CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This chapter provides background of study, statement of the problem,

objective of the research, purpose of the research, and definition of key terms.

A. Background of Research
Literature is written or printed work that sometimes depicts the
reality life that can be simply enjoyed and used by the society. The result
of author’s thoughts can be found in the form of literary works. The kind
of those literary work are short story, poem, novel and also drama. Some
experts argue that the text of film is a form of literature that can be read
and analysed without the need for performance or study of the completed
film, in the same way that Shakespeare can be studied in the text rather
than by watching it in the theatre (Bloore, 2012:32). As written work or
text, film scripts are considered being a part of literary works. Thus, just
like Shakespeare's work, a film script or text can be analyzed or
interpreted depending on its content.
Literature and psychology have very strong relationship that in
fact, they are often dealing with human being, personality, perception of
the world, and etc. This is shown as the result of literary works which is
influenced by author’s psychological state. An author depicts life through
their work according to their purpose, point of view, perception, ideologies
and gives a way to the reader by discovering the world that the author tries
to interpret. Clearly, literature allows people to understand and question
their personalities by raising consciousness and awareness (Aras,
2015:251).

The consciousness and the personality are part of psychology theory

proposed by Freud, namely psychoanalysis. It has the aim of making

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 someone's conscious to be more aware of their unconsciousness. Personality
theory includes the structural of the psyche that are the id, ego, and superego.
Id is the most unconscious part of mind. It can be seen that the id is driven by
pleasure. Ego as the observer and rational. It can be interpreted as a bridge
beetwen the id and the superego. Superego’s contents area is the most part
conscious and so can be directly arrived at by endhopsychic perception (Freud
A, 2018).

Trauma is one of the source that trigger conflict among structure of

psyche. It is the things that people often relating to extreme stress caused by
bad experiences. The background behind the trauma itself depending to each
individuals. Some individuals face bad experience and lead them into trauma,
and some people face the similar situation but relatively unscathed. There are
many factors that may lead to trauma on individuals. For instance, child abuse,
neglect, urban violence, and other traumatic events, those are the examples of
repetitive trauma. It also includes reactions to powerful one-time bad events
like natural disasters, accidents, crimes, deaths, and other violent events.
(Giller, 1999). This one-time event could be very impactful if occurs in the
childhood. Therefore, through childhood trauma, anxiety will develop as well
as chronic pain and it is considered to be its risk factor (Kascakova, 2020:1).
Anxiety becomes problem as one of the psychology phenomena which
still continues to be faced by every human being. Feeling anxious is normal,
but under certain condition it can lead to a serious condition. Mild anxiety can
go away on its own, but chronic anxiety often persist and may get worse such
as, anxiety disorder. Based on 'Our World in Data' website (2018), anxiety
disorder occupied the first position as the largest mental health disorder,
estimated around 4 percent of the population (NIMH, 2017). The cases related
to anxiety disorder may be caused by trauma, sexual abuse, stress due to
illness, genetics, or the other factors. Anxiety cannot be cured, but it can be
reduced and coped by defense mechanism.
In dealing with the effect of anxiety, people tend to employ defense
mechanism. Defense mechanism operates by giving protection to the person’s

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 psyche. This act will reduce anxiety and make the employer feeling
comfortable. There are so many kind of defense mechanisms such as denial,
displacement, repression, sublimation and many more. The defense
mechanism that researcher will focus is sublimation. Sublimation is
considered one of the most mature defense mechanisms, and Freud believed
that only a minority of people were capable of regularly making use of it
(Cohen, 2020:5275-8). Usually less mature defenses are used by people rather
than the mature defenses. Thus, the researcher want to contrast that
sublimation as the one of mature defenses and make the reader aware with
mature defenses such as sublimation and the other defenses.
Bruce Wayne as the main character in the story surely has the most
significant role throughout the story. He is brave, psychically strength,
obsessive passion, wealth, and intelligent. Although he has many advantages
from his traits, it does not make him become invulnerable around
psychological conflicts. Wayne suffered from his childhood events by
witnessing his parents’ die, even trying to seek revenge in order to please his
urge. Through all of that, Bruce Wayne was able becoming a decent man.
In The Dark Knight Trilogy film scripts, it is shown the development of
Bruce Wayne's character. It began with his traumatic events that he had
experienced from early childhood, the way he handled his urge, and his
purpose to create Alternative Persona, called Batman. There seems to be a
match between Bruce Wayne's alternative persona which is Batman, and the
sublimation defense mechanism.
From the explanation above, The Dark Knight Trilogy film scripts
attracts researcher as there are a lot of psychological issues within it.
Therefore, the researcher is interested in analyzing the psychological aspects
which are anxiety and defense mechanism; sublimation on Bruce Wayne in
The Dark Knight Trilogy script.

