Pulling Together in Tug of War

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Jay Mechling

Abstract

Analyzing the old, traditional game of Tug of War (TOW) as played by both males and females uncovers both conscious and unconscious meanings of the game. The formal structure of the game mimics combat between two groups, and on a surface level the players experience the pleasure of cooperation in the competition. Drawing upon depth psychology, the analyst discovers unconscious sources of the pleasure of the experience playing TOW, exploring differences between the experiences of males and females.

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Author Biography

Jay Mechling, UC Davis, Emeritus

Jay Mechling is Professor Emeritus of American Studies at the University of California, Davis. He is one of the editors of Children's Folklore: A Sourcebook (1995). a project of the Children's Folklore Section of the American Folklore Society.