Chapter II
Theorytical Framework
In this chapter, the writer will explain about the theory that is used in this thesis to
analyze the problem formulation. The theory that is going to be used is Pyschoanalysis
theory and Queer theory in analyzing the character Thomas Ripley in the movie The
Talented Mr. Ripley.
2.1. Psychoanalysis Theory
Psychoanalytic criticism is the form of literary citicism that analyze the literature with
the psychoanalysis methods and techniques. According to Concise Oxford Dictionary,
psychoanalysis is the study of mental disorder to find the cure "by investigating the
interaction of conscious and unconscious elements in the mind". This method is supported by
Sigmund Freud (I 856-1939) started in 1885 in when he went to Paris to study a case of
psychology with the famous French neurologist Jean Charcot (Introduction to Personality, I
964). Through these cases, he started to invent and develop new theory of ps,ychoanalitic
criticism. The theory is widely used in the psychology world until now. The reason of why
Freud's theory of psychoanalysis is famous because his theory of psychoanalysis, sex and
aggression are popular subjects. More reason is because he had an interesting way of
language that created an stimulating and exciting way to understand the theory (Theories of
Personality, 2006).
6
The theory of psychoanalytic that is going to be used in this paper has three focus
subject that will be explained more for each one of it. These were taken from Peter Barry's,
The beginning Theory (2009, p. 92-93). First is unconscious, which is the part of mind that is
as important as the consciousness that also influenced one's life significantly. Freud is the
one that stated this unconscious area that is very close with our daily life. The unconscious
part is a major producer of behavior although one would not aware of its existence.
Second is repression, which is the process of ignoring unresolved conflicts, unadmitted
desires, or traumatic past events, so that they forced out of the conscious awareness and into
the unconscious area.
Third is sublimation, which is the stage where the repressed material is promoted into
something nobel or respected. Example : sexual urges may be given sublimated expression in
the form of intense religious experiences or longings.
These theories are based on how psychoanalytical work on analyzing the mind, the
instinct and the sexuality work.
2.1.1. Levels of Mental Life
As mentioned before, one of the focus of this analysis is the levels of mental life
which divided into 2 part, unconscious and conscious. Unconscious itself has two sides on its
own; one is the unconscious proper and the preconscious.
7
Unconscious is the part of our mind that contains instinct and urges that are beyond
our awareness which also control our actions in life. As example on the book said by Freud,
unconscious is the meaning of our dreams, slips of the tongue while we were talking and
certain occasions of forgetting a moment. Some unconscious part of our mind can emerged
to the conscious part through some process of censorship. The censorship is the process of
actions called suppression and repression that are an act of putting the unwanted experiences
to avoid the pain from the past event, which usually occurred in the childhood or the growing
up process. This censorship is also called as the defense mechanism which will be explained
further later.
Preconscious level is a part of mind that contains the element in the unconscious part
that will be transferred into the conscious part of mind or other way. Preconscious level is
filled with elements that come from two sources, conscious perception and the unconscious.
The conscious perception is an idea that may quickly pass into the preconscious area when
the attention changes to another idea. This may happened because the idea was likely free
from anxiety or maybe the idea is similar to the current conscious image. The unconscious
part on the other hand is from the unconscious level into the preconscious level. This may
occurred in the dream, slip of the tongue or through an intensive process of the defense
mechanism that was mention before.
Conscious part of our mind is the small part in the psychoanalytic theory because this
part is the mental elements in any awareness action in the life. This is the only part that we
can access directly. This is the part where the idea was process when we see an image
through our senses.
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2.1.2. Id, Ego, and Superego
According to the book
Introduction to Personality, Freud had found a solution to the
insufficient complexity of the concept of levels of consciousness by dividing the mind into
three level that cut across the conscious-preconscious-unconscious parts: the id, the ego, and
the superego. The explanation ofthese mind structure is taken from the book of Theories of
Personality by Jess and Gregory J. Feist (p.68-70).
