Beyond Survival: A Psychoanalytic Exploration of Human Needs in Toni Morrison’s God Help the Child

Based on the theory of Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs, this study aims to analyze the needs of the main character, Bride, in Morrison’s God Help the Child (2015). This study aims to explore and address the problem of how Bride achieves her human needs, focusing on her efforts in achieving self-actualization. Additionally, it explores the clash between Bride’s external accomplishments and her inner hunger for the body, arguing that the denial of belonging in her childhood creates a psychological barrier that she must overcome to achieve true independence. The study contributes to Morrison scholarship by reframing Maslow’s theory as a narrative lens and critically examining human motivation theory. Despite extensive psychoanalytic readings of Morrison’s fiction, limited attention has been paid to interrogating Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as a dynamic narrative structure rather than a static psychological model, thereby highlighting the significance of humanistic principles even under harsh circumstances and confirming that recovery requires a return to the basis of the self. Methodologically, the study adopts a qualitative psychoanalytic-textual approach, employing Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as an interpretive framework rather than a deterministic psychological template. Consequently, this study demonstrates that Bride fulfills her human needs through her relationships with others.