Defense Mechanisms Of Ingrid Thorburn In Facing Anxieties As Reflected In The Dark Comedy Film Entitled Ingrid Goes West (2017)

Abstract

Abstract
This study analyzes a dark comedy film concerning on the psychological aspects of
the main character. Sigmund Freud’s theory of Psychoanalysis is used as a base
theory in analyzing the object study. This research attempts to find out the types of
anxieties and defense mechanisms portrayed by Ingrid in the film Ingrid Goes West.
The study was based on a qualitative research, thus the result will be outlined in a
form of descriptive. All of the primary data used in this research were taken from the
film script, including descriptions, monologues and dialogues. While the secondary
data were gathered from books, journals, articles, and reports that related to the
study. As a result, this study finds that the character of Ingrid covers all anxiety types
defined by Freud; neurotic anxiety, realistic anxiety, and moral anxiety. In order to
cope with her anxiety, Ingrid uses certain behaviour that Freudian theorists
recognized as defense mechanism. The coping mechanism used by ingrid includes;
displacement, denial, regression, reaction formation and projection. This study
comes to a conclusion that the psychological journey of Ingrid in facing anxieties
using defense mechanism is well portrayed in the film Ingrid Goes West.
Keywords : Anxiety, Defense Mechanism, Freud Psychoanalysis Theory