Id is the consciousness, is a part of the personality that hasn't been owned and has no
contact with the real life yet still constantly produce our form of act in reality. The primarily
function ofid is to fulfill our need of pleasure.
Ego is the conscience, is a part of our mind that has contact with the reality, and it is a
part of mind that influenced the way of act in order to fulfill the need of pleasure by Id.
Superego is the unconscious, is the moral and ideal suggestion for the ego of the act
that has been done. It is an opposed side of Id and Ego, also a part of mind that doesn't have
contact with outside world. It judges the work of Ego that was influenced by the Id.
In the movie The Talented Mr. Ripley, the writer will analyze the case starting from
identifYing the three structures as stated above first. These structures will help the analysis
process as it is a good start to identify the condition of the psychology of the patient.
Freud said, taken from Barry (2009, p.96), that ' There is always a return of
repressed' such as slips of the tongue or pen, the forgetting of name, and similar "accidents"
show that there will be always a part of the repressed material in memory pushed back in the
act of the daily life.
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2.1.3. Defense Mechanism
There are more theories that are important in psychological process, that is also
known as defense mechanism. These theories will provide the access to the true event that
shaped one's personality and the action that he/she does in life. These were also taken from
Peter Barry's, The Beginning Theory (2009, p.93):
- Transference : The action where the patient is needed to redirect the feelings and
emotions of the conflicts or past traumas to the analyst, so the feeling that was used to
be filled with problems could be redirected and reactivated again, but this process is
only channeled to the analyst so it can be study.
- Projection : the feeling where the patient sees a part of him/herself as other
person, and it is usually the negatives one.
Both are use to avoid painful memory of the conflicts in both the conscious and
unconcious area of the patient.
There are more types of defense mechanism that are mention in the book Introduction
to Personality. According to Freud, there are 8 types of defense mechanism which are:
Repression,
Reaction
Formation,
Displacement,
Fixation,
Regression,
Projection,
Introjection, and Sublimation. ( p. 75-77)
• Repression
The most basic defense mechanism because repression involved in each other type
of defense mechanism. It works when one is threatened by the awful memory, then
the mind will protect itself by pushing the memory into the unconscious part to avoid
1
0
any harmful effect. There are three alternatives that will happen to the repressed
10
memory in the unconscious level. First, the urges will remain
unchanged in the
unconscious. Second, it could force its way back into the conscious part in an
unchanged form which will intrigues amount of anxiety that a person could not
handle and be overwhelmed. Third, the impulse can be expressed in different forms
to deceive the ego so the person would not get overwhelmed. The example is when
one has a bad memory about the family, one will repressed their existence in daily
life like placing no picture of family in their living place.
• Reaction Formation
The way of defense mechanism that is creating a disguise of the unwanted impulse
completely opposite from the original forms. The example is the hatred become an
overly exaggerated love to fulfill the social needs.
• Displacement
While the reaction formations are limited into only a single project, displacement
however can be aim to a group of variety people or objects. For the example, a
person who hates his I her boss will express the hatred into the co-workers, friends,
or other thing but remain kind with the boss.
• Fixation
This mechanism is connected
in the process
of growing
up physically
and
psychologically. The process of growing up is commonly come with stressful and
anxious moment. That is why certain people has certain ways to overcome the
stressfulness with eating, smoking, or having an obsession with neatness or
orderliness. Those were oral fixation and anal fixation.
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• Regression
When one has passed the development stage and then faced with stress and anxiety,
one would go back into the earlier stage, this is called regression. Such examples are
when a wife is having a trouble with her husband, the tendencies are going back to
her parents to fulfill the needs of being save with her parents which she felt during
the development stage of her life.
• Projection
This type of defense mechanism was already explained above.
• Introjection
Introjection is a process of getting and adopting positive qualities of other people
into their own ego. These qualities may include values, beliefs and mannerisms. As
an example, an adolescent may adopt the qualities from a movie star to possess a
good manner for the social to see.
