Analisis Film Frozen

ELSA’S CHARACTER: FROZEN ON PSYCHOANALYSIS

By Nurul Wahidiyah

Abstract

This paper focuses on Elsa’s personality in “Frozen” movie based on Freudian Psychoanalysis. In his theory, Freud states that human behavior is the result of interaction of three component parts of the mind: the id, ego, and superego. The id operates on the pleasure principle. The ego functions in partial consciousness and regulates the id by satisfying urges only when appropriate. The superego operates the moral principle and regulates the id based on social learning. Conflicts among these three structures, and our efforts to find balance among what each of them "desires," determines how we behave and approach the world.

Elsa’s figure shows us the conflict between id, ego, and superego. As we watch the movie that actually, Elsa loves Anna so much and she want to spend more time to be with her. Because of her power, however, Elsa should keep away from Anna. It makes Elsa depressed. Moreover, the pressure that is given by Elsa’s father toward her power makes her suffers from extreme psychological conflict. The psychological conflict that is showed by Elsa represents the Freudian Psychoanalysis of id, ego, and superego.

Keywords: Psychoanalysis, Elsa’s character, Parents role

Introduction                                                              

Frozen is a 3D movie cartoon which is produced by Walt Disney. There are two main characters in this movie,  they are Elsa and Anna. This movie is rather different than others Disney movie that always presents a charming prince. Frozen presents two beautiful princess that have their own interesting side. Here, however, I will not analyze the woman role of this movie.

Each movie has its special character. Frozen presents Elsa as the most special character here. Elsa, a girl with her magical power that has to be isolated because of its power. Being different is a big trouble for Elsa. She has to face her own scary of hurting someone else, in this case Anna, her beloved sister. In the other side, as a young girl, Elsa do not get a positive feedback from her parents that makes her more depressed. Frozen shows us how hurts to be a girl without anyone supporting her differences.

The story began when Elsa accidentally hurt her sister, Anna. Because of this accident, her parents knew that Elsa had a magical power that could make everything freezing. Elsa’s parents asked her to hide her power.  Her  father said that Elsa had to resist her power so that she would not hurt her sister or anyone else. Also, the palace where Elsa and her family stayed is closed for public. Elsa became depressed. She always got worried of her power. She never permitted herself to see her sister, otherwise Anna always tried to see her.

One day, her parents passed away. She should take her father position and became a queen. A party was held. For the first time, the palace was opened for public, but suddenly a bad thing happened, because of her sister, Anna, everyone in her kingdom knew that she had a magical power. Elsa got a big scary and her power became uncontrolled. Everyone there called her a monster. Elsa run away. Every place passed by Elsa was freezing. At last, then, she came to a mountain that was full of snow. There,  she sang a song. Through her song, Let It Go, Elsa released all of her pains during her life in the palace. Elsa expressed her freedom by showing her magical power there.

Based on the background above, I would like to analyze Elsa’s character based on Freudian psychoanalytic theory of personality and the parents (Elsa’s father) role that influence Elsa’s character related to Freudian Psychoanalysis.

Psychological Theory of Personality

According to Freud, our personality develops from the interactions among what he proposed as the three fundamental structures of the human mind: the id, ego, and superego. Conflicts among these three structures, and our efforts to find balance among what each of them "desires," determines how we behave and approach the world. What balance we strike in any given situation determines how we will resolve the conflict between two overarching behavioral tendencies: our biological aggressive and pleasure-seeking drives vs. our socialized internal control over those drives.

The Id

The id, the most primitive of the three structures, is concerned with the instant gratification of basic physical needs and urges. It operates entirely unconsciously (outside of conscious thought).

The Superego

The superego is concerned with social rules and morals—similar to what many people call their "conscience" or their "moral compass." It develops as a child learns what their culture considers right and wrong.

The Ego

In contrast to the instinctual id and the moral superego, the ego is the rational, pragmatic part of our personality. It is less primitive than the id and is partly conscious and partly unconscious. It's what Freud considered to be the "self," and its job is to balance the demands of the id and superego in the practical context of reality.

Freud believed that the id, ego, and superego are in constant conflict and that adult personality and behavior are rooted in the results of these internal struggles throughout childhood. He believed that a person who has a strong ego has a healthy personality and that imbalances in this system can lead to neurosis (what we now think of as anxiety and depression) and unhealthy behaviors.

