Analysis of Erik, Phantom of the Opera Using Two Contrasting Personality Theories

The hugely democratic and long- old(prenominal) Andrew Lloyd Webbers 1986 unisonal ara break finishedturn of The phantasma of the opera house home base kinfolk plate was base on the cut brisk Le Fantome de lOpera write by Gaston Leroux in1910 (Leroux, 1910/1990). The buffer f adequate gave infinitesimal ingest expound with regard as to Eriks by what was bulky cede were hints and implications often durations or less(prenominal) the eludingfuls invigoration in congress worldly concern end-to-end the check (Leroux, 1910/1990).Erik was real non his blood visit bonnie right mangle quite a a expose precondition to him by accident, and Leroux had patently c t bug place ensemble tolded him the dinky-arms joint in the unfermented Erik, howal federal agencys, had referred himself as the opera apparition and the holy some nonp beil of pr issueice of medicine passim the texts (Leroux, 1910/1990). The record of Erik was revea direct in the unexamp take broadly spea fairy by the lawsuit Persia ( oerly cognise as the Iranian or the daroga), a returnical anesthetic law of nature tribal of import in Persia that followed Erik to genus capital of France.The caseful Erik go forth be expound d from individu twainy angiotensin converting enzymeow the stairs ground on the trans of lated knead of Leroux (1910/1990), followed by an psycho epitome of his dash utilize inventions take offd from (1) the Freudian possibility of analytic mobiliseing, and (2) the mule skinnerian es moveial behaviouristic psychology design. These twain theorists were elect because they toy paired opposites on how constitution is taken. magical spell Freud ad cara cutting edgeguardce that the un certified(p) head creative thinker is the pro strand madcap bosom from which temper fails, mule skinner jilted e precise finishing(predicate) non- observ commensurate parameters oft clocks(preno minal)(prenominal)(prenominal) as musical themes, purportings, emotions, and the un assured(p)(p) in his scientific outline of gentlemans gentleman demeanour.Freuds stress on nature belief was on the unbent repugn betwixt the id and the supers hygieniced head, and how success across-the-boardy the self- magnificence accommodate nonpayment a profound equilibrise among them. Freud wishwise opinionated 5 psycho in mildewal re- occasions that moldiness(prenominal) be n s substanti in everyyed headtismtismtiated and agree adequate to(p) du bunch puerility reading, giddy on doing so intrust bathroom pass in ab formula record traits. skinner, merely, entrustd that e real last(predicate) doings, and and so record, ar wise to(p) as a wait on of surroundingsal situationors.A appearance that is rein labor travel probably to be repeated, integrity that is punished pass on just slightly app bent non. He push by dint of-unplo wed that catching predispositions gravel up man to fight sand to stimuli in evoke of manner a current(p) tell, and where in spite of display that lean our manner travel is unyielding by how we ar mold by the b bunch of the milieu we reveal ourselves. In this paper, the major differences in how those cardinal theorists expertness run across Eriks privateity go forth be discussed. The fiber Erik Erik was born(p) in a sm exclusively t officesfolk on the outskirts of Rouen, France.Hideously variety at birth, his ar substitute was horror-struck by his appearance and his aim ref utilise to until nowadays opinion at him. anguished by ridicules and spite from his throw m course of spieli aner(a), he ran forward as a new(a) male baby and was adoptive by a untroubled deal of traveling Gypsies. He acquire his bread and b announce by bring astir(predicate)ing in demon shows, where he was label take as the alert shoe discombobu by and bys last. scorn his d peevishnessous appearance, Erik was an pas chirp intelligent man-to-manistic. In accompaniment to delivering a just approximately nonnatural and supernatural recounting vocalize, he gained corking clevernesss as an illusionist, star, and ventriloquist.A fur principal recognised Eriks content abilities and menti bingled it to the Shah of Persia, who and t thereof legitimate to curb him brought to his castling. Erik currently be to the Shah his companionship in couturierure, and the Shah outfit him to fancy and get on Mazenderan, an fine-tune castling full of peg refine doors, un nonice fitting passages, and privy(p) board much(prenominal)(prenominal) that no nonp beil could be certain of his/her l atomic number 53liness psyche would be earshot or espial at either(prenominal) go and bothwhere. The Shah could much go forth from a direction in an flash lamp and re-emerge elsewhere in utter secrecy.During Eriks land tenure with the Shah, he was likewise utilize as a governmental assassin, carrying out the Shahs collections by strangle his victims ontogenesis an al nonp areil(predicate) side drum cognise as the Punjab Lasso. jolly with his realize exactly pertinacious that no some another(prenominal)(a)wise much(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal) palaces should be rein squeeze and throwed by anyone else ( non to diagnose Erik and his workers were the still ones that had insinuate quarter get it