Introduction
The story told by Ta-Nehisi Coates in The Water Dancer is an ode to the journey of self-discovery and the search for freedom. Hiram Walker, the protagonist of the story, goes down the path of insight and tries to understand his purpose in life. Jung’s theory of the shadow offers a detailed outlook on the main character’s hidden characteristics that he struggles to integrate into everyday life.
From the point of Jung’s theory, a shadow personality forces people to suppress certain aspects to reduce the degree of darkness (Jones 636). Inherently, the shadow bears both positive and negative qualities, but the central aspect of this Jungian concept is the feeling of taboo that stands behind Walker’s journey. Ultimately, integrating one’s shadow is essential for individuating the process of attaining wholeness.
The Water Dancer does not directly hint at the Jungian theory of the shadow. Still, it quickly becomes evident that Hiram forcefully suppresses his true colors to display an acceptable persona to oppressors. From intelligence to unique spiritual gifts, the main character hides everything. Hence, the paper investigates how the shadow personality contributed to Walker’s individual development and ultimately led to some qualities forcing their way to reality.
The Dream and the Shadow
The primary sign to be mentioned when discussing Hiram’s shadow is his recurring dream about blue light. It can be claimed that this light represents the main character’s hidden power since it allows an individual to “conduct” people and objects through space and time. The special ability was a gift from Walker’s mother, contributing to Hiram suppressing it out of fear. Nevertheless, his dreams kept returning, making him think about how he is drawn to the inherent powers inherited from the main character’s mother.
The light color – blue – represents a positive trait of the shadow, but other aspects can be defined as less anticipated. Walker recurrently denies the main character’s tendency toward violence, but he understands that it has to be acknowledged and curbed. Nevertheless, Hiram severely beats his father when he learns that the latter has sold his mother away. This is a direct representation of the repressed rage and desire for revenge that can be linked to the Jungian concept of the shadow.
The argument that can be made here is that the shadow manifests in Walker’s dream about the blue light. When the main character drowns, it represents his unconscious and how his abilities and thoughts are absorbed by Hiram. The power of repression made the main character forget his mother and most of his past experiences. Therefore, the dream is a premonition of Walker being consumed by his powers if he does not learn to confront them.
The Feeling of Superiority
Another aspect of the main character’s shadow is the feeling of superiority that bothers Walker due to his skills and education. This guilt over privilege drives Hiram’s development while nudging him to contemplate and stop himself from going forward. The main character’s shadow still makes him think that other enslaved people are inferior to him. Hence, if Walker acknowledges a dark aspect of his personality, he can integrate the shadow instead of suppressing it.
One of the key catalysts for personal change is Sophia because she challenges Hiram’s worldviews and encourages Walker to embrace his gifts and desire for freedom. Coates claimed that “sloth was literal death [for us], while for them it was the whole ambition of their lives” (56). It ultimately highlighted Walker’s attitude toward oppression and paved the way for his willingness to connect with others and accomplish a common objective. Even though the main character quickly understands his flawed nature, it empowers him and motivates Hiram to confront the shadow instead of living in fear.
Walker’s father’s image was shattered when he learned that his father was an enslaver. From the Jungian perspective, this is a vital insight because Walker’s lack of insight into objective reality represents the key source of repression. The main character does not fully understand how to react to inherent guilt and aggression, which translates into an inhibited conflict that destroys Hiram from within. Owing to Sophia’s empowerment, Walker turns to light and embraces his darker side instead of containing it.
The Meaning of the Journey
With so many challenges along the way, it could have been tough for the main character to overcome the tough experiences of disorientation, betrayal, and loss. Nevertheless, Walker’s journey accurately portrays one’s journey to self-discovery and acceptance. Finding his place in the world strains Hiram because he does not seem ready for individuation and wholeness. This is why the shadow follows him and makes him do dark things, releasing aggression and frustration (Alboghbeish et al. 227).
The main character faces the shadow and encounters the shadow as a part of him that he has been unable to integrate due to his lack of knowledge and willpower. Hence, Walker claims that “we must tell our stories and not be ensnared by them” (490). When people confront their fears, they overcome the poor dynamics of their relationships with other people and their inner selves.
Jungian shadow is an essential concept because Walker recurrently sees himself as unworthy. The path that he chooses to acknowledge his darker side helps him recognize that there is more to him than a slave status and inner aggression. In a sense, even Hiram’s relationship with Sophia represents the shadow because Walker rejects love and its value. Every person can desire and love, regardless of status or inherent darkness.
Conclusion
A detailed analysis of the main character of The Water Dancer makes it safe to say that the Jungian shadow theory can be applied to the story successfully. Despite rejecting and denying some of his inner parts, Walker realizes the importance of the path of self-discovery and acceptance. In light of the information discussed above, Jung’s theory illuminates Hiram’s repressed past and the feeling of inadequacy.
Growth and empowerment can only be achieved when the main character follows the path of agency and self-awareness. This is why his relationships with other people have to be viewed through the prism of the shadow theory as well. Despite the inner restraints, Walker is worthy of respect and love. Hiram’s journey in the Water Dancer reinforces the importance of self-discovery and complex human nature. The main character’s nuances serve as the core of the transformative power that can be utilized to confront the shadow and focus on the positive sides of an individual.Â
Works Cited
Alboghbeish, Sadegh, et al. “An Archetypical Analysis of the Patterns in Linda Nasser’s Poetry Based on Jung’s Psychological Theory: A Case Study of Mask and Shadow.” Journal of The Journal of New Critical Arabic Literature, vol. 12, no. 23, 2023, pp. 225-245.
Coates, Ta-Nehisi. The Water Dancer: A Novel. One World, 2020.
Jones, Raya A. “Thinking in Opposites: The Psychologies of Carl Gustav Jung and George Kelly.” Theory & Psychology, vol. 32, no. 4, 2022, pp. 634-650.