Elsa’s Character Based on Psychoanalysis

In discussing this movie, I would like to focus on Elsa’s character based on Freudian Psychoanalysis. According to Freud, our personality develops from the interactions among what he proposed as the three fundamental structures of the human mind: the id, ego, and superego. Conflicts among these three structures, and our efforts to find balance among what each of them "desires," determines how we behave and approach the world.

Elsa’s figure shows us the conflict between id, ego, and superego. In one side, Elsa loves Anna so much and she wants to spend more time with her. In another side, however, to prove her loves, Elsa should stay away from Anna. It makes Elsa depressed.

Elsa’s id demands that she loves her sister. She want to spend her time with Anna and shows her magical power to her every time she want to. The fact that Elsa’s power has hurt her sister, however, makes her superego state that she has to stay away from Anna so that she will not hurt her anymore. Elsa’s ego regulates her superego and force her to do her superego. Elsa’s ego becomes imbalance. As a result, it is formed Elsa’s personality that is visualized as a girl who suffers from depression.

Worry and anxiety are the part of depression. It can happen when someone does not know what is going on or what she/he should do about it. Frozen shows Elsa’s depression through these mental activities – worry and anxiety. “Worry” is a word that imagines Elsa’s character. Almost all scene of the movie shows Elsa’s worry of her magical power. After her sister getting hurt because of her power, Elsa gets a big worry. She always worries on freezing something or someone. It can be seen on minute 00:09:05 when her father brings her a pair of gloves to reduce her worry.

The Parents’s Role toward Elsa’s Character

Elsa’s father take a big role in her depression. During the movie, Elsa’s father looks  like a wise father. However, actually, her father is the one who starts Elsa’s depression. The way Elsa’s father does to treat Elsa’s  power is awfully wrong. After knowing her daughter power, the king (Elsa’s father) isolates his two daughter, Elsa and Anna. He does not permit them to see others. He closes his palace for a long time. On minute 00:09:10 we can also see that Elsa’s father always says that Elsa should hide her power from others. Young Elsa lives under pressure.

Parents are the important figures in the children’s life. What parents do to their children will affect them in their future. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need shows us five level of psychological need that should be provided by the parents to the children as follows:

1.       Physiological/biological- these needs consist of things like food, water, air, and sleep.
2.      Safety-the need for safety would include protection from the elements, the need for laws and the need for security and stability.
3.       Love and belonging.      Esteem- esteem needs are met through the ability to recognize competency.
4.      Self-actualization- the need of free space to shows the children competence.

Parenting and a child’s higher needs assuming that parents should fulfill the first four level of the needs above. Parents need to become aware of their children’s psychological need for autonomy and compence in order to give them the best possible start in life.

In the movie, Frozen, Elsa’s father do not give autonomy for Elsa at all. He presses Elsa to ignore her power. What her father do has made elsa confused. Her power gets stronger but her father always says that she should hide her power. Because of it, young Elsa suffers from extreme mental conflict. As a result, Elsa grows up with uncontrolled panic. It can be seen on minute 00:19:32 until 00:29:12. Elsa gets a big anxiety when her palace is opened for public for the first time. Her anxiety brings her to a bad situation. Everyone knows her power. She gets a big panics and accidentally she hurts someone again.

The pressure that is given by her parents, makes Elsa suffers from anxiety disorder. It makes her power more uncontrolled. As good parents, the king should give Elsa a chance to manage and develop her power. By this way, Elsa will not get psychological conflict as mentioned above.

On minute 00:31:22 until 00:34:25 shows Elsa’s freedom on applying her power through the song Let It Go. She can control her power very well since there is no pressure to hide and restrict her power. This scene proves that if someone gets a chance to manage and develop her ability, her ability will be useful.

Let It Go that is sung by Elsa realizes us how important to be our self, to let our ability develop, and to choose what is best for us. To be a good child is important but to be a good parents is more essential because what parents do will affect their children's personality at the present nor in the future.

Conclusion

Frozen shows us a lot of psychological conflict that is suffered by Elsa’s character. Through this movie, we can conclude that children’s personality is formed by the way their parents treat them. Thus, it is important for parents to understand what children need. This movie also realizes us how important to be our self, to let our ability develop, and to choose what is best for us. Last but not least, I would like to say that pressure will not gain any pleasure. Moreover, it also doesn’t fix any problem.

Reference

Freudian Psychoanalytic Theory of personality on www.boundless.com

Parenting: The psychological needs of Children on www.examiner.com

Worry and Anxiety Depression by Margaret Wehrenberg on http://b.scorecardresearch.com/