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Camille Shevlin
ENG 2250
November 28, 2014
Lacanian Imaginary
Jaques Lacan was a psychoanalytical theorist responsible for constructing the theories of
the symbolic, imaginary and real orders. Lacan was influenced heavily by Sigmund Freud’s
theories of the id, ego and super-ego to form his own theories. Lacan’s real order is similar to
Freud’s theory of the id; both are need driven and do not take societies rules into account.
Lacan’s symbolic order is also very similar to Freud’s ego theory, trying to regulate the real with
what the self wants most. Lacan’s biggest, and arguably most complex, concept is the imaginary
order which he described in his article “On the Mirror Stage as Formative of the I” in 1936. The
imaginary order, like Freud’s super-ego theory, is very similar to the current idea of the
subconscious, but unlike Freud’s super-ego it is not formed out of the presence of a phallus;
rather the imaginary forms out of gaining further insight into one’s self.
The imaginary order begins to form in what Lacan referred to as the mirror stage of one’s
life. This stage is used to describe infants in the 6-18 month stage who first understand the
meaning of their reflections. According to Lacan, this is the first time that the child realizes that
it is its own separate entity from the world surrounding it (“Lacan: the Mirror Stage”). Until this
point it had no way of differentiating where the world surrounding it ended, and it’s body began.
All it had recognized of itself for the first five months were pieces, like an arm or leg that it
could see. It did not see this arm or leg as separate from the blanket on which it laid, or its
mother’s arms that held it as it ate. Once it identifies its mirror self as a whole individual, it

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begins to recognize others as their own selves as well. This leads to the child recognizing its
mother as separate from itself.
When the child realizes that it is incomplete for the first time it sees a hole in the real,
which Lacan refers to as ‘objet petit a’, and yearns to fill that hole. It has realized that it is
separate from the mother and wants nothing more than to get back to being one with her. As it
cannot do that, the child begins to feel anxiety. The child realizes that it is alone in this world,
and feels loss for the first time (Felluga).
In the wake of that loss a child will begin to imagine a perfect self, as perfect as the
misrecognized mirror image. Lacan refers to this as the “Ideal-I” or “ideal ego” throughout his
works (Felluga). As this perfect self is unachievable the child will begin to hate the image it sees
in the mirror. The child is this image, and therefore completely understands as well as hates it.
These conflicting feelings can create more confusion and anxiety for the child..
Once the child enters the mirror stage it begins to want for things instead of just need
them. Lacan refers to these wants as ‘demands’. This is when the child begins to demand things
that are apart from it. The child begins to find role models in life, most of the time a father-like
figure, and begins to wish for things that it sees them with. In the child’s mind it believes that
this stranger is happy because they possess this certain thing, so in order for it to be happy it
needs to possess this thing as well. Its desires become based society and culture, rather than
need. Lacan refers to this as a narcissistic desire, wanting others to fill the void in its own life
with those that surround it.
After the imaginary fully develops, the symbolic order kicks in. In this order the children
come to terms with the fact that they can never truly achieve their desires. The real order will
always get in the way of it getting what it wants out of life. The child begins to learn rules and

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laws in this stage of development. It learns how to effectively communicate through language,
and it is at this point in time that the desire becomes no longer its own, but rather affected by the
language in which it has to use to communicate. It’s desires are known and manipulated by what
Lacan refers to as ‘the Other’ (“Lacan: the Mirror Stage). The Other is seen as any authority
figure, usually a male in Lacan’s time.
The imaginary and symbolic orders are very closely intertwined with one another. The
symbolic order represents language and the control of the Other on the untamed real order. The
imaginary order, is an intrinsic form of control, mediated entirely by the individuals own selfish
desires. As the child grows these orders grow with them. These orders and the individual’s way
of handling each of them, dictates who they are as people. The same can be said for characters in
novels. Just as people in real life are analyzed based on the development of each of these orders
and which one is the more dominant controlling factor, so to can the characters in literary works
written through the ages.

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Works Cited
Felluga, Dino F. "Introduction to Jacques Lacan, Module on the Structure of the Psyche."
Introduction to Jacques Lacan, Module on the Structure of the Psyche. N.p., n.d. Web. 12
Nov. 2014.
"Lacan: The Mirror Stage." Critical Link. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2014.