•
Sublimation
Sublimation is the repression of genital aim of Eros in a shaped of art, music, or
literature in substituting a cultural or social aim. This defense mechanism is used to
get more subtle idea in the form of art as disguise so it can be accepted in social
relationship. The example is sexual urges may be given sublimated expression in the
form of intense religions experiences or longings.
The defense mechanism is the prior key on this thesis to do the analysis on the main
character in the movie, Tom Ripley. The character's behaviour in the movie will be the
material for the thesis to proved that the theories that are used in this paper is the proper and
eligible for the subject.
12
This theory is used because the main character in the movie (the patient) is having a
psychological problem that is seriously need to be treated and this theory is the perfect fit for
the patient. Many people have studied this psychoanalytic critiscm based on Freud theory.
According to Michael Delahoyde in http://public.wsu.edu/-delahoyd/psycho.crit.htrnl (2011,
08)
Like psychoanalysis itself, this critical endeavor seeks evidence of unresolved
emotions, psychological conflicts, guilts, ambivalences, and so forth within what may
well be a disunified literary work. The author's own childhood traumas, family life,
sexual conflicts, ftxations, and such will be traceable within the behavior of the characters
in the literary work. But psychological material will be expressed indirectly, disguised, or
encoded (as in dreams) through principles such as "symbolism" (the repressed object
represented in disguise), "condensation" (several thoughts or persons represented in a
single image), and "displacement" (anxiety located onto another image by means of
association).
Psychological critism has several theories that has been developed from the Freud
theory, but in this paper, it will be only Freud's theories that will be used. The movie The
Talented Mr. Ripley is a good example that can be use for literary analysis that represent the
psychoanalytical criticism as in many aspect of the main character which is absurd and
unusual in its era and need to be discussed using this theory.
2.2. Queer Theory
This thesis will also use the Queer theory because the main character in the movie is
also having a different sexual preference. Queer theory is based on two grouoded subjects,
gender and sexuality. Before discussing these two subjects, identity is the first thing that is
needed to be defined.
13
2.2.1.Identity
Identity is something that you own that defines what you have in common with the
people and also what differenciates you from others (Weeks, 1990, p. 88). Identity creates
one's existence in the society. According to Appiah (2005, p.37) " An identity is always
articulated through concepts ( and practices ) made available to you by religion, society,
school, and state, mediated by family, peers, and friends". Based on the statement, identity is
created by the influence of the society and bring through by the people who is connected to
our life. That is why to build an identity one should get involved with the society.
In the society where a community stands, identity is gained through the process of
communication. As Kirsch (2000, p, 113) stated that " In communities we identified, support,
and build connections, geographic and emotional, with each other. Communities act to
connect individuals with the social". Assumed from the statement that in society one develop
their identity through the communication in order to fmd their presence and become accepted
in their identity.
One's person identity is various and does not always be in the normal path. One of
the abnormal way of a person's identity is about the gender and the sexuality.
2.2.2. Sexual identity
Sexuality according to Weeks (1986), " Our sexuallity is the most spontaneously
natural thing about us. It is the basis for some of our most passionately feelings and
commitments". This statement shows that the sexuality is one of the most important factor of
one to identifY their identity whether men or women, normal or abnormal, heterosexual or
14
homosexual. It is natural in the society to be considered as normal and right so one can get a
respectful feedback from the society. Given the circumstances, person who has a different
preferences will likely to cover their differences to gain the social agreement.
On the other hand according to Gauntlet (2002, p.l33) sexuality is the key of gaining
the access to your 'true self, and this truth about yourself is the key to find happiness. So the
person who refuse and cover their true sexuality issue will not found their real identity.
Sexuality creates some arguments, Weeks (1986, p.5) stated that "sexuality is a
product of many influences and social interventions. It does not exist outside history, but it is
a historical product". Sexuality here is believed that it was shaped from the society, cause
and shaped by the influence ofenviroument that is brought by the community.