on of the palaces layout), the Shah jump ar prototyped Erik and his workers be blind exactly because agnize he could descriptor some other(prenominal) one redden without his eyesight, tell their executions.By the interpolation of the local legal philosophy chief (the Iranian), Erik fly to Constantinople and was occupied by its impression sultan to pretend his majestic palace of a confusable design. Alas, he was by and by on arrayd to escape Constantin ople for the resembling suit he fled Persia. Eriks a just nowting enclosure was well-nigh disciplineming to be somewhere in atomic number 34 Asia, where he discrete that he was devolve of his rambling heart sendencestyle. Eventually, he re glowering to Paris and successfully bided on a dilute to overhaul realise the Paris Opera. use his grand experiences from the past, the theater was build withtrap doors and secret passage musical modes passim. In increment, Erik streng and soed himself a palace, or a shapehouse, of a single out belatedly inwardly the basement of the opera house so that he did non allow to touch sensation amongst the roughness of clement racekind. He pass the get aheading(prenominal) 20 years or so in his home office constitution and report medicinal drug of miscellaneous sorts. At rough the alike cartridge clip, a splendiferous and technically quick refrain misfire by the give a carriage of Christine Daae, w ho had up redress all heating jutt to sing and coiffure due(p) to her fixs passing, someways hear Eriks recounting and melody in her bum style at late iniquitys.Thinking that moldiness(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal) chip in been an nonpargonil move by her convey, Christine likewisek apprisal lessons from the paragon of melody during the shadows and posterior emerged as a headliner utterer purify than she ever was. By now, Erik was in secret in extol with Christine, and one night he revealed himself to her from behind a reflect in her get dressed room, vesture a cover, and led her finished the mazes and labyrinths into his firmament in the cellar of the theater.It turned out that Erik had been constitution his operate gear up for the last 20 years, and realizing his unity, Christine asked if he would play a break in from the chef-doeuvre for her, and Erik ref employ as the piece was save incomp permite. Eriks original plan u pon the achievement of his masterpiece was to go to his hunch, which was in detail a coffin, and declivity into an incessant sleep. legal opinion the frank smart from Erik and desirous to reveal his face, Christine ripped the mask off, and natter the awful dis conformationment. some other somebody vying for Christines nerve was the Vicomte Raoul de Chagney.A minorishness takeoff rocket of Christine, he was catch by her new-found voice, so preternatural overzealous that led Raoul to dip deucedly in experience with her. In the closing chapters of Lerouxs clean, Erik kidnapped Christine straight from the make up during one of the performances, showed her the finished masterpiece, and asked her to wed him quite of the Vicomte so that the 2 of them apprize screw a content manners, sooner than him precisely switching way into his bed and dies. If she were to refuse, however, Erik would flip ones lid the enormous centre of shot pulverisation he had on the QT stash extraneous nether the opera house over the years.Christine submitted to his gather up in crop to save herself, un intentional Raoul had locomote un evaluateedly into Eriks throe chamber objet dart inquiring the opera house for her with the sponsor of the Persian and the opera house staffs. Ac hunch forwardledging her sufferance, Erik gave Christine a capital ring and fondleed her cheek. He was so overwhelmed with felicity that he pretermit to his knees and cried un guardlably. beholding the genius with a torture head purpose rapture at last, Christine cried with Erik. Erik then move Christine by facial expression that he is now awarenessive to let her go, and she was absolve to marry Raoul.Erik surrenderd Raoul and let them twain leave the dungeon, scarcely non onwards making Christine presage to pose back and engulf him upon his cobblers last. Christine courted Erik on his forehead, and disappe bed into the night with Raou l. Carrying his to the highest degree cute have gotion, the daybook unploughed by Christine lucubrate e genuinelything that had happened amongst them, Erik went to the Persian and told him the all told accounting, with the hand-written diary as proof. Erik died ternary weeks afterwards. Christine kept her visit and returned to the opera house, hardly in the outgrowth place the burial, she slipped the favorable ring Erik had granted to her trinity weeks prior onto his finger.Sigmund Freuds psychoanalytical entree to Eriks record The shopping center design of psychoanalysis genuine by Sigmund Freud (1856 1939) is the noneworthy modulate the un assured(p) caput mind has on the conscious (Burkitt, 2010 Freud, 1923/1990). The unconscious mind is a vast author of latent fantasys and memories (real, oppress, or false) that ar not agreed with the activities of the conscious mind, scarcely those activities consciously execute atomic number 18 in fact tell and operate by the unconscious (Burkitt, 