B. Statement of Problem
Based on the background above, the statement of the problem are in the
following questions:

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 1. What is the sources behind Bruce Wayne’s anxiety ?
2. What are kinds of anxiety suffered by Bruce Wayne ?
3. How does sublimation mechanism work to cope Bruce Wayne’s anxiety?

C. Purpose of Research
The purpose of the research in this study are to understand Bruce
Wayne’s anxiety and to serve the best answer. Those purposes are :
1. To find out the sources behind Bruce Wayne’s anxiety.
2. To identify kinds of anxiety suffered by Bruce Wayne.
3. To depict how the sublimation mechanism works on Bruce Wayne.

D. Significance of Research
The researcher hope that the outcome of this research has several
benefits for some subject. In other word it is expected that:
1. For the readers, This research is expected to increase the awareness of the
psychological condition of each person and also to add insight related to
psychoanalysis theory. Then, readers be able to aware and control their
psychological state or condition, either for himself or for reminding the
others.
2. For the researcher, this research will be helpful to improve the
understanding about anxiety and defense mechanism; sublimation through
Bruce Wayne in The Dark Knight Trilogy script.

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E. Definition of Key Terms
1. Structure of Psyche:
The three fundamental structures of the human mind cooperate with one
another to make a balance personality are Id,Ego, and Superego (Freud,
1923).
2. Trauma:
An occurance where in an individual sees or experiences a risk to their
own life or physical safety or that of other people and feels terror, fear,
helplessness (Freud, 1955).

3. Anxiety:
An alert to provide a warning of danger to the ego of being threatened
(Freud, 1955).
4. Defense Mechanism:
The unconscious protection to the ego against anxiety which caused by
conflict among structure of psyche (Bocock, 2002:27).
5. Sublimation:
The channeling of unacceptable feelings, desires, and impulses–often of a
sexual or aggressive nature–into positive, socially approved activity
(Cohen, 2020).

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 CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

A. Theoritical Framework
This chapter is filled with theoretical explanations of concepts and the
other related materials in order to analyze a predetermined topic. This study
focuses on the anxiety that Bruce Wayne has and sublimation as Bruce
Wayne’s defense mechanism to cope his anxiety. The psychoanalysis theory
of Sigmund Freud and Anna Freud will be the main references for researcher
to describe a predetermined topic.
To analyze the first problem and second problem statement,
descriptions using trauma and anxiety theory will be implemented. These
theories are applied to describe the type of traumatic events that impact Bruce
Wayne which leading his anxiety to arrises. As for the third problem
statement, it will be discussed by using the defense mechanism; sublimation
which the researcher used theory created by Sigmund Freud and developed by
his daughter Anna Freud. The process of analyzing defense mechanism;
sublimation is based on the theory of personality which explains the structure
of the psyche; id, ego, and superego.

6. Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis is a theory discovered by Sigmund Freud, an
Austrian Neurologist. His idea created this theory was based on his
experience facing neurotic patients. Through several studies, he found the
magnificent basis for comprehension about the influence of unconscious
state to the conscious (Freud S, 2018:11). This purpose of the theory is to
make people understand how the conscious and unconscious mind work,
moreover, By making people aware to their unconscious into conscious
minds, Freud believed it could cure people through it. As one of those few

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 intellectual achievements, psychoanalysis had the effect of completely
changing individual self-understanding (Lapsley, 2011:1).
Psychoanalysis theory is also a theory about human’s behavior
which formed through an individual history that starts in childhood event
in the family and each with pattern of adolescent and adult behavior that
are the straight outcome of that early childhood (Tyson, 2014:12). On the
early childhood, human will obtain good experience or bad experience.
These lead to the development of their personality which impact on their
behavior in the future. Freud believed that the existence of unconscious
conflicts from early childhood is caused by bad experience which lead to
trauma, as Freud stated it as neurotic problems.

7. Structure of Psyche; Id,Ego,SuperEgo

In major section of personality which is completely unconscious in
psyche area is id. As the unconscious part of our psyche, the id responds
immediately to primary desire, urges, and needs. Id works unconsciously,
consistent with main process, and encourages the organism to engage in
need satisfying, stress-lowering activities, which are called as pleasure
(Lapsley, 2011:5). The id stays immature in its function along an
individual's life and does not alter with time or experience, as it does not
interact with the external world. The id is not influenced by reality, logic
or the reality world, as it moves unconsciously within part of the mind.

