In his account of the individuation process, Carl G. Jung describes a spiritual goal for the individual as well as the collective. That process, as exemplified through archetypes in both literature and film, offers the reader insight into the variety and richness those paths may take. In this highly original book, Phyllis Berdt Kenevan provides an analysis of individuation, and then explores four different individual paths of characters from the stories of Zorba the Greek, House of the Spirits, Crime and Punishment, and Bagdad Cafe. Kenevan then explores ways in which individuation can become a path for the collective, analyzing My Dinner With Andre, Wings of Desire, and various Dostoevsky novels. An engaging and thought-provoking look at archetypes as vehicles for interpretation, Paths of lndividuation in Literature and Film is a must read for courses in personal and social psychology, literary or film interpretation, Jung, and philosophy and psychology.
JUNG AND FRODO: 7 PATHS OF INDIVIDUATION IN THE LORD OF THE RINGS The Lord of the Rings is many things, large and small, but central in the book are the stories of individuation, of transcendence, of all the major characters. Each path is different, each can speak to a different human need. Jung and Frodo identifies 7 psychological paths to maturity and selfhood, each taken by a particular character or pair of characters. These paths are: The Path of Curiosity. At the start, Merry and Pippin care only about creature comforts, but driven by their curiosity, they gradually grow brave and wise. Though In the early parts of the quest, they constantly cause trouble through their monkey-like curiosity, that curiosity leads them to see more of the world than anyone else in the book. The Path of Opposites. Gimli the Dwarf and Legolas the Elf - Earth and Air - are representatives of opposing cultures, which despise each other. Gimli and Legolas grow first to respect, then to love each other, thus providing the possibility of a union of opposites, as their joint time passes from the earth. The Path of the Wizard. The Wizard, already the wisest of the wise, must resist arrogance, serve those less wise, then willingly accept death to save others, as a step toward transformation. Saruman fails this test, while Gandalf passes. Gandalf the Grey becomes Gandalf the White. The Path of the King. The King must lower himself to the level of commoners, before rising once more to his full stature. Boromir fails this test, while Strider/Aragorn passes. He grows stronger and wiser in the process, and is finally crowned King Aragorn. This would have been the ending of any other hero's journey, but not The Lord of the Rings, which is far wiser. There remains the three final great paths: of Gollum, Samwise, and Frodo. Path of Tragic Failure. Driven by greed and avarice, Gollum loses his identity, reduced to nothing but desire for his "precious" ring. Yet, even in failure, even while committing evil, Gollum plays an indispensable part in the Quest. Like a Greek tragic hero, though fated to fail personally, he yet serves greater needs. The Path of Love. Sam's is the simplest, yet the most touching of all paths: his simple loyalty and love for Frodo makes him the single person who never wavers in his task throughout the book. When Frodo can no longer even walk, and will not let Sam carry the Ring, Sam carries Frodo. Then, when Gollum joins them, Frodo's kindness has to be balanced by Sam's stern limits. Ultimately Sam's outcome is the happiest of all those on the Quest: he has been able to see the Elves who so fascinated him, able to serve as Frodo's companion on the greatest of all quests, and finally able to return to his blessed Shire, and his loving Rosie. The Path of Transcendence. Then there is Frodo - and Frodo's path transcends that of any other hero in literature. Seemingly the least, always aware of his own fears, his own limitations, he yet accomplishes more than any of those seemingly greater figures like Elves and Dwarves, Kings and Wizards. Even when the great quest is complete, The Lord of the Rings is wise enough to recognize that there can be no simple happy ending for Frodo. Like Hamlet, Frodo can find no peace on earth. At the end, he is left to find some new answer, some unique way to transcend the limitations of life. All of these paths speak to each of us, some paths more than others. Few of us are forced to take a path as difficult as Frodo's, yet in these strange days when the old passes away, there are some for whom this is the only path that can be followed.
