PSYCHOANALYSIS OF MAIN CHARACTER PROBLEMS IN

CASE 39 (2009) USING SIGMUND FREUD'S PERSPECTIVE

SEMINAR PROPOSAL
Conducted by:
Ahmad Habib Najmudin
University of Muhammadiyah Tangerang | English Education | 2024
 CONTENTS
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Problem
B. Research Focus
C. Formulation of the Problem
D. Objective of the Research
E. Significant of the Research
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL
FRAMEWORK
A. Theoretical Review
B. Relevant Study
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY
A. Approaches and Types of
Research Methods
B. Research Time
C. Source of Research Data
D. Technique of Data Collection
E. Research Instrument
F. Technique of Data Analysis
G. Data Validity
CHAPTER I BACKGROUND OF THE PROBLEM
INTRODUCTION Literature is a crucial aspect of language education, reflecting
society's life problems, philosophy, and psychology. It is a tool for
teaching, guidance, and understanding, with each character's
interests and problems influencing their interactions. Film has
become a fascinating medium for creative thinking and talent in
literature, with many cineastes viewing it as a platform for
exchanging ideas and viewpoints.

Psychology studies behavior or activities that are

manifestations of human psychic life, with paranoia/hyperthyroidism
being a symptom often seen in people with mental disorders. This
study focuses on Emily Jenkins, the main character in the
supernatural horror film Case 39 (2009), which explores her
psychological disorder and paranoia.

Case 39 is a popular American supernatural horror film

directed by Christian Alvart and received a 21% rating on Rotten
Tomatoes. The film tells the story of Emily Jenkins, a social worker
investigating a case of violence experienced by a 10-year-old girl
named Lilith Sullivan. The researcher uses Sigmund Freud's
personality theory to evaluate Emily's personality,dividing the human
psyche into the id, ego, and superego.
RESEARCH
FOCUS
The researcher only focuses on psychoanalytic
analytic in the film Case 39 (2009) which refers
to the psychology of Emily Jenkins as the main
actor in the film Case 39 (2009) and the
researcher analyzes it using Sigmund Freud's
theory of perception who is nicknamed the father FORMULATION OF
of psychoanalytic.

THE PROBLEM
The researcher formulates the problem in this
study referring to knowing or describing “How is
the psychology experienced by Emily Jenkins in
the film Case 39 (2009) who has experienced a
supernatural tragedy”.

OBJECTIVE
OF THE
RESEARCH
The objective of the
research is to explain the
tragedy experienced in Case
39 (2009) which refers to
knowing or describing the
psychology experienced by
Case 39 (2009) by the main
character,Emily Jenkins who
acts as an investigatorof the
case and reveals the identity
of Lilith Sullivan.
Theoretical Benefits
The researcher hopes that the theoretical benefits in this research can provide
additional information and knowledge for readers and researchers, especially in
examining the psychology of the main character in the film Case 39 (2009) and in
similar genre of film.
Practical Benefits
A. For the Students
It aims to provide solutions for psychological disorders in schools and educational
settings, enhancing understanding of psychoanalysis in relation to film.
B. For the Teachers
The teacher is expected to gain critical psychological knowledge from the film Case
39 (2009), focusing on Emily Jenkins' behavior and role, and direct students to
prevent and overcome psychological disorders, thereby creating an effective learning
environment.
C. For the other Researchers
The study aims to provide a reference for other researchers to analyze the
psychology of Emily Jenkins in the film Case 39 (2009), using Sigmund Freud
theories, and identify community problems in student psychology to create an
effective learning environment.
SIGNIFICANT OF
THE RESEARCH
 Literature and psychology are two scientific

CHAPTER
disciplines that study human behavior. Literature
uses fiction to represent human behavior, while
psychology studies human behavior and its causes.

II
The relationship between literature and psychology
is strong, as literature serves as the fundamental
cornerstone of the relationship. Literature is a canon
that consists of works in language that define a
community through its history, including works
primarily artistic and those whose aesthetic qualities
THEORETICAL are secondary. Literature also serves as a bridge for
FRAMEWORK researchers to reveal things that can only be found
through research reason, such as Sigmund Freud's
psychoanalysis theory (Meiliana, 2020).