There are three types of human's sexuality, heterosexuality, homosexuality, and
bisexuality. The term "sexual orientation" defines the gender(s) of people to whom one is
sexually attracted. There are three types:
•
A heterosexual orientation means that one is attracted to members of the opposite
gender only. This sexual orientation is the one that is considered as the normal and
right one in the society.
•
A bisexual orientation means that one is attracted to both men and women, although
not necessarily to the same degree.
•
A homosexual orientation means that one is attracted to members of the same gender
only.
15
'The concept of homosexuality is itself part of homophobic (anti-gay) discourse, and
indeed, the term 'homosexual' is a medical legal-one, first used in 1869 in Germany', taken
from Barry (2009 p. 139). The term homosexual become the one that is considered accepted
at this time rather than the negative one 'homophobic' that considered as one degrading word
to refer to this issue.
To discuss homosexuality further, we need to talk about the gender identity first.
According to Judith
Butler
'identities are,
including gender
identities, a kind
of
impersonation and approximation, 'a kind of imitation for which there is no original." (p.
21). She argues that gender identity is as stated is something that emerged caused by the
effect of associating with the society.
Another argument about sexual identity comes from Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick. She
stated in her essay "Epistemology of the closet" that the idea of 'coming out of the closet
(openly revealing one's gay or lesbian sexual orientation) is not about a single absolute act.'
Being open about the sexual condition (say homosexual) will be easier to the family
members or friends, but not to the colleagues and not at all to insurance companies or banks.
Exaggerating the statement above, homosexual will find comfort and feel more accepted in
the community of the academic and professional world without revealing the truth about
their sexuality. This is also to protect their existence in the community and kept them from
being an outsider. Like Sedgwick pointed 'concerns the way subject identity is necessarily a
complex mixture of chosen allegiances, social position, and professional roles, rather than a
fixed inner essence'.
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2.2.3. The Queer Theory
Queer theory is the theory of analyzing the absence of the gay/lesbian community and
its effect to the society, politic and culture furthermore. According to Bell and Valentine
(1995, p. 18) Queer "has become a notoriously indefinable watchword for certain so-called
radical theorytical and activist stances in 1990's sexual politics". Queer community has
appear long time ago along with all the effects and controversy in the society. Before this
community of different sexual preference appear, the society was only faced with the one
type of sexuality, which is heterosexual. That is why the society would consider the queer
community as an abnormal and hard to be accepted, that is why it is called as Queer theory.
According to D'Augelli and Patterson (2001, p. 272), there are 4 "fundamental
psycho cultural preconceptions" :
1. Homosexual is disease, madness
2. Homosexual is gender inversion
3. Homosexual is self hatred
4. Homosexual is de-individuation and giving up of the personal self
These perceptions hold the big effect on how the community of queer resist their
existence of being different or abnormal as the community thinks. As Sedgwick called it as
coming out of the closet is hard since they have to be concern about the effect of it to their
family, friends, and colleagues.
Furthermore, this coming out of closet "can lead people to declare that they are no
longer feel like a complete man or women" (2002, p. 101). This concepts appear because the
resistance of community. Again, the main perception of the community is that the normal
17
one is the heterosexual. Becoming lesbian/gay produces the perception that one is not a
whole as one gender identity.
Taking the response of the community is not easy and there are many challenges that
has to be faced. Taken from Kirsch (2000, p. 128)
"While queer theory does not call for the destruction of conununities, at least by
name, it's consequences are the same : conununities must be deconstructed to free
the individual for self expression. As the individual becomes the center of analysis
in all aspects of social life, and as late capitalism emphasizes individualism on a
global scale, resistance theory has closely followed the dominant streams."
One thing that is essential for someone to be open about their status to the society is to
deconstruct the mindset of the society about this queer community. This is needed to free the
right of individual free expression.
