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 CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY
B. Research Focus A. Approaches and Types of Research
C. Formulation of the Problem Methods
D. Objective of the Research B. Research Time
E. Significant of the Research C. Source of Research Data
D. Technique of Data Collection
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL E. Research Instrument
FRAMEWORK F. Technique of Data Analysis
A. Theoretical Review G. Data Validity
B. Relevant Study
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 of psychoanalytic.

FORMULATION OF
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
investigator of 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 disciplines that

CHAPTER
study human behavior. Literature uses fiction to represent human
behavior, while psychology studies human behavior and its
causes. The relationship between literature and psychology is

II
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 are
secondary. Literature also serves as a bridge for researchers to
THEORETICAL reveal things that can only be found through research reason,
such as Sigmund Freud's psychoanalysis theory (Meiliana, 2020).
FRAMEWORK The relationship between literature and psychology is
evident in the scientific psychological approach to art, which
objectively searches for universal phenomena common to all
artists, works of art, and art connoisseurs. For example, a
researcher can explain the behavior and psychology experienced
by the main character in a film, Case 39 (2009).
LITERATURE
AND
PSYCHOLOGY
 Personality plays a significant role in success and fulfillment,
THE STUDY OF and its traits can limit or increase choices, influence social
interactions, and even affect health. Psychoanalysis is a method used
PERSONALITY 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).

MOVIES
THEORY
Films, created through projector lenses,
use visuals and audiovisuals to convey
information, describe phenomena, and
depict societal events. One of the genre of
the film is psychological thriller, and it is
an interesting topic. Characters, whether
protagonists or antagonists, are crucial in
literature, providing life and influencing
our perception of ourselves.
Putri (2017) highlights two categories of characters in narrative works like films:
A. Major character
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 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).
B. Minor character
Minor characters, often used as viewpoints, can still be significant in literary works, but they are often flat
stereotypes. In Case 39 (2009), Douglas J. Ames, Emily's boyfriend, plays a crucial role.
In the other hand, Sutton (1971) that quoted in Putri (2017) divides characters into four types
below:
A. Flat character
Flat characters, typically minor, are predictable, basic, and have complex motivations and temperaments, but
not all are inherently flat.
B. Round character
A round character typically has a significant impact on the plot. They're frequently referred to as the hero or
heroine.
C. Static character
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

METHODOLOGY
research. By using this 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 researcher uses content analysis,
descriptive and qualitative, to study the
psychology of the main character in the
film "Case 39 (2009)". The study aims
to develop theories and understand
aspects of social life beyond the
individual or environment. The analysis
is conducted by actively analyzing and
demonstrating importance to the
audience.
The analysis will be performed by:
1. Watching and re-watching the movie while paying attention to
characterizations and dialogues that take place throughout all the
featured scenes, along with note-taking to provide a detailed and
chronological recount of all important aspects regarding character
psyches.
2. The researcher looks for consistencies between character actions and
dialogues throughout the movie to uncover detailed information about
the characters’ psyches.

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
Transferability relates 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.
THANK
you