The relationship between literature and

psychology is evident in the scientific psychological
approach to art, which objectively searches for
LITERATURE universal phenomena common to all artists, works of
art, and art connoisseurs. For example, a researcher
AND can explain the behavior and psychology
experienced by the main character in a film, Case 39
PSYCHOLOGY (2009).
 Personality plays a significant role in success and
THE STUDY OF fulfillment, and its traits can limit or increase choices,
influence social interactions, and even affect health.
PERSONALITY Psychoanalysis is a method used for psychological
research, examining a person's personality through
expressions that match their state of mind. Freud and
Breuer's theory, first proposed in 1893, focuses on the
reality of subconscious desires and individual social
interactions (Schultz & Schultz, 2015).
Sigmund Freud and Breuer's study of a hysterical
woman patient in 1880 and 1882 led to the development
of the theory of hysteria, which is based on bad
experiences and trauma. In 1915, Freud wrote
Introduction to Metapsychology,which aimed to rebuild
the basic foundations of psychology by describing the
mind from three perspectives: the subconscious,
conscious mind, and the id, ego, and superego (Iqbal,
2019).
The id, the biological foundation of personality, is
the earliest and most basic psychic agents. The ego, a
modification of the id, emerges from the external world,
while the superego commands the psychic machinery
to pursue idealistic ideals and perfection.

PERSONALITY‘S
THEORY
Freud's theory identifies the id,
ego, and superego as three
essential components of human
personality. The id, based on
pleasure, operates
subconsciously and is influenced
by biological instincts of life
(eros) and death (thanatos).
Eros guides life-sustaining
actions, while Thanatos, or
death instincts, can lead to
aggression. The id operates on
pleasure principles and is driven
by instinctual urges.
Id
The id is the conscious stage of human motivation, driven by irrational
impulses to seek pleasure. It is based on the principle that people want to
experience difficult things. The ego, a component of the id, controls and alters
primal instincts, synchronizing the demands of the id, superego, and outside
world. The ego's weakness is demonstrated by its inability to satisfy the id's
demands, causing a split of the mind (Lapsley & Stey, 2012).
Ego
The ego mediates the connection between a person's internal and
external worlds, while the id operates according to reality principles. Freud
compared the adult personality to an archaeological site with multiple
civilizations. The ego is influenced by contradictory impulses, while the id is
shaped by body organization and instincts. The ego is exposed to behavior
codes and social prohibitions, which control the passage of instincts from the
id to the ego (Anthony W. Bateman, Jeremy Holmes, 2021).
Superego
Freud's theory suggests that the superego, a descendant of the id's first
object, cathexis, serves as the personality's conscience and can cause guilt as
retaliation for the ego's flaws. It operates at conscious, preconscious, and
unconscious levels, similar to the ego. The superego is not present at birth, as
children may lack morality and pursue pleasure. As we grow older, our internal
self-control replaces parental guidance (Morris & Maisto, 2014).
 Putri (2017) highlights two categories of characters in narrative works like films:

A. Major character

MOVIES The protagonist, often a sympathetic character, struggles with an antagonist who
manipulates the environment to achieve their goals. In a film, Emily Jenkins, a law

THEORY enforcer, experiences tension due to her empathy for Lilith, a demon disguised as a girl.
The protagonist can be a hero or antagonist, and Emily's character experiences tension
in her psychology.The antagonist, on the other hand, is a character who manipulates the
environment to achieve their goals, as seen in Lilith's case in Case 39 (2009).
Films, created through projector
B. Minor character
lenses, use visuals and
Minor characters, often used as viewpoints, can still be significant in literary works, but
audiovisuals to convey they are often flat stereotypes. In Case 39 (2009), Douglas J. Ames, Emily's boyfriend,
information, describe phenomena, plays a crucial role.
and depict societal events. One of
In the other hand, Sutton (1971) that quoted in Putri (2017) divides characters
the genre of the film is into four types below:
psychological thriller, and it is an A. Flat character
interesting topic. Characters, Flat characters, typically minor, are predictable, basic, and have complex motivations
and temperaments, but not all are inherently flat.
whether protagonists or
B. Round character
antagonists, are crucial in A round character typically has a significant impact on the plot. They're frequently
literature, providing life and referred to as the hero or heroine.
influencing our perception of C. Static character
ourselves. The static characters essentially don't change. Their lives are not significantly impacted
by the action (unlike the protagonist in a typical action or adventure movie).
D. Dynamic character
A dynamic character undergoes significant changes during a story's development,
including shifts in commitment, values, or perception, indicating their ongoing evolution.