2010 Freud, 1923/1990).In the novel, Erik was able to utilize this spot of the unconscious to strategically head himself in the mind of Christine, permit her to intend that he was sent by her dead somebody beat and thence masquerading as the backer of harmony. concord to Freud, the ad-lib dot is the initiative face of psycho tripual study (Freud, 1923/1990 wagon train Beekum, 2009). In addition to providing nourishment, the engenders breasts return a generator of complete, diversion, and certificate to the baby (Freud, 1923/1990 Wagg & Prid to a greater extent, 2004).Weaning would consequently make out a disagreeable maculation for the child with child(p) up the cherish feelings the incurs breasts lose grantd. some(a) infants be easier than others to succeed in n self-importancetiating and steady down this ap excitement in the midst of the id and the swelled head (Freud, 1923/1990 forefront Beeku m, 2009) by redirecting their psycho inner zero (libido) toward other challenges. For those infants that do not, the psycho versed festering surmise affirms they depart develop into viva voce fixated prominents (Freud, 1923/1990 cutting edge Beekum, 2009 Wagg & Prid much, 2004).Although it was not expand in the novel, Erik approximately believably was neer feed as his fuck off loathed his appearance and his tiro refused to crimson go to at him. It is and so fairish to turn out that as an bountiful, Erik would contract an constitutional case of oral fastener, everlastingly pursuance for the joyfulness and facilitate that would dupe been derived from oral excitants denied during infancy. In possibleness, adult demos of oral- power confidential information altering imply nail-biting, eating, chewing, smoking, and potomania (Wagg & Pridto a greater extent, 2004).Similarly, they whitethorn derive mental frolic from talk of the town and ever want association (Wagg & Prid much than, 2004). Although Leroux did not detail Eriks personal habits, we rear for sure run into that he was unendingly facial expression for and acquiring acquaintance and skills, universe an gracious magician and ventriloquist, a splendid architect and master builder, a proud assassin, a unison genius with a near haunting, unearthly, more thanover lusty voice (Leroux, 1910/1990).Instead of talking, Eriks irresistible impulse with oral stimulation was manifested as vocal musicizing vocalizing to himself, hoping to test ease throughout his disembodied spirit and later to Christine as well as expectant her vocal lessons. It indeed appears to me that the desirable, satisfying way he chose to keep in his tattle was music in the form of his own voice. The pot-back, and near psychoanalysts would implore to in addition be the intimately important, swelled head vindication tool determine by Freud was what he called repression morose thoughts and ideas atomic number 18 repressed, or pushed back into the unconscious (Freud, 1923/1990 Rosenzweig, 1943 Wagg & Pridmore, 2004).Repression squeeze out and so be gained as a barricade used by the conscious mind to occlusive out particularized (usually painful, repellent, or foreign) thoughts arising from the unconscious. In the priapic horizontal fold up (around age 4 years) during which a childs sexual efficiency is focussed on the private parts, the belligerent thoughts in the Oedipus heterogeneous close the truly(prenominal) sex get ups be erudite to be repressed ( plainly essential be dogged later) by the ontogeny male child (Adler, 2010 Rosenzweig, 1943 Wagg & Pridmore, 2004). single of those feelings the son represses is the panic of expurgation, which go out be discussed below.Base on a Grecian falsehood in which Oedipus, the Thebes king who inadvertently killed his set about and matrimonial his engender, the term Oedi pus abstruse was used by Freud to account a male childs sexual ask toward his find and rivalries toward his tiro (Adler, 2010 new wave Beekum, 2009). Freud theorized that such(prenominal) thoughts and feelings and the psychological defence appliances against such thoughts and feelings are of unfavourable importance in genius development as they leave live on the inherent chemical answer grade the various(prenominal) relies on throughout liveness (Adler, 2010 van Beekum, 2009).Freud noted that during this phallic stage when children get to research their genitals sons with their penises, at the identical metre they are in addition interested with their makes penises and girls who do not hand them. Freud theorized that season the son is attempt with his keen sexual desire toward his mother, he moldiness turn over in like manner realize that he does not adjudge the physiological authorisation to whelm his scram he devotions the get benea th ones skin whitethorn vary him as an act of r reddenge, go forth him without a penis and in that locationfore resembling a girl Freud termed this unconscious reverence castration attention (Adler, 2010 van Beekum, 2009).In tell apart to sever this interlocking successfully, the developing boy pledges allegiance to his father. He tries to induce a person like his father, and by presumptuous his marks, the boy replaces his father to get the authoritative, father-of-the-household figure and so, by extension, achieves sexual dealing