, Philip Roth, give an unadulterated voice to the suppressed sexuality of a teenager, Portnoy. By taking us methodically and unaffectedly through every stage of his physical and sexual development, Roth manages to capture a picture of human life which, in the showy and affected modern life style which so many of us seem to lead, goes unnoticed. In this study, using mainly the psychoanalytical views of Jacque Lacan, sexuality regardless of its moral issues, is an important factor in shaping the young adult's personality.