RELEVANT
STUDY
This research uses film Case 39
as data, following previous
studies using novels For One
More Day, The Looking for
Alaska, and Orphan. The method
used is descriptive qualitative,
and the dependent variable is
psychoanalysis by Sigmund
Freud. The differences between
this research and previous ones
are the type of literature used
and data collection methods.
The researcher uses related
studies as references to address
the deficiencies in the previous
research.
Personality Structure of the Main Character in Mitch Albom's for One
More Day: A Freudian Psychoanalysis by Nandika Tahta Aulia (2021)
The study uses descriptive qualitative technique to identify Charley
"Chick" Benetto's personality traits in For One More Day. It aims to understand
his Id, Ego, and Superego, using Sigmund Freud's personality structure
hypothesis. The results show that Benetto struggles to maintain a healthy
balance between his id, ego, and superego, highlighting his struggle with
psychic energy storage and balancing demands.
Alaska's Borderline Personality Disorder as Reflected in John Green's
Looking for Alaska by Cahya Tri Atmaja (2019)
The research explores the borderline personality disorder in The Looking
for Alaska's main character, Alaska Young. Using Structuralism theory and
Sigmund Freud's Theory of Personality, the study focuses on Alaska's
characterisation and conflicts. The findings suggest that Alaska's personality
satisfies three essential characteristics of borderline personality disorder and
influences her conflict handling.
An Analysis of Esther's Psychopath Problem in Orphan Film Viewed from
Psychoanalysis Theory by Sigmund Freud by Nurul Hikmah Maulanie (2011)
The study explores the psychopathic problem-character in the film
Orphan, using Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theories. It uses descriptive
qualitative methodology to analyze the movie's intrinsic and extrinsic elements,
including Esther's characterizations, and the factors contributing to the
character's psychopathic nature.
CHAPTER Approaches and Types of Research Methods

III
The researcher used a qualitative analysis and
a descriptive approach. Descriptive research aims to
explain a phenomenon accurately based on the
characteristics of the research. By using this
METHODOLOGY method, researchers can also explain or describe
the behaviour or psychology experienced by the
main character in the film "Case 39 (2009)".
Research Time

SOURCE OF
RESEARCH
DATA
This research was conducted by
watching the film Case 39
(2009) accompanied by
subtitles rented for 30 days
online from Youtube Movies as a
data source, The researcher also
take a picture of the scene in the
film to get the better look and
more deep analysis through the
scene.
Technique of Data Collection
This research utilizes study documents, including written, oral,
visual, and monumental works, to collect data for process analysis.
Data collection involves analyzing insights using established
methodologies, such as narrative research analysis. The researcher
gathered data by viewing the film and collecting important notes.
The researcher analyzes data from the film "Case 39 (2009)"
by understanding actors' activities, reviewing important sources,
and identifying relevant phrases and statements, then mark scenes
with screenshots and relate them to the study's theory. After
completing data identification and classification, the researcher
forms associations or ideas for the concept of the research.
Research Instrument
The researcher uses document as the instrument, focusing on
content analysis to understand human behavior. Content analysis
also involves in examining and interpreting recorded material, such
as books, letters, movies, tapes, journals, topics, reports, or other
written materials. In this case, it uses film as a content analysis.
TECHNIQUE
OF DATA
ANALYSIS The analysis will be performed by:
1.Watching and re-watching the movie while paying
The researcher uses content attention to characterizations and dialogues that take
analysis, descriptive and place throughout all the featured scenes, along with note
qualitative, to study the -taking to provide a detailed and chronological recount
psychology of the main of all important aspects regarding character psyches.
character in the film "Case 39 2 .The researcher looks for consistencies between
(2009)". The study aims to character actions and dialogues throughout the movie to
develop theories and uncover detailed information about the characters’
understand aspects of social life psyches.
beyond the individual or
environment. The analysis is
conducted by actively analyzing
and demonstrating importance
to the audience.

DATA
VALIDITY
To ensure that the description of
the data that has been
presented the above is valid
data and has a degree of trust
Validity assurance techniques
are carried out through:
confirmability, credibility,
transferability, dependability.
Confirmability
Confirmability is the process to assured when data
are checked and rechecked throughout data collection
and analysis to ensure results would likely be repeatable
by others
Credibility
Internal validity (credibility) discusses how far
research results can be trusted
Transfermability
Transferabilityrelates to research results that can be
transferred by others and can be applied in situations
others, in order to achieve external validity the authors
study in a systematic, detailed, clear and accountable
manner.
Dependability
To ensure data reliability in research, the study
involves re-auditing data from problem focus to
conclusion. The researcher selects techniques to
guarantee data validity, focusing on the problem and
ensuring the data's validity.
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