Of Fight club under thoughts of Z.Freud - Movie Review Example

Movie review assignment Introduction Fight club is a 1999 American film that provides a perfect scenario for the study of psychology. The conflict in the film originates from personality crisis in the film’s main character. The unidentified narrator suffered from insomnia among many other psychological complications. The insomnia coupled with several other personality traits he possess are signs of dissociative identity disorder (DID). Previously known as multiple personality disorder (MPD), dissociative identity disorder is a psychological condition associated with identity cries and often characterized with impairment of memory and inability to control the behavior of a person (Haddock, 2001). The fact that he remains unidentified throughout the film is symbolism to the personality disorder he suffers since he does not understand himself and cannot therefore explain his personality. The character suffers from both insomnia and the feeling of entrapment. The character suffers from constant anxiety and depression two of the main features of the dissociative identity disorder. Diagnosis of the condition is complicated owing to its unique features. However, observing the personality features of the main character and the protagonist in the film presents unique features all of which validate the fact that he suffers from the personality disorder. He constantly has the feeling of entrapment yet he cannot explain whatever entrapped him. He therefore spends most of his time thinking thus suffers from anxiety, expression and paranoia. These feelings keep him awake at night as they result and sustain insomnia. Such are the basic symptomatic features of the disease in the main character. The developers of the film employ appropriate feature to validate the condition in the character. Firstly as stated earlier, the character remains unnamed. Additionally, the character is an employee of an automobile company that also remains unnamed. The lack of the names is strategic in proving the personality crisis in the main character. The house of the character burns down in mysterious circumstances. The mystery of the fire that burnt his house is yet another portrayal of his lack of understanding of both himself and his environments. After the fire, he moves to leave with a friend, Tyler Durden. The narrator develops a strong attachment to Durden from whom he draws the strength to overcome his past challenges. However, his addictive personality is evident in the scene as he has a strong attraction to Durden and the fights they start thereafter. The boxing games become an addiction, which they engage in everyday as pastime and in an expression to their repulsion of the corporate consumer-culture. He becomes vulnerable and scared when one day his friend Durden disappears unannounced. The unnamed character with his best friend Tyler Durden Among other major scenes in the film that presents the personality crisis in the film is when character travels throughout the country in his quest to find both his friend and himself. He spends most of his time thinking about himself and the vulnerability he feels in the absence of his friend. The travels provide him with the tranquility of a solitary life thus enhancing his dissociative personality. He suffers from both depression and anxiety in the journeys. Additionally, he expresses his dissatisfaction with the job yet he does not have any other alternative. The lack of contentment coupled with the depression is portrayals of his condition. Another equally important trait that proves his medical condition is the addictive personality he adopts in his attempt to cure the anxiety he suffers. He has the tendency to buy things repeatedly most of which he does not need. In one scene in the film, he contemplates the kind of dining sets that would satisfy him. He does this oblivious of the fact that he had bought dining sets before. Symptoms of the unnamed character in the film are similar to those outlined in the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. The clinical symptoms of dissociative identity disorder as outlined in the manual include depression, social phobia and schizophrenia among many others. The unnamed character exhibits the symptoms systematically in his interactions with other characters in the film. As explained earlier, the character suffers from both depression and anxiety. He leads a solitary life at the beginning of the film and spends most of his time thinking about his life. The character does not understand himself and therefore spends his days in his journeys thinking and seeking to discover his personality. Such symptoms as depression and anxiety as explained in the manual validate the diagnosis of the disease in the character. Additionally, the character spend substantial amount of his life leading a solitary life. Such was yet another iconic symptom of the dissociative identity disorder. The manual lists social phobia as a major clinical symptom of psychological disorders. The manual outlines other equally important developmental and personality disorders. Among the symptoms of such diseases are paranoia, autism and the individual’s way of interacting with the world. The unnamed character’s personality is withdrawn at the beginning of the film when he live a solitary yet dissatisfied life working for a travel company. He opposes the corporate-consumer culture hypocrisy. His rebellious personality shows the developmental disorder he suffers since it later influences his interaction with the rest of the world. The events in the life of the unnamed character further worsen his condition. He loses his house I a mysterious fire. The incident depresses him owing to the fact that he attached great importance to his material wealth. The loss of his house in the fire therefore deteriorates his personality disorder owing to the fact that he lost a value in the fire. The unnamed character in Fight Club embodies the psychological personality disorder that influences the behavior of the character. The developers of the film contribute to the confusion thus enhancing the role of the character. As explained earlier, the character suffers from dissociative identity disorder and does not therefore understand himself. He spends a substantial part of the film trying to rediscover himself. In a move to enhance the conflict, the developers of the film leave the character unidentified throughout the film. Additionally, other significant features of the film remain anonymous in a move that enhances the conflict in the film and the portrayal of the dissociative