Carl Jung, the famed Swiss psychiatrist (1875–1961), believed we all walk around with a “shadow self” — a hidden part of our unconscious filled with repressed thoughts, desires, and experiences. According to Jung, our dreams are a powerful way to encounter this shadow. By exploring our darker sides, we don’t become worse—we become more whole, more balanced.
I think fiction is a direct line into the shadow self. It’s why we’re drawn to certain stories, especially ones that explore taboo subjects. Maybe you love true crime podcasts. Maybe you crave romance novels with a bit of spice—or a lot. No judgment. How did Fifty Shades of Grey become a global phenomenon? It offered a safe way for millions to meet their shadow selves in the darkened comfort of a movie theater.
Jung once wrote:
“The shadow is a moral problem that challenges the whole ego-personality, for no one can become conscious of the shadow without considerable moral effort. To become conscious of it involves recognizing the dark aspects of the personality as present and real… But if it is repressed and isolated from consciousness, it never gets corrected.”
Carl Jung
In other words, repress the shadow and it gains power over you. Bring it into the light, and you take the power back. Jung believed dream analysis was one way to do that—but I’d argue books can do the same. Maybe that’s why Stephen King has sold millions of copies. He shows people their boogeymen—and in doing so, makes them a little less scary.
What do you think? Can fiction help us confront our shadow selves?
Until tomorrow, read slowly – take notes – apply the ideas.
-Eddy
Eddy Hood
I’m Eddy Hood, host of The Read Well Podcast. I love getting lost in big ideas and great stories, and I started the podcast to help fellow readers tackle challenging books with confidence. I’m studying philosophy, running Edgewater Bookstore, and slowly chipping away at writing a novel.
