Abstract
The paper shows how characters show insistence, defiance, consequence, and retribution traits. It connects the character traits of Merida, Elinor, Fergu, and Mor’du with Erickson’s stages of psychosocial development and Vygtosky’s sociocultural theory. According to Erickson’s theory, there is a clear character growth in Merida, which systematically reflects an element of the stages. Therefore, it changes the interactions and relationships between the individuals and their social spaces as they struggle to find their purpose amid all the rebellion. Queen Elinor is the mother to Merida and is conservative about the kingdom’s traditions and culture, which have to be obeyed and followed by the latter. Her relationship with her daughter is stuck in Erickson’s third stage, industry vs. inferiority, where one wants to accomplish something but feels inadequate to achieve the same fate. Mordu encapsulates the second stage of development, autonomy vs. shame and doubt, and Vygosky’s theory. Mor’du lives the rest of his life as a symbol of defiance until Merida frees his spirit.
Introduction
The film Brave (2012) shows the sinister development of various characters along psychoanalytic perspectives. While the entire film encompasses gradual character growth, the characters show certain traits that can be exploited with theoretical analysis in psychology. The paper shows how characters show insistence, defiance, consequence, and retribution traits. It, therefore, connects the character traits of Merida, Elinor, Fergu, and Mor’du with Erickson’s stages of psychosocial development and Vygtosky’s sociocultural theory.
Princess Merida
Princess Merida, the film’s main protagonist, seeks her identity during trying times when she is supposed to be betrothed. According to Erickson’s theory, there is a clear character growth in Merida, which systematically reflects an element of the stages. According to Gross (2020), the fifth stage of growth, identity vs. confusion, involves an individual having a clear picture of who they are. Confusion comes through pressure if one cannot flexibly conform to the expectations vested in them. As the princess, she is meant to be married to the son of one of his father’s allies. However, when she challenges her suitors to an archery march, she defeats all of them, consequently stating that she does not desire any of them. Elinor is furious that her daughter has refused to be married, which is against the norm and will certainly lead to curses for the kingdom. Gross (2020) talks about the conflict that emerges when an individual’s perception of themselves clashes with other people’s perceptions. This conflict changes the interactions and relationships between the individuals and their social spaces as they struggle to find their purpose amid all the rebellion. Merida flees from home and is goes into the woods, where she meets the wisp who helps her solve the problem she is facing about getting married. Due to her resistance and defiance, her mom is turned into a bear, and she or he has to fix the bond with her mother, which has been severed by her pride and her mother’s insistence. Ultimately, she makes peace with her mother bear and asks for forgiveness for her stubbornness, thus actualizing the last stage of Erickson’s psychosocial development, integrity vs. despair.
Queen Elinor
Queen Elinor is the mother to Merida and is conservative about the kingdom’s traditions and culture, which have to be obeyed and followed by the latter. When Merida says that she is not interested in getting married, Elinor refutes her desires and forces her to accept being married by one of the sons of the allies so that peace in the kingdom is maintained. Vygotsky’s Theory of Cognitive Development in Social Relationships highlights culture as a major part of social learning (Taber, 2020). The theory posits that everyone has a significant role that they must learn, adapt to, and play within their culture for society to move forward (Pinker, 2022). Queen Elinor reveals to Merida that she has to learn to take on her place in the kingdom by accepting her role as the princess and getting married. Her relationship with her daughter is stuck in Erickson’s third stage, industry vs. inferiority, where one wants to accomplish something but feels inadequate to achieve the same fate. Elinor believes that her daughter would not be industrious enough if she will not marry, while Merida herself believes she would be inferior if she got married. When they finally come to mend their relationship, they agree to compromise. Merida respects her culture on the need for her to get married, and Elinor accepts that Merida will get married when she feels ready.
Mor’du
In the film, Mor’du is the prince in the tales who refuses to honor his cultural obligations and turns into a beast. The prince was proud to live his life as he saw best and became a bear. Mordu encapsulates the second stage of development, autonomy vs. shame and doubt, and Vygosky’s theory. According to Erickson, freedom of choice comes with the obligation to meet the living standards set by the social spectrum (Gross, 2020). However, an abuse of such independence and freedom may be consequential. There is the existing element of shame, where one feels they have done the wrong thing and should have done something else. Mor’du lives the rest of his life as a symbol of defiance until Merida frees his spirit. Vygosky holds that the cultural spectrum is constructed in such a way that people cannot overrun their roles and responsibilities, and trying to challenge the existing set-up has its consequences, which are seen in Mordu’s nature as a bear.
Summary
To conclude, the film “Brave” projects an animated kingdom where Merida is the protagonist and tries to fight the status quo. Merida stands up against the trend of women getting married not by desire but through design, such that they do not have a choice of whether to accept or decline. In the film, two major psychoanalytic perspectives emerge Vygosky’s theory of cultural development and Erickson’s theory of psychosocial development. The constant conflicts and interactions between the prevalent characters of Merida, Elinor, and Mor’du project these psychological elements and give the fill a deeper reflection on psychology.
References
Gross, Y. (2020). Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development. The Wiley Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences: Models and Theories, 179-184.
Pinker, R. (2022). Social theory and social policy. Taylor & Francis.
Taber, K. S. (2020). Mediated learning leading development—The social development theory of Lev Vygotsky. Science education in theory and practice: An introductory guide to learning theory, 277-291.
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