identity disorder in the character. The character works for a travel company that also remains unnamed. The conditions of the job worsen the characters disorder. It entails extensive traveling throughout the country a feature that ensures that the character leads a solitary life. In such expeditions, the character remains either depressed or anxious (Haddock, 2001). At night, he cannot sleep owing to the heightened insomnia possibly arising from paranoia and depression. The depiction of the disorder is consistent to the class discussion and the theoretical explanation of the disease. According to the class discussion, dissociative identity disorder is a controversial disease that lacks a definite diagnosis and treatment. The unnamed character suffers insomnia and therefore visits his doctor. The doctor who lacks a concrete treatment plan for the condition recommends support groups as the only way of helping the character recover from his condition. Such is an effective way of handling he condition that has no definite treatment plan (Spira & Yalom, 1996). At the support group, the character interacts with other patients suffering from serious health conditions. He lies about his condition in order to fit the context of the support group. The lie is yet another perfect portrayal of his convoluted personality. The fact that he lacks a definite personality enhances his assimilation in the group since he lies perfectly. Interacting with the other patients provides him with a perfect opportunity to develop his personality traits thus recovering. The disorder has immense impacts on the life of the unnamed character. As explained earlier, the character spent substantial part of the film leading a solitary life owing to the anti-social symptoms of the disease. The character spent most of the time on his own thus validating the numerous stunts of both depression and anxiety. For a long time, the character remained secluded living a solitary life often indulging in alcohol and cigarette smoking. The character lacked basic social skills. Additionally, he led a pretentious life owing to the fact that he did not understand himself. When his doctor advises him to join a support group, he fits the role perfectly owing to the fact that he lacked a definite personality attribute. However, the support-group helps improve his personality by initiating behavioral changes as he slowly began perfecting his social life. The character has an addictive personality. He was obsessed with buying cutlery among other types of dining sets. His addiction to making purchase influenced both his lifestyle and role in the film. He loved shopping and would always spend hours thinking about the set of dinning set to purchase. He uses shopping as a way to cure his depression. At least while shopping he would concentrate on the details in the products thus shifting his focus to something else. This tendency develops a materialistic personality since he valued his material wealth. This accelerates the effects of his condition when his house catches fire mysteriously resulting in the loss of his wealth. The loss depresses him thus forcing him to seek solace in his friend, Tyler Durden. The unnamed character in a solitary state smoking Treatment strategy used in the film Among the methods of treatment employed in the film, include incorporating the character in support groups. Such is an effective strategy since it enhances his interactions with others thus compelling the character to hone his interpersonal and social skills. He pretends to be sick thus fitting in the support group where he interacts with the other patients appropriately. Through such interactions, he meets Tyler Durden who becomes his best friend and close confidant. Durden becomes the most effective therapist to the character despite the fact that he was also sick. The two form a close relationship as they share ideas and recreational plans, their relationship become productive when they turn their daily flights into a profitable entertainment business that attracts thousands of revelers. They open more of similar businesses throughout the country thus becoming successful businesspeople. Existing in social circles is among the most appropriate treatment methods to the condition since it breaks the solitary life the character lead before. Additionally, the fights make the character tired. Such is a vital development since it compels the character to sleep. He manages his insomnia this way. Attempt to treat the condition As part of his treatment regimen, I would recommend a change of career in order to provide the character with an engaging job, one that would compel him to interact with his colleagues. Additionally, I would suggest a support. The personality disorder is a social problem often arising from ineffective interpersonal skills. Support groups bring people from different lifestyles together ad compels them to share their views and troubles in life. Through such engagements, the character would perfect his social skills besides enhancing his exposure in life. This way, the character broadens his view to life and acquires effective ways of resolving problems. By sharing his problems with others, the character would experience self-awakening since he will have an appropriate platform to compare his experiences in life to those of his colleagues. Sigmund Freud’s thoughts Sigmund Freud is among the iconic contributors to the development psychology. In his arguments, he asserts that the environment plays an integral role in the development of a personality. The characters behavior portrays a degree of immaturity of character. The psychologist would argue that the character did not interact with his environment effectively while growing up. In his 1920 article entitled Beyond the Pleasure Principle, he explains that the Id, ego and super ego are vital factors that influence human development and behavior. The three rely on an individual’s exposure to the environment. He will therefore explain that the character did not have appropriate relationship with some of the closest people a child should interact with. Such people as parents among other members of a family often influence the behavior of children as they row. Lack of an effective interaction with such important people especially at early stages in life impairs the development of the three features thus causing such personality disorders. References Fincher, D. (1999). Fight club. Film. Haddock, D. B. (2001). The dissociative identity disorder sourcebook. Spira, J. L., & Yalom, I. D. (1996). Treating dissociative identity disorder. San Francisco, Calif: Jossey-Bass. Read More