The Big Bang Theory, a popular sitcom has characters that can be analyzed psychoanalytically. Sheldon Cooper is a condescending physicist with low self esteem and social skills but has great intellect with an IQ of 187. He has an awkward sense of cleanliness and has perfectionist tendencies.
This character can be traced to his childhood according to Freud’s psychoanalytic theory to his domineering father and strict mother. The narcissistic behavior is a coping mechanism by Sheldon at forgetting his childhood. His perfectionism, arrogance and haughtiness, a sense of entitlement and the need to control are consistent with Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, a way of reclaiming his sense of relevance lost during his childhood.
Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory claims that we have unconscious things, repressed feelings which drive our behavior without our conscious knowledge. He notes childhood experiences as an indicator of personality in later life especially in relation to psychosexual development (Holmes, 29).
It can be said of Sheldon Cooper that he has trouble overcoming his anal stage hence his obsession with cleanliness and perfection at what he does. The sight of his neighbor’s dirty apartment haunts him so much he cannot sleep. He breaks in in order to clean it.
According to this theory, Sheldon can be said to be intellectualizing because of the pressure he received from his mother. The pain of being bullied during his childhood is manifested in his quest for perfection at everything he does.
He is ridiculously particular on things such as the seat criteria. He is greatly disturbed when somebody else sits on his seat. He regards those around him as inferior pointing to his quest to reclaim his superiority he lost during his childhood when around his friends and mother.
A psychoanalytic analysis reveals certain themes like narcissism in Sheldon’s behavior. He believes he is superior to those around him. He values achievement over relationships unless they suit him. But although unknown to him, he really does enjoy being close to people.
Work Cited
Friedman, Holmes. Personality: Classics theories and modern research. (6th Edition). Boston, Chicago. 2011