It is the Id which emerges the idea that every need should be

satisfied directly, driving force behind, without considering the
consequences is the pleasure principle (Freud, 1920). When the id gets
what its needs, it will experience contentment, and it will feel the opposite
if it does not. The newborn child is the example of the depiction of id, as
early stage is dominated by Id and then it will develop ego and superego.

As the rational part of the mind, ego has the role to control the id
and superego. The ego is from the development of the id and it emerges to

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 take control over it (Rennison, 2015:39). It reacts to the outside world and
adapt with reality which is the opposite of Id’s role. Satisfying Id’s needs,
operating realistic ways, and keeping bad desire which lead to the negative
consequences of society, those are reality principle which is operated by
the Ego.

The ego engages in secondary process thinking after id, which is

rational, realistic, and capable to solve problems. If a plan of action does
not work, then it is thought through again until a solution is found. This is
the demonstration of self-control by controlling their impules as known as
reality testing.

The Superego is the last aspect of personality to develop. Its

function to handle our moral standards and ideals that we obtain from our
family and society (Cherry, 2016). The superego provides guidelines for
making judgments. It tries to perfect and civilize our behavior. Its function
to suppress all unacceptable urges of the id to make the ego act upon
moralistic standards rather that upon realistic principles.

8. Trauma
Trauma refers to severe stress which overwhelms an individual’s
ability to overcome (Giller, 1999). Psychological trauma is the typical
individual experience of an event or enduring conditions, in which:
The individual's ability to integrate his/her emotional experience is
overwhelmed, or The individual experiences a threat to life, bodily
integrity, or sanity. (Pearlman & Saakvitne, 1995:60)
Thus, a traumatic event or situation creates psychological trauma
when it overwhelms the individual's ability to cope, and leaves that person
fearing death, annihilation, mutilation, or psychosis. The individual may
feel emotionally, cognitively, and physically overwhelmed. The
circumstances of the event commonly include abuse of power, betrayal of
trust, entrapment, helplessness, pain, confusion, and/or loss.

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 9. Anxiety
According to Freud, anxiety is an unpleasant inner condition that
people try to avoid. Anxiety serves as an alert to the ego that things are
wrong. Freud divided anxiety into three parts such as, reality anxiety,
neurotic anxiety, and moral anxiety.
Reality anxiety, or often called as objective anxiety, which has
similarity symptomps with fear, involved a complex internal reaction to
anticipated injury or harm from some external danger (Spielberger,
1966:10). The cause of this anxiety is usually easily identified. For
instance, a person might fear receiving a dogbite when they are near a
menacing dog. The way to reduce this anxiety is to avoid it.
Neurotic anxiety, It occurs when the id conflict with the ego.
According to Freud, was experienced by everyone to some extent, from
time to time, but when manifested in pathological amounts, it defined the
clinical syndrome, anxiety-neurosis (Spielberger, 1966:11). It is the
unconscious worry that we will lose control of the id's urges, resulting in
punishment for inappropriate behavior.
Moral anxiety involves a breaking of violating our own moral
principles. It happens because there is conflict between Ego and
Superego. There is a fear of self-punishment for acting contrary to one's
values.
In order dealing with anxiety, Freud believed that there are psychological
strategies to cope anxiety which are defense mechanisms.

10. Defense Mechanism

In 1926, Freud detailed the idea of self defense mechanisms and
his daughter Anna further refined and arranged the concept to her work in
1936 (Heller, 2005:68). Defense mechanisms are psychological strategies
which provides protection to the ego from the psychological conflicts
among the structure of psyche.

