Psychoanalytic theory applied to media is essentially analyzing characters using two separate templates: archetypes and defense mechanisms. The archetypes more wholly define of a character, while any of the defense mechanisms can be found within any of the archetypes. These archetypes have been defined by Freud and are called the id, ego, and superego. While each character has each of these as a part of their personality, usually one archetype is most dominant in each person.
The id is chiefly concerned with pleasure. It seeks to find immediate gratification in all areas and doesn’t worry about how it might affect the greater social structure. It is the definition of selfish.
The superego desires to meet a higher morality, and wants to see the others in society meet the same standards. It encourages and praises others, and hopes to see them do the right thing.
The ego falls somewhere in between these two. It is a peace-maker, finding a balance between what is good for itself, as well as what will maintain a healthy society. It is the balance.
Each of the defense mechanisms are more specific personality traits that usually arise out of a character’s past experiences. They are used to protect their own emotional sanity from their perceived threats from society, hence the name. The point of psychoanalytics is to recognize these mechanisms, and discover how they came about. Freud has this iceberg theory, where the things we see and understand about ourselves and others (consciously) are merely a reflection of the subconscious reality, and we have to try and analyze what is going on within.
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