Robert Johnson's 1989 Book She Explores the

¶ … Robert Johnson's 1989 book She explores the nature of the female psyche through a Jungian exploration of myth and archetype. Working with the premise that classical myths retain a timeless, universal nature that makes them equally applicable to modern society, Johnson creates an engaging pop-psychology perspective. Although the author occasionally makes blanket generalizations about masculinity and femininity, the overarching principles outlined by Johnson are worthy of study, analysis, and application. She is a short book, easily accessible to the layperson.

The author focuses on the Greek myth of Psyche and Eros as the foundation of She, illustrating how this tale teaches valuable lessons about spiritual growth and psychological development. On the surface, Johnson's work can be viewed as anti-feminist in nature and completely irrelevant for women in modern cultures. However, the author repeatedly emphasizes that the archetypal male and female elements elucidated by myth do not directly refer to biological characteristics.

Rather, each man and each woman can relate to the principles embodied by myths and thus learn something from a deep exploration of mythology. On page 57, Johnson states, "It must remain clear that we are not talking exclusively about male and female." Rather, She explores the archetypal nature of masculinity and femininity and the symbolism inherent in social institutions such as marriage.

In fact, the principles behind Johnson's work can be equally applied to homosexual couples as well as heterosexual couples; the work does not proscribe roles for men and women so much as it stimulates readers to explore mythology as a tool for personal growth and spiritual development. Ascribing archetypes, deities, and myths to universal human experiences is an effective and engaging tool. Readers need not accept all of what Johnson has to say in She to appreciate its underlying messages.

For instance, his exposition of Aphrodite, Psyche, Eros, and other deities points simply to an analysis of such psychological forces as desire, jealousy, fear, and love. Rather than dryly spell out the meanings and functions of psychological and emotional energies, Johnson clothes them in colorful imagery. Unfortunately, the author dwells far too much on marriage as the central experience in a woman's life. The author makes his most stereotypical statements regarding the roles of men and women in marriage.

For instance, he states on page 17 that women are "bound in her marriage as he is not," and that "She may resent this, but not to be caught in this way by life is an even worse death." It is difficult to separate these seemingly sexist statements from the author's assertion that the archetypes apply equally well to male and female readers. Marriage, according to Johnson, is inevitably a drama of unconscious psychological forces.

Focusing on the standard patriarchal setup of marriage, Johnson isolates many readers, both men and women, who would prefer to change the concept of marriage to better reflect ideals of gender equality. For a man, marriage is not always a means to rise in "stature and position," as Johnson states on page 19. While hidden in the recesses of all human psyches might be the impetus to marry for social status, these blanket statements and stereotypical generalizations prove irksome for modern readers.

However, in general She points to universal psychological truths and should always be read in light of Jungian psychology. To properly place Johnson's analyses in perspective, readers must at least be familiar with the concept of archetypes and of the shadow. For instance, when Johnson states, "The chronicle of a woman's life can be described in her struggle and evolution in relation to the masculine principle in her life," he is not implying that women live through men (27).

Rather, all persons contend with psychological battles between opposing forces that can be neatly symbolized by masculinity and femininity. Moreover, Johnson's work encourages change and self-exploration; the myths are designed to map means of psychological transformation, not to dictate immutable psychological laws. Although much of what Johnson writes seems sexist in nature, when his writing is viewed symbolically, the underlying principles can be better appreciated. For instance, marriage is indeed a transformational experience for most people, and regardless of gender, can entail feelings of death and surrender.

Johnson addresses the feminist response to marriage through his analysis of the role of Psyche's sisters, who urge her to look at her new husband, against his wishes. Unfortunately, this stance supports the patriarchal underpinnings of the marriage bond by assuming that all husbands give their wives orders to obey.