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 As stated by Sigmund Freud, Most of the time the conflicts among
id,ego, superego may lead an individual into anxiety. The unpleasant
feeling which emerges caused by anxiety will trigger a person to use
defense mechanisms unconsciously. There are kind of defense
mechanisms, but the researcher will only describe some of the most
common defense mechanisms below.
Denial happens when an individual chooses to decline the reality or
facts that are quite the opposite. Repression is one form of defense
mechanism where an individual tries to avoid painful memories,
distressing thought which can upset the holder. Displacement is shown as
strong emotion or anger toward a person, but you release it directly to the
other person or object that less threatening. Projection is attributing some
thoughts or feeling to another person. Regression are quite common, the
person who experienced regress will act as if they’re younger again. Their
behavior from the early stage development will occur when the person is
feeling anxious or threatened. Rationalization is making excuse by using
their own facts, in order to feel comfortable with their decision, even if
they realize it’s wrong.
Sublimation is the defense mechanism which the researcher seek to
focus. It is the channeling of unacceptable feelings, desires, and impulses
into positive, socially approved activity and possibly resulting in a long-
term conversion of the initial impulse. Sublimation starts when Id of
person has strong attraction for discharging its impulses but Superego
prevents from it. This contradiction occurs when that Superego is fully
grown in person otherwise impulses of Id will be easily satisfied. In fact
struggle between Id and Superego result in anxiety and one of the actions
of Ego for decreasing anxiety is using from sublimation defense
mechanism. Factors that continue from using this mechanism by Ego, is
it’s reinforce effect in decreasing anxiety that is as a result of catharsis and
its certification on behalf of society (Ghazvini, 2010:1814). For instance,
the story about a person who cut the tails of dog in the childhood, later he
became surgeon.

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B. The Previous Study
The supporting previous study that actually related to this research. The
first study is an article from Kiatpattananon (2017). with the title “Defense
Mechanisms of Batman or Bruce Wayne in Christopher Nolan's “The Dark
Knight Trilogy”, his research discusses about the defense mechanisms and the
effect of employment defense mechanisms on Bruce Wayne. His research’s
aim is to identify what kind of defense mechanisms that Bruce Wayne used to
become Batman and how it affect him. From the results of his research, he
found the defense mechanisms used by Bruce Wayne are displacement and
sublimation. In his research, Bruce Wayne's displacement mechanism
appeared when he wanted to take revenge on his parents' killer but it was not
achieved. Meanwhile, sublimation was used after Bruce Wayne realized that
his actions were not right.
Kiatpattananon’s source of datas are similar which are The Dark Knight
Trilogy, but the differences with this present research that Kiatpattananon uses
the data from the movie directly while this research uses film scripts.
Moreover, this present research focuses on the process of sublimation
mechanism and analyzes Bruce Wayne's anxiety and its sources. Therefore,
the formulation of the problem is arguably different from Kiatpattananon’s.
The second thesis is from Kumbara J. (2018) with the title “BATMAN
AS WAYNE'S DEFENSE MECHANISM IN GOYER'S BATMAN
BEGINS”, Kumbara’s thesis focuses in analyzing the characterization of
Bruce Wayne and his defense mechanisms. His research’s aim is to explain
the characterization and discuss the defense mechanisms which are shown in
Batman Begins. In Kumbara's research, Bruce Wayne’s defense mechanisms
are Identification, Repression, Sublimation, and Reaction Formation. The
identification was shown the way Bruce Wayne imitating his father. A sign of
repression was seen in Bruce Wayne's dream. Sublimation occurred when he
was mocked by Ducard. And Reaction Formation was Bruce Wayne
appearance as Batman.
This present research’s data sources are the entire franchise of The Dark
Knight Trilogy by Christopher Nolan including Batman Begins, The Dark

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Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises film scripts while Kumbara’s data source
focuses on the Batman Begins, written by David Goyer.
This present research and Kumbara’s thesis have several similarities
which is defense mechanisms, but the present reseach take more deep analysis
on sublimation.
The last of all is from a thesis. The thesis is from Fortuna MD. (2013)
with the title “SIMON’S DISPLACEMENT IN THE GIFT (2015) MOVIE: A
FREUDIAN PSYCHOANALYSIS”. This thesis discusses about anxiety,
bullying, and displacement. Her thesis’ aim is to reveal the portrayal of
displacement practices as self defense mechanism to cope with fear and
anxiety. The result of her thesis describes that simon’s father figure as the
reason the emergence of simon’s anxiety. The bullying act by simon to his
classmate are form of his displacement defenses.
Fortuna’s thesis is almost similar in terms of problem formulation. Both
studies analyze anxiety and certain defense mechanism by using Freudian
psychoanalysis, but the differences are on the data sources.