'Becoming: An Introduction to Jung's Concept of Individuation' explores the ideas of Carl Gustav Jung. His idea of a process called individuation has sustained Deldon Anne McNeely's dedication to a lifelong work of psychoanalysis, which unfortunately has been dismissed by the current trends in psychology and psychiatry. Psychotherapists know the value of Jung's approach through clinical results, that is, watching people enlarge their consciousness and change their attitudes and behavior, transforming their suffering into psychological well-being. However, psychology's fascination with behavioral techniques, made necessary by financial concerns and promoted by insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies, has changed the nature of psychotherapy and has attempted to dismiss the wisdom of Jung and other pioneers of the territory of the unconscious mind. For a combination of unfortunate circumstances, many of the younger generation, including college and medical students, are deprived of fully understanding their own minds. Those with a scientific bent are sometimes turned away from self-reflection by the suggestion that unconscious processes are metaphysical mumbo-jumbo. Superficial assessments of Jung have led to the incorrect conclusion that one must be a spiritual seeker, or religious, in order to follow Jung's ideas about personality. 'Becoming' is an offering to correct these misperceptions. Many university professors are not allowed to teach Jungian psychology. Secular humanism and positivism have shaped the academic worldview; therefore, investigation into the unknown or unfamiliar dimensions of human experience is not valued. But this attitude contrasts with the positive reputation Jung enjoys among therapists, artists of all types, and philosophers. Those without resistance to the unconscious because of their creativity, open-mindedness, or personal disposition are more likely to receive Jung's explorations without prejudice or ideological resistance. There is a lively conversation going on about Jung's ideas in journals and conferences among diverse groups of thinkers which does not reach mainstream psychology. 'Becoming' is for those whose minds are receptive to the unknown, and to help some of us to think-more with respect than dread-of the possibility that we act unconsciously.
This book demonstrates for the first time the significance of Jung’s work to the humanities, and to those areas where the humanities and sciences share borders. More radically, it shows that Jung was a writer of myth, alchemy, narrative, and poetics, as well as on them. Jung’s core concepts are introduced, their ongoing relevance is championed. The book also addresses Jung’s sometimes questionable judgment on politics and gender, and previews contemporary extensions of Jungian theory. By privileging the creative psyche and exploring the connections between individual, natural environment, and social/psychological collective, Jung anticipates the new holism, offering the promise of reconciling the sciences with the arts, humanity with nature.
An introduction to the world of postJungian film studies, this book redresses the dominance of Freudian theories of cinema and guides individuals through the intricacies of Jungian thought. In so doing, it provides the basis on which to construct a contemporary theory of cinema. Drawing on research into detective films and the myths of detection, Hockley weaves together psychological analysis with textual interpretation. The resulting hypothesis suggests that watching films is an intensely personal experience in which viewers, according to individual needs and desires, project and identify with films and their characters.
The language of Jung's writings, and of analytical psychology generally, is sometimes difficult to understand. This guide, in dictionary format, combines scholarship and historical accuracy with a stimulating, critical attitude.
Loss is an inescapable reality of life, and individuals need to develop a capacity to grieve in order to mature and live life to the full. Yet most western movie audiences live in cultures that do not value this necessary process and filmgoers finding themselves deeply moved by a particular film are often left wondering why. In Cinema as Therapy, John Izod and Joanna Dovalis set out to fill a gap in work on the conjunction of grief, therapy and cinema. Looking at films including Million Dollar Baby, The Son’s Room, Birth and The Tree of Life, Cinema as Therapy offers an understanding of how deeply emotional life can be stirred at the movies. Izod and Dovalis note that cinema is a medium which engages people in a virtual dialogue with their own and their culture’s unconscious, more deeply than is commonly thought. By analysing the meaning of each film and the root cause of the particular losses featured, the authors demonstrate how our experiences in the movie theatre create an opportunity to prepare psychologically for the inevitable losses we must all eventually face. In recognising that the movie theatre shares symbolic features with both the church and the therapy room, the reader sees how it becomes a sacred space where people can encounter the archetypal and ease personal suffering through laughter or tears, without inhibition or fear, to reach a deeper understanding of themselves. Cinema as Therapy will be essential reading for therapists, students and academics working in film studies and looking to engage with psychological studies in depth as well as filmgoers who want to explore their relationship with the screen. The book includes a glossary of Jungian and Freudian terms which enhances the clarity of the text and the understanding of the reader.
