The Joker Unmasked: A Literary Psychoanalytic Study

Psychoanalysis primarily concerns itself with literature through the representation of the conscious and unconscious minds of characters within storylines. Sigmund Freud's theories are often reflected in literary works, using concepts such as the pleasure principle associated with the id, the reality principle linked to the ego, castration anxiety, and defense mechanisms. Other literary theories, like reader-response theory, focus on how texts are read and interpreted by readers. Norman N. Holland suggests that understanding a literary work involves not only reading the text but also considering the author's biography, if known, to grasp how they create their masterpieces. Literary psychoanalysis explores the psychological and emotional aspects the author embeds in their works. Even though many authors are remarkably discreet about their past, their experiences may surface through recurring themes or phrases in their writings. Joker is a film released in 2019, directed by Todd Phillips and starring Joaquin Phoenix, who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role. This paper conducts a psychoanalytic study of the character Joker, whose real name is Arthur Fleck. Arthur is a stand-up comedian aspiring to be the world's most famous comedian, despite suffering from a medical condition that causes sudden and uncontrollable laughter, compounded by traumatic events in his childhood.