The novels Mystic River by Dennis Lehane and The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold include many different elements of psychoanalytic theory. According to Sigmund Freud, psychoanalytic theory explains the reasoning behind personality disorders through the conscious and unconscious mind (psychoanalytic criticism). This theory also states the idea that things that happen to people in childhood can contribute to how they function later as adults (psychoanalytic criticism). Both novels include characters who can contribute to psychoanalytic theory through the roles the characters play in each novel. Both parents of the murdered child in each story contrast on how they act in the situation. Both fathers try to avenge their daughter's death and bring justice, but they show a lack of it. The mothers contrast greatly with the actions they take towards the situation, while one runs away, the other remains strong. There is also a unique character from the novel Mystic River, Dave Boyle, who serves as a scapegoat for many due to a childhood event. He has many leads on his trail which ultimately lead to his death even though he wasn't the killer. Freud's psychoanalytic theory shows a deeper understanding and development of the logic behind the characters in Mystic River and The Lovely Bones. Looking through a psychoanalytic lens, one can truly sense the mindset behind one of Mystic River's main characters, Jimmy Markum, who is the father of his murdered daughter, Katie Markum. Jimmy was a troublemaker as a child, and just as the theory goes, people in childhood can contribute to how they behave later as adults, which caused Jimmy to be the way he is today, a former…average of paper……lives through a psychoanalytic lens. Both parents have similarities and differences regarding the parental figure. Both fathers try their best to avenge their lost daughter, but fail. Mothers show great inequality in each other's maternal figure in each novel. Finally, the psychoanalytic lens helps show a greater understanding of Dave Boyle's mindset. You can use Freud's psychoanalytic theory to show a deeper understanding and aid your understanding of the logic behind the characters in Mystic River and The Lovely Bones. Works Cited Lehane, Dennis. Mystical river. New York: William Morrow, 2001. Print. Psychoanalytic criticism (1930s to present). Literary theory and schools of criticism. 1995-2013. Purdue Online Writing Workshop. Network. December 18, 2013.Sebold, Alice. The beautiful bones. Boston: Little, Brown, 2002. Print.