Analysis of The Return of Totemism in Childhood

Totem and Taboo is a book by an Austrian neurologist called Sigmund Freud, who is considered by many as the founder of psychoanalysis. In it, Freud argues that all modern forms of socialization are influenced by their seemingly primitive cultures of origin. He also argues that all behaviors of conformity arise from a common primitive form. A totem is a symbol with a common meaning to a certain group of people. Members of the same totem are typically not allowed to breed. In Totem and Taboo, Freud points out such simplistic societies just do not have a way of figuring out the psychological effects of incest.

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The fourth chapter in Totem and Taboo is titled The Return of Totemism in Childhood, and examines the origin of totems. The author points out that his studies imply exogamy is not innate in human beings. At his core, primal man has no desire to engage in sexual relations with close members of his family. However, it becomes a kind of a norm through social conditioning. In the chapter, Freud talks about the totem animal slaughter. It is a ceremonial occasion celebrated by the clan through the cruel slaughter of totem animal of its own via devouring it raw-flesh, blood, and bones. The clansmen are present, and they are trying to find their identity in resemblance with it by dress code, imitation of its movement and sound. The actions are justifiable only when done by the whole clan. Freud says that "Each man is conscious that he is performing an act forbidden to the individual and justifiable only through the participation of the whole clan." During the deed, the animal slaughtered is bewailed and lamented. During the celebration, it is obligatory for the mourning, and it is imposed by a threaten retribution of dread which is followed by the festive rejoicing celebrations. The general considerate of the festivals nature is what Freud refers to as "a permitted, or rather an obligatory, excess, a solemn breach of a prohibition." It merely means that it is an allowed severe violation of a prohibition. The men do not consign the excess due to the received injunction, but rather is in the festival essence.

It is a clear argument that some actions, when done by an individual, might be prohibited, though when done by a specific group, they become justifiable. The main reason for the group's occasion slaughter is to deny the criminal responsibility from a single individual. The reason for mourning and rejoicing is because the totem animal is the father's substitute like the hesitant emotional attitude mirrors the modern life father complex.

Darwin's Theories are also mentioned in the chapter. A better understanding emerges when the totem translation of psycho-analytic, the meal of totem fact, and Darwin's theories are brought together during the earliest human society state. Therefore, forming unsuspected correlation among phenomena groups which have up till then been disconnected. Freud says that in a primal horde of Darwin, there is no specific place to begin totemism. Therefore, it can be started at any point. A jealous and violent father is identified, and this can be seen when he keeps the women for himself as well as driving away from his sons while growing up.

The situation is described as the earliest society state, which has not been an observation object. It, therefore, marks the primitive type of organization which we come across, one of the force to the present day in particular tribes that comprise of males bands with members of equal rights. Also, they are the focus on totemic system restrictions that include even in-heritance via the mother. It leaves the question of whether this organization form is from other ones and if this is the case on what kind of lines? Freud settled on that the meal of totem celebration interceding can be of help in finding an answer and ending the patriarchal group.

The theory of Charles Darwin is used because it is a perfect representation of early humankind society's arrangements in an attempt by man to live in an organized community. Just like in the societies of the gorilla, a single man owns the entire women and remaining males by default they turn exogamous. It can be taken to be a symbol of power being concentrated on a single person as well as a person who is selfish and wants everything for himself alone. It is every male desire to be like this man, especially his superiority. Therefore, there is always that real attraction to absolute superiority; for instance, the males' admiration to also own the women. Therefore, this admiration leads to evil minds with the primary motivation to acquire superiority. What ends up is that the criminal deed is committed which is killing and incest in the desire to satisfy their need, which in our scenario is the sexual desire.

Chapter four also mentions something about revocation of the criminal deed. Despite the latter consequences appearing plausible, the brothers were full of conflicting feelings that are evident in the hesitant children's father-complexes and neurotic patients. The reason why they detested their father is that he was a dreadful obstacle to their sexual desire and craving for power. Though, at the same time, it can be seen that they admired and loved him too. Their aspirations are satisfied after getting free of him, and they had actualized their wishes via identifying themselves with their father. The affection was hurdled to be felt in the kind of remorse and the sense of blame coincided with the entire group remorse. It led to the deceased father being stronger as compared to the living person and his sons prohibited things which his real existence prevented. Freud refers as "deferred obedience." In revoking their criminal deed, they did several things that are; forbidding the totem killing, their father's substitute.

The renouncing of its fruits which are via quitting their claim over the free women is the other thing. The feeling being pleasurable is because their desires were satisfied by killing their father, who blocked them from attaining the power and sexual drives. It is therefore vivid that to commit a deed, there must something to be achieved, and the admiration for doing it is the essential factor. Also, a criminal deed has its consequences like the regret and the failure feeling by the brothers. It is these consequences that lead to one learning his mistake, and that's why the brothers end up revoking the criminal deed. The first one is that totemic religion originated from the filial guilt sense while trying to calm the feeling as well as through deferred obedience to appease their father. It can, therefore, be observed that all the regions that followed are an attempt to solve the same problem and only vary depending on the civilization stage. The other feature is the ambivalence tension which implicit within the father-complex perseveres in religions and totemism. Generally, totemic religion arose from the guilt of killing and desire to appease the deceased, and this formed the basis for the emergence of other religions. The civilization stage is the main factor that makes the difference in these religions.