Biomaterial Database

The moth as an allusion to (symbol of?) mother. 1996

L Shengold

The meanings of the image of the moth are examined. The use of the moth as both victim and predator, with allusive and symbolic reference to parent and child, is elucidated. My emphasis is on the equation of the moth by children with their intrapsychic registration of a destructive yet vulnerable parent (usually mother) whom the child both wants to destroy and feels it cannot live without. This simple thesis is made use of chiefly to explicate aspects of the life and works of the great American writer, Elizabeth Bishop.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008093	Literature, Modern	Writings originating from the 15th century A.D. to the present	Modern Literature
D009034	Mother-Child Relations	Interaction between a mother and child.	Mother-Child Interaction,Mother-Child Relationship,Mother-Infant Interaction,Mother-Infant Relations,Interaction, Mother-Child,Interaction, Mother-Infant,Interactions, Mother-Child,Interactions, Mother-Infant,Mother Child Interaction,Mother Child Relations,Mother Child Relationship,Mother Infant Interaction,Mother Infant Relations,Mother-Child Interactions,Mother-Child Relation,Mother-Child Relationships,Mother-Infant Interactions,Mother-Infant Relation,Relation, Mother-Child,Relation, Mother-Infant,Relations, Mother-Child,Relations, Mother-Infant,Relationship, Mother-Child,Relationships, Mother-Child
D009035	Mothers	Female parents, human or animal.	Mothers' Clubs,Club, Mothers',Clubs, Mothers',Mother,Mother Clubs,Mother's Clubs,Mothers Clubs,Mothers' Club
D009036	Moths	Insects of the suborder Heterocera of the order LEPIDOPTERA.	Antheraea,Giant Silkmoths,Giant Silkworms,Silkmoths, Giant,Silkworms, Giant,Antheraeas,Giant Silkmoth,Giant Silkworm,Moth,Silkmoth, Giant,Silkworm, Giant
D011573	Psychoanalytic Interpretation	Utilization of Freudian theories to explain various psychologic aspects of art, literature, biographical material, etc.	Interpretation, Psychoanalytic,Psychoanalytical Interpretation,Interpretation, Psychoanalytical,Interpretations, Psychoanalytic,Interpretations, Psychoanalytical,Psychoanalytic Interpretations,Psychoanalytical Interpretations
D004325	Dreams	A series of thoughts, images, or emotions occurring during sleep which are dissociated from the usual stream of consciousness of the waking state.	Nightmares,Dream,Nightmare
D005197	Famous Persons	Individuals widely known or recognized.	Famous Person,Persons, Famous
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013561	Symbolism	A concept that stands for or suggests something else by reason of its relationship, association, convention, or resemblance. The symbolism may be mental or a visible sign or representation. (From Webster, 3d ed)	Symbolism (Psychology),Symbolisms,Symbolisms (Psychology)