"More specifically, queer theory may offer us a chance to investigate some of the
powerful "secondary discourses" of sexuality through which so much emotional, intimate,
and even political energy is mobilized in the construction of an identification with categories
of sexual identity- 'gay' and 'straight' being most dominant" taken from Alexander (2008,
p.102). The usage of this theory is to analyze this dominant concept of sexuality in the
community, finding the acceptance and challenge the resistance from the society.
Barry (1995, p. 148) "an extended, metaphorical sense of "lesbian/gay" so that it
connotes a moment of crossing a boundary, or blurring a set of categories". These quotes
clearly stated that the lesbian/gay community is crossing the boundary that is set by the
community.
This theory has been a challenge for the theorist to analyze the society's acceptance
of the so-called queer community. This community is considered as something that is
18
abnormal, that needed to be cured. But different places might have their own levels of
tolerance toward this queer co=unity. The role of queer theory in this analysis is to analyze
the condition of the main character's sexuality. It is important because it takes important part
in the turning point of the movie. This is what the writer will analyze in the next chapter.
2.3. Intrinsic Elements of movie
Another theory that is going to be used is the intrinsic element of the movie. The
writer will analyze this in order to keep the literature element in this analysis. According to
DiYanni (2000, p.44), intrinsic elements are ''the basic elements or characteristics of story".
The examples are plot, character and setting. These are the three part of intrinsic element that
will be used in this thesis to analyze the subject of this analysis.
2.3.1. Plot
Plot is the arrangement of how the incidents in the movie happen. According to
DiYanni (2000, p.44) plot is "the arrangement of events that make up a story". There are
three types of plot which are : forward, flash back, and jumping plot.
Forward is a plot which move from the beginning time of the event until the end
of the movie. This is contradicted with the flash back plot which moved from the end
towards to the event that happened before. Jumping plot is the type of plot which some
scene is cut and then going to the scene, no matter in what time order, which has just
been told. The elements of plot are:
19
• Exposition, which is the start of the story where the introduction of the character
and settings are represented here.
•
Conflict, which is the main problem that will bring the interest in the movie.
Conflict is divided into two types, internal and external conflict. Internal conflict
is the conflict that happened in the main character's self. On the other hand,
external conflict is the conflict that happend between the characters. 1bis is taken
from DiYanni (2001, p.45)
•
Climax, which is the peak of the problem produced by the conflict that will affect
the continuation of the story.
•
Resolution is the finishing part of the story where the conflict in the part before
become resolved. According to kennedy and gioia (2005, p.13) it is refer as the
part where the last effect is necessary to take.
2.3.2. Character
Character is the role in the part of a story that takes the focus of the audience.
Character is divided into two types, main character and supporting character. The main
character is identified by the domination of his appearance in the story more than the
other character according to DiYanni (2001, p.55). While the supporting character is
considered as "partly to illuminate the major character" (2001, p.45). There are more
types about character, which are flat and round characters. According to Kennedy and
Gioia (2005, p.92)
"flat character is a charcater that has only out standing trait or feature, or
20
at most a few distinguishing marks, who always stays the same in the story"
21
while round character refers to the one "who often change- learn or become
enlightened grow or deteriorate"
As explained above, flat character is the character that has no tendencies of
making some changes, but instead remain with the same characteristic in the whole
story. In the contrary, round character is the character that tends to keep evolving and
learning about their new condition.
2.3.3. Settings
Setting is the background of a story that completed the whole idea. The setting
that will be used in this thesis is only the place, time and the social settings. Place
according to Kennedy and Gioia is the "physical envirnment of the movie" (2005,
p.l24). Time is the setting that gives information about the "hour, year or century" of the
story (2005, p.l24). Social setting is, according to DiYanni "functioning more than a
simple backdrop for action, it provides a historical and cultural context that enhances our
understandingofthe characters." (2000, p.61).
The writer will analyze the main subject of this movie, using this theory by
combining them and see how they will connect with each other and provide a useful
information in this analysis.