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 CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter elaborates the process of analyzing data from

predetermined initial to final steps. The chapter contains the elucidation about
research design, source of the data, subject of the research, instruments, data
collection techniques, and data analysis. The researcher would describe each
section as follows:

A. Research Design
This research is conducted to describe anxiety and defense mechanism;
sublimation which is depicted by Bruce Wayne. Thus, the researcher used
qualitative descriptive research method, in order to describe the predetermined
topic. Qualitative research is a medium for understanding the meaning
individuals or groups related to a social or human problem. Creswell
(2012:16) stated that the characteristic of qualitative research, the data of
descriptions and themes are analyzed by using text analysis and defining the
wider meaning of the datas.
The approach of this study was descriptive approach. By using
descriptive approach, the researcher analyzed the psychological aspects within
the data extensively. The goal of qualitative descriptive studies is a
comprehensive summarization, in everyday terms, of specific events
experienced by individuals or groups of individuals (Lambert, 2012:255).
Therefore, descriptive approach was the appropriate approach to analyze this
research. In addition, psychoanalysis theory was used to analyze this research
formulations. Nevertheless, it was focused on the main character’s anxiety and
sublimation as defense mechanism which was used by him.

B. Source of the Data and Subject of the Research

The Source of the Data of this research were The Dark Knight Trilogy
movie scripts including Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark
Knight Rises scripts. Batman Begins was written by David Goyer, and the rest

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 of the scripts (The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises) are writen by
Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan. Moreover, The subject of the research
was Bruce Wayne which is the main character in the story.

C. Instruments or Data Collection Techniques

Researcher as key instrument, Qualitative researchers collect data
themselves through examining documents, observing behavior, or
interviewing participants. They may use a protocol to an instrument for
collecting data, but the researchers are the ones who actually gather the
information. They do not tend to use or rely on questionnaires or instruments
developed by other researchers (Creswell, 2009).
Documents or literary works as researcher’s instrument which was used
by researcher as technique to collect data. The documents contained the data
which was obtained from The Dark Knight Trilogy Movie Script. The
researcher conducted research selected data that have psychological aspect
related to focus of the study. Those datas as primmary part of validity and
authentic data to support this research.

D. Research Procedure
Data collection methods can be interpreted as a way to process the
research that has been formulated. In this study, the researcher got the data
from The Dark Knight trilogy movie scripts. The form of the collected data
are in the form of excerpts from the movie script. The researcher used the
document analysis and taking notes techniques as a way to collect the data.
Bowen (2009:27) stated that Document analysis is analyzing documents—
both printed and electronic material with a structured procedure. Thereafter,
the second technique is taking note. Taking note is the act of paying attention
to something significance and be sure to memorize it (Hornby, 2010:1004).
In collecting data, the researcher followed five steps as the process in
conducting the research. The first step, the researcher read The Dark Knight
Trilogy movie scripts repeatedly. The second step, the research gained

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 understanding to the content which is being studied. The third step, the
researcher collected data related to the problems in the research. The fourth
step, the researcher took notes to the important datas that are obtained from
The Dark Knight Trilogy movie scipts. The last step, the researcher organized
and divided the datas into few parts based on their categories.

E. Data Analysis
In analyzing the data, the researcher clarified, comprehended,
described, explained, and interpreted the subjects from computer software and
description as techniques to analyze the data. That those techniques are
support and complementary each other to get the relevant data with this
research problems and issues about anxiety and sublimation as defense
mechanism on Bruce Wayne in The Dark Knight Trilogy scripts. To analyze
the study, there are several steps that are used by the researcher.
The initial step, the researcher was collecting data by reading the script
repetitive. The collected data was in the form of excerpts in the script of the
dark knight trilogy. Then, the researcher used computer software to arrange
the data. According to Creswell (2012:241), he stated that a computer analysis
of qualitative data means that researchers use a qualitative computer program
to facilitate the process of storing, analyzing, sorting, and representing or
visualizing the data. MAXQDA is a world-leading software package for
qualitative and mixed methods research. Analyze all kinds of data – from texts
to images and audio/video files, websites, tweets, focus group discussions,
survey responses, and much more (Verbi software, 2020). By using this
software, the researcher was able to organize data with ease and divided the
data based on their classification. Associated with the process of organizing
the data, the researcher created several documents or folders which was
provided by MAXQDA, and then the data was entered to each folders based
on their classification. By classifying the data, the researcher was able to
access the data properly in order to solve and answer the problem statement of
the research.

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 Figure 3.1. Open coding screenshot of MAXQD.

On the Figure 3.1, it was shown the process of organizing data by using
MAXQD the software. In organizing data, the software also provides the
numeric coding system which help the researcher to find the data directly by
inputing or selecting the number of data that has been marked.
The next step or the last step is the description of the study. The
researcher used psychoanalysis theory by Sigmund Freud as basis to
describing the data. Then, the researcher interpreted or described each data
that has been organized through the MAXQDC software. By using
psychoanaisis theory, the researcher described each data more deeply in order
to find the appropriate answer in accordance with the formulation of problem.

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