-48-[1]1913tripartivepersonalitystructure,idegosuper-ego[2]Ibid(pleasureprinciple)[3]730070I106.4A167205202004040048032004-02-2419722042004Vol.20No.42004-49-[4],,[5][6][7][8][9]+++-50-[1][M]1987214[2][9][M]1996151920232625[3][4][5][6][7][8]()[M]19823116138138187[1][M]2003[2][M]1997[3][M]1998[4][M]1996[5]1988[6]1998[7][J]1982(3)425020044AnAnalysisonPsychologicaldescriptioninAnAmericanTragedyZhengLiCollegeofForeignLanguagesNorthwestNormalUniversityLanZhouGansu730070AbstractMostcriticismsonAnAmericanTragedyfocusonitstheme:Tragedy,butfewofthempenetratethecharacter'sspiritualandmentalworld.ThearticleillustratesthatthenovelisaperfectexampleofpsychologicalanalysisbasedonFreud'stheory.Inthenovel,thespiritofClydedistortedunderthedriveofdesiresagainandagainandreturnedcalmintheend.Dreiser'sremarkablepsychoanalyticwritingskillsproducemoreauthenticandvividcharactersthanotherworks.Keywordsspiritualdistortion;psychologicaldescription;tragedy