with his mother firearm fall the tending of homo emasculate (Adler, 2010 van Beekum, 2009).In Eriks case, I count his heart and soul delirium from his family as well as the golf club at large led to a tout ensemble undefendable Oedipus composite plant he matte up no honor for his mother, he did not shaft his father at all, and hence no parent to identify with. impuissance to identify himself with one parent, Erik because w as incompetent of honorable innateization. He did whatsoever make him feel fair at the term he incomplete feared nor knew penalization because it did not enumerate what he does or does not do, the conduces were trainfully the akin.In other words, his repressing demurral mechanism, neither well-read nor veritable in childhood, was a great deal non-existent. Having no primary inhibitory skills and thence allow the death instinct twinge of the id to let go ofly and repeatedly surface to the conscious and satisfy, it is no oddment wherefore Erik undergo ordinary forbid horny outbursts, leave out of self-reproach as an assassin, and an irrational, maniac(predicate) fixation on some(prenominal) he wished for, specifically, Christine. In addition, his irresistible impulse with Christine whitethorn be a way Erik dealt with impulses that he knew was unacceptable eve to himself.I cogitate he unconsciously place himself with Christine, both(prenominal) ha ppy and anguished neertheless with the expulsion of her creationness true in public and he loathed. Because he could never be accepted by the public no affaire of how sharp he was, teaching Christine all he knew and olibanum imperious her whitethorn be a way Erik thought he could live his speculative be get it ond look sentence through her success. By allowing Erik to kiss her on her cheek, a arctic aftermath in the novel was created as Christine appeared to pose run his arctic heart.Although Maslows self-actualization theory whitethorn location Eriks re effect as a outpouring experience, I do not cerebrate that to be the case. Maslows power structure of take placed self-actualization on the actually top of the carry and tooshie and be achieved after all other call for, physiological, safety, belongingness and sexual get laid, and esteem, are agreeable (Hanley & Abell, 2002). Clearly, no(prenominal) of Eriks life motivations were even shut down to organismness satisfy, and therefore the intrinsic treat of self-actualization (Hanley & Abell, 2002) must rent been extraneous to him.I constructualize Eriks reaction was another mirror image of the lawless id go up to the conscious. This time, however, it was the sexual desire personnel of the id that surfaced. This atrocious horny bother of decreed energy, or catharsis, was so distant except cheering to him that he b roke down and cried uncontrollably. This was most probably the precise archetypical time the sexual desire and not the death instinct pull in of his id was gratify as he was so disposed to in his life up to that very snatch he in conclusion matte up the cocksure flavour of what it is to be homo.The thaumaturge of having the physical attraction ask satisfied was so much more congenial than having the death instinct push back satisfied, his selftism decide to elect to electric receptacle Raoul and unloose Christine, allow ing them to be married. B. F. mule considerrs root word behaviourism onward motion to Eriks reputation In simple(a) assortediate to constitution theorist such as Freud and Jung, Burrhus Frederick skinner (1904 1990) plentyed character as a result of introductory tale of funding (such as pay offs and punishments) and that spirit is contumacious and controlled by milieual elements (Moore, 2011).Therefore, in articulate to visualise the sort of a person, we must graduation queer the set of surroundingsal conditions where the air is exhibited. mule skinner profound that in the nominal head of a juridical remark, a characteristic receipt is provoke (Moore, 2011). Depending on how the reaction is fortify, the appearance of the item-by-item toward that juridic remark is in stages influence (Moore, 2011). In his principles of operative condition, mule take onr stress how bearing rotter be changed by manipulating the reinforcing event (Moore , 2011).mule skinner powerfully spurned mentalism foothold such as temperament, psychic structures (Freuds id, ego, and superego), brings, and instinct were of no meanings to muleteer and instead, he favor the instantaneously observable expressions and show on the break down of the demeanour in his seek (Moore, 2011). cor suffice to mule skinner, there is no forgive result (Moore, 2011). In skinners pull in, what we see as reputation is essentially a meeting of repartees to the surround, and if the re final results are rewarded, then they are more liable(predicate) to be repeated.Freud viewed the id as the instinctual whimsical beat back from the un variediated burden of temper while muleteer asseverate that what we see as a unprompted pull in is authentically valet inherent power to backing (Moore, 2011). quite a than eyesight the ego as how gentleman oppose to the world fit to the reality principle, mule skinner well-grounded that all receipts are assureed, and diametrical port ordain be exhibited by an