A Jungian Reading of The Midnight Library : Individuation Theory and Literary Criticism

Abstract: The essay is a Jungian reading of the novel The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig, using Jung’s individuation theory. The author attends to the psychological journey of Nora, the protagonist on a quest of finding her identity. She struggles with anxiety and depression and commits suicide. In a state between life and death, she finds herself inside a library where she gets the chance to redeem her regrets and find true happiness by choosing between many different lives. Additionally, the Jungian concepts of active imagination, complexes, shadow, mother archetype, and animus are applied in different stages of her individuation. In the end, her mental state improves as she finally accepts her true self and her perspective of life changes dramatically. The essay introduces the novel to new readers who are interested in psychological narratives, and through the psychoanalysis approach, raises awareness of mental health. This essay might appeal to students who are interested in Jungian literary criticism and its approach to literature, as well as Jungian analysts.