Sigmund Freud’s well-known theory of the Oedipus complex “explain[s] the maturation of the infant boy through identification with the father and desire for the mother” (“Oedipus complex”). Perhaps less well-known is the female counterpart to this theory, the Electra complex. The theory, developed by Freud and coined by psychiatrist Carl Jung in reference to a character of Greek mythology, asserts that a girl is originally attached to her mother, but becomes attached to her father during the phallic stage of Freudian development and hopes that she will become pregnant by him. A ramification of this development is the development of fierce hostility towards her mother (“Electra complex”). Though not the biological father of any children in the novel, detective Nick Charles finds himself in the middle of such a conflict in Dashiell Hammett’s The Thin Man. The Electra complex rears its ugly head with Nick and Mimi as parental figures of twenty year-old Dorothy as she experiences this dramatic stage in Freudian development.
Before investigating Nick’s relationship with people outside his family, his solid relationship with his wife Nora must first be established, as it serves as an important point of contrast to the other relationships in the novel. As British writer John Stevenson remarked, “It takes a loose rein to keep a marriage tight” (“Marriage Quotes”). Indeed, it is mutual trust upon which the Charles’ marriage is founded. In response to Mimi’s compliment regarding Nora’s beauty, Nick simply replies, “‘I like her'” (23). Nick’s confident, concise reply indicates that he sees no need to elaborate further on the matter. Nora replies similarly to Dorothy’s query, “‘You like Nick a lot, don’t you, Nora?'” (27). Nora replies somewhat jokingly, but probably more affectionately, “‘He’s an old Greek fool, but I’m used to him'” (27). The comfort between Nick and Nora is seen again when Nora – in the presence of Nick – remarks, “‘Jesus, he’s a handsome guy'” in reference to Mimi’s husband, Chris Jorgenson, after he and Mimi leave the Charles’ house following a party (29). That Nora can express her feelings freely and without restraint to her husband indicates a marriage of true friends who can trust each other absolutely. While joking is much a part of their marriage, the couple also knows when to draw the line when things get serious. After Nick scuffles with Mimi and Gilbert and injures them both, Mimi provokes Nora by calling Nick a “‘monster'”: “[Nora’s] mouth was set and her eyes were almost black with anger” (148). Though both Nick and Nora are generally easygoing, friendly people, they are not tolerant of continual insults of each other and both know how to defend their spouse when necessary. The strong, healthy relationship between Nick and his wife is in sharp contrast, however, to the relationship Mimi hopes to force herself into with Nick.
Mimi’s actions and words towards Nick continually suggest that she wishes to have more than just a superficial relationship with him and also suggest their connection as parents of Dorothy. The methods that Mimi employs to attempt to persuade Nick to assist in the search for her former husband Clyde indicate the deceptive means by which Mimi attempts to forge deceptive relationships. She appeals to Nick for help and cites the fact that they “‘used to be friends'” (24). Mimi utilizes her “big blue eyes” which were “soft and appealing”, according to Nick, in an attempt to obtain his sympathy (24). Mimi’s attempt to lure Nick into the case is just the start of her deception. In contrast to his open, honest relationship with Nora, Nick’s relationship with Mimi is built on nothing but lies. Nick recognizes that “‘When you catch [Mimi] in a lie, she admits it and gives you another lie'” (141). Thus, in reality the relationship between Mimi and Nick is nothing more than a nuisance to Nick and a fantasy for Mimi. Their relationship as viewed through the eyes of Dorothy, however, consists of two people who are connected by more than just the bonds of friendship. Mimi chooses the bedroom as the room in which to hold her private conservations with Nick, which is very suggestive to Dorothy (130). She attempts to verify her hunch that Mimi is in love with Nick. When Nick rebuffs her suggestion she argues: “But she’s always have some sort of – ” probably in reference to the sexual gestures Mimi displays toward Nick throughout the novel (138). In fact, Mimi’s deceptive nature allows her to feign the relationship Dorothy sees between her mother and Nick. A final aspect to the relationship between Mimi Wynant and Nick Charles is the way in which they battle for custody over Dorothy, despite Nick having no legal rights in such a matter. Mimi is domineering in her desire to control Dorothy and threatens to “take steps to bring her home” when she flees to the Charles’ household following the beating that Mimi inflicts upon her daughter (49). The ways in which Mimi suggests she and Nick have an intimate relationship, coupled with Mimi and Nick’s battle for Dorothy’s custody, suggest their role as Dorothy’s guardians.
