A Psychoanalytic Analysis of Depression in the Main Character of Ender’s Game
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36312/jolls.v5i3.3263Keywords:
Depression, Psychoanalysis, Ender’s game, Mental health, LeadershipAbstract
The present study employs a psychoanalytic framework to analyse the portrayal of depression in the character Ender Wiggin in the film Ender's Game, thereby addressing a significant gap in academic literature at the intersection of cinematic representation, adolescent psychology and literary adaptation. Whilst the prevailing focus of preceding research has been on themes of strategy and empathy in the novel, this analysis specifically investigates how the film depicts the psychological consequences of extreme pressure on adolescents. The research methodology consists of detailed scene analysis, an approach chosen for its ability to reveal unconscious motivations and emotional subtext embedded in cinematic language, in line with Freud's focus on latent meaning. The study explores how external pressures, such as manipulation, isolation, and moral burden, manifest as symptoms of depression—including emotional withdrawal and internal conflict—in Ender's character. These findings contribute to the academic debate by demonstrating how the film employs the science fiction genre to critique society's perception of adolescent leadership in high-pressure environments. The paper's central argument is that the film's psychoanalytic depth offers valuable insights for mental health discourse, serving as a powerful educational tool for discussing the psychological burden of trauma and the ethical dimensions of grooming young leaders.
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