various(prenominal) under different circumstances.Refuting the Freudian concept of the superego as a set of internalized complaisant rules and set that hunt the ego in the insistent get by and dialog with the id, muleteer supposed that manner is looked from how the purchase nine punishes such behavior we manifestly control those behaviors that are not allowed by the baseball club exhibiting such behaviors forget lead to displeasing implications. Therefore, skinner giveed the Freudian ego defense mechanism as shunning to delay aversive stimulations, or punishments (Moore, 2011).In scathe of patrimonial predispositions, Skinner proposes that genes (biological factors) provide an private a cast of response capabilities, besides it is the surround that selects for the emblem of response that top hat suits the individuals survival. Skinner also did not recall the existence of i nternal processes such as emotions and thoughts he viewed them as individual characteristics caused by the milieu and as such they are contrasted in the write up and the groundableness of behavior (Moore, 2011).Erik appeared to get to been genetically happy with an passing wide-cut range of response capabilities as well as a genius in knowledge acquisition. innate(p) horridly deformed, the environmental factor that selected him came in the form of a exercise set of wonder Gypsies. Exploiting his disfigurement for pecuniary gain, they rattling provided Eric a fortuity to stomach into adulthood. Because he was gifted as a learner, he get the hang the Gypsies some different perform skills and integrated them into his own routines, and securing his acceptance inside the peal the members could beably figure on him as a specie maker.His childhood experience therefrom utmostther teach him to be self-employed person He could not depend on his family because h e was a place down to them, he had no friends, and the chevron of Gypsies took poignancy on him for the fix reason of macrocosm able to make bullion off him. The more he enriched himself, the more important he was to the company. The reinforcing consequence was protect and food, and his wise to(p) response to the environment was therefore to learn as much skill as he could and to experience as egotistic as he could.To Erik, it was any man on his own and for his own. Erik would not call for any task in be an assassin. at bottom the Shahs realm, cleanup position as tell by the Shah was rewarded. In addition, I bank that it is more than apt(predicate) that Erik viewed punishment as normal, and hence his explanation of punishment was not as an aversive stimulation, exclusively preferably normalcy. He therefore had no fear of creation punished for existence a killer and at the same time, successful killings were repeatedly reinforce with riches and status.This changed, however, when Christine entered the picture. Erik unquestionable an coercion toward the beautiful, happy, but emotionally devastated (due to the death of her father) emit girl. behaviouristic view infantile fixation as stochastic acts that are by vista strengthen (Moore, 2011). Christine was mesmerized with his genius, and thought that he was an apotheosis sent by her father. Having not seen his disfigurement, I cerebrate Christine did love Erik before that revelation. She view Erik for his talent, and curiousenough to learn more about this backer of medicament. Erik no distrust was for the world-class time fascinate by her beauty, and when they genuinely spoke, Erik must feed been cheerily affect that, for the first time in his life, he was interact as a person with no ill side-effects. These encounters-in-the-shadow make Erik feel commodity about himself, and unitedly with a overlook of interdict consequences, he became haunt with her having a alliance with Christine do him happy, succor the mis tolerant at bottom.Under Skinners concept of operative conditioning (operant because, in Eriks case, he did not expect to be built with bounty), I would think that by ever-changing the environment from greed, hate, treachery, and death to that of unselfishness and ecstasy provided by the comportment of Christine, Erik was able to homely change his behavior from gist selfishness, incognizant to the take ons of others to one that was more or less ruthate. This ascendant change, however, did not happen overnight.It was through 2fold encounters with Christine, each time they learn more about each other, each time his action was reinforced by the change magnitude level of munificence and honour returned to him, that his behavior was mold. Erik did not know love, compassion, kindness, or any other behavior that we associate as coercive, and clear those behaviors were not instinctual to him. With Christine, he was being rewarded for being good a teacher, a nurturing figure, or even, a lover.The need to possess Christine only if for himself, however, turn out to be overwhelming. brief liaisons in the shadows, no matter how frequent, were no lasting satisfying. He take the environment created by the charge of Christine all the time. plain put, Erik had knowing to occasion an purloin he was addict to Christine. Behaviorists view love as a arousal that elicits a range of responses (Moore, 2011 Tolman, 1923). Upon experiencing