Abused by her mother and abandoned by her father, Dorothy seeks refuge in the home of Nick & Nora. In the opening chapter of the novel, Dorothy reveals a desire to see her father who is divorced from her mother (4). Mr. Wynant’s absence has left a void in Dorothy that she seeks to fill. In addition to lacking a father, Dorothy also lacks a stable mother to whom she can look to for advice and guidance. Following her mother’s infliction of “dark bruises on her arm, and … long red welts” on her back, Dorothy seeks asylum at Nick and Nora’s (39). Nick accepts the responsibility of Dorothy and informs Mimi that he and Nora “like having [Dorothy]” (49). Without any children of their own, Nick and Nora adopt Dorothy and shelter her under their care. Perhaps the most parental moment occurs when Dorothy sleeps over at the Charles’ and “curl[s] up beside [Nick] on the sofa” (20). From this point on, Nick establishes himself as the one man in whom Dorothy can confide her most secret thoughts and thus becomes the father figure in her life.
The dynamic relationships between Nick, Mimi, and Dorothy weave together as the evidence for the Electra complex unfolds throughout the novel. Starting with Mimi’s first interaction with Nick in the novel, Dorothy “watched [them] suspiciously” (24). Mimi suggests to Nick that “‘[Dorothy] is in love with you'” (130). In the absence of her biological father Clyde Wynant, Dorothy instead turns to Nick for fatherly guidance. The final element of the Electra complex is Dorothy’s attitude of resentment toward her mother. She definitively states her hate for her mother in a simple “I do” (138). In a statement to Nick, Mimi identifies both Dorothy’s feelings of resentment toward her and Dorothy’s feelings for Nick: “‘[Dorothy’s] jealous of me. She had absolute spasms whenever I get within ten feet of you'” (130). Nick suggests Dorothy’s crush on himself is due to her knowing him as a girl when she was “a kid of eleven or twelve” (3). In any case, both he and Mimi detect Dorothy’s contrasting attitude toward each of them. During a bedroom conversation between Mimi and Nick, Dorothy tries to force her way into the room and the rising tension between Mimi and Dorothy becomes physical as “Mimi slash[es] Dorothy across the mouth” (130). After a failed attempt to exhibit her disdain of her mother, Dorothy accomplishes her goal in her conversation with Nick that follows. Dorothy is clearly upset with the sexual advances that Mimi has been making toward Nick as evident by her statement “‘you might at least wipe [Mimi’s] lipstick off your mouth'” (137). Following Nick’s wiping it off with his handkerchief, Dorothy snatches the handkerchief, lights it on fire, and drops it out a window (137). At this point, Dorothy has grown to hate anything associated with her mother. She becomes obsessed with her status in the eyes of Nick and proudly manifests her motherly aversion. As the novel progresses, the Electra complex festers within Dorothy as her contemptuous scorn for her mother grows, along with her desire to become more involved with Nick.
Dorothy exhibits signs of the Electra complex throughout the novel through her interactions with Nick and Mimi. In the absence of her real father, Dorothy finds Nick as someone in whom she can trust and who can take care of her in times of trouble. A symptom of Dorothy’s attachment to Nick, however, is her conjuring of a fiery malevolence toward her mother. In the same way that Electra wanted to murder her mother Clytemnestra, Dorothy would like nothing better than to eliminate her mother and thus terminate Mimi’s despicable relationship with Nick that she sees. Throughout the many tumultuous relationships in the novel, Nick’s relationship with his wife Nora is one on which the reader can reflect and be reminded that not all relationships are utterly worthless. The relationships in Freud’s psychological theories and the relationship between Mimi and Dorothy in The Thin Man, however, are certainly far from idyllic.
Works Cited
“Electra complex.” Wikipedia. 4 Oct. 2005. 23 Oct. 2005. http://en.wikipedia.org.
Hammett, Dashiell. The Thin Man. New York: Random, 1992.
“Marriage Quotes.” Quote Garden. 23 Oct. 2005. http://www.quotegarden.com/marriage.html.
“Oedipus complex.” Wikipedia. 3 Oct. 2005. 23 Oct. 2005. http://en.wikipedia.org.
