What is an effect of Freudianism on modern literature?

• A. A focus on the subconscious, dreams, and inner life
• B. Characterized by rapid, action-driven plots
• C. A decline in psychological exploration
• D. An emphasis on historical events over individual psychology

Answer: (D)

Freud taught that much of human behavior is driven by hidden desires and unresolved conflicts lurking in the subconscious. Modern writers embraced this by foregrounding the inner life—subconscious motives, dream imagery, and psychological tension—as the engine of meaning in their works. They often use interior narration, dream sequences, and symbolic motifs to reveal wants, fears, guilt, and repression that shape actions far more than surface events. This shift makes psychology central to characterization and plot, not just a backdrop. The other directions—only fast-paced external action, a decline in psychological exploration, or prioritizing historical events over inner life—don’t capture this move toward examining what lies beneath the surface.