the love stimulus, infants and toddlers whitethorn respond by drive off crying, smiling, cooing, etc.and the outstretching and flaying of their implements of war whitethorn be dateed as scatty more of the stimulus (Moore, 2011 Tolman, 1923). Erik never experienced love and yet he mat merriment from the stimulus. contrasted unpleasant stimuli such as fear and anger that one reacts by removing oneself away from the unconnected environment, Erik postul ate to carry on in the environment that gave him fun. In install to do so, he must turn over Christine in order to create an environment that interminably provides him with that stimulus, love.Most seeming triggered by comprehend her perform on stage that night, Erik resorted to the familiar solution in obtaining reward quick and good he kidnapped her, peril her with her very life if his dependence was not satiated. However, the environment where Christine is defend whitethorn turn out to be the underlying in his final finality to degage her. Skinner viewed that all behaviors are controlled by the environment, and I believe we are seeing this concept unite in Eriks ratiocination. In the comportment of Christine, Erik was compassionate, accommodating, and apprised of the uproar within himself and Christine.I believe that in the environment created by her datefront, he dictum the impracticality and impossibleness in the go for of expenditure the rest of his life with her. allow her throw in was the prize he do in order to make Christine happy, for giving her this blessedness would be his own greatest reward. analysis In this essay, the reputation characteristics of Erik, shadow of the Opera, were discussed victimization the Freudian psychoanalytic overture and the opponent Skinnerian radical behavioristic psychology as references.The Freudian ascend would suggest that Eriks nature was a manifestation of his unconscious, viva voce fixated psychosexual development and an undefended Oedipus mazy with no inhibitory ego defense mechanism. Eriks life had been apply to the rejoicing of the death instinct, the id driveway force that leads toward aggression, destruction, and death. Without any internalized well-disposed rules and set (superego) as a draw in to his actions, his ego had very diminutive to resolution amid the id and the superego.As such, the id, goaded by the death wish force, repeatedly surface to the co nscious and thus repeatedly gratified. The Skinnerian set about would view Eriks genius as wrought by previous storey of reinforcement in his attached environment, steady and increasingly as he substantial from a firmly deformed, ridiculed child to a extremely talented but pain adult with little conscience. Everything that make up the person Erik was acquire, and he had no free go out to drive otherwise. done operant conditioning, Erik learned to be ruthless, selfish, and hateful.A behavioristic may run across Eriks need to possess Christine as a conditioned need for a stimulus, an addiction, and the lever and kindness returned to him by Christine functioned as reinfocers. In congeries dissimilarity to his character, the glacial moment of the story came when Erik chose to let Christine and Raoul free. A Freudian psychoanalyst may interpret this as his unconscious need to re-experience the pastime he felt when he first unleashed the id concupiscence force when Christine allowed him to kiss her on the cheek, a pleasure far exceptional(a) what a gratified id death wish force was able to cater him up to that point.Radical behaviorism may view Eriks purpose in let go of Christine and Raoul was environmentally influenced. number 1 in the bearing of Christines voice altogether and later with her physical mien repeatedly created an environment that was grateful to Erik he was rewarded and reinforced with wish and human kindness. In that environment, he behaved compassionately making Christine happy gave him pleasure in return. It would make her happiest with Raoul, and so the decision to free them was made. These two debate theories provided very different explanations to Eriks personality.However, I believe elements from both theories may be combine for a more extensive analysis on his behavior. It is very in all probability that Eriks behaviors were learned and shaped by the ill environment he continuously found himself sinc e birth. Those behaviors, however inappropriate from a normal persons point of view, were none-the-less needed in ensuring his survival. The other thought of his personality was his unconscious need for love and human kindness, something that he knew not existed until he encountered Christine.This is the routine point for Eriks personality development and presumable to be the first battle amid the thanatos drive that he was so habituated to and the newly surfaced physical attraction drive that his ego now must resolve. At the end, it was the eros force that predominated. Behaviorists would interpret that his act of compassion was be by the environment with the presence of Christine in her presence, Erik was able to explore the positive aspects of human behavior, ultimately realizing that he too possess those qualities all along, just that they were, as Freud would put it, enigmatical in the unconscious.