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Regarding Henry Analysis

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The movie “Regarding Henry”, is about a lawyer named Henry. He has an infatuation with drinking and smoking. In the exposition and rising action of the movie, Henry’s Id takes over his mind. At the Climax and falling action of the movie, Henry’s superego begins to take control after he is shot in the head and shoulder. This shot caused him to lose his memory. During his journey at rehab, he has to learn the basic childhood lessons again. This includes what’s right and wrong. I think his natural state is his Id because it’s what’s controlled his mind his whole life up until now.

As mentioned previously, Henry’s Id is what I believe is his natural state. These scenes in the movie portray his Id taking sovereignty. First, in the rising action, he was yelling at his daughter for spilling juice on his piano. This shows his subordinate Id side because there are other ways he could have handled the situation. Second, His infatuation with smoking and drinking. …show more content…

What changes that fight however is the shooting. When Henry’s memory is lost his superego is then able to conquer and show Henry the reality principles. Freud’s principles of reaction formation, displacement and sublimation are all revealed through this process. Reaction formation is illustrated through the Id. For example, leaving his wife when he finds her notes from Bruce. This is contrary to what he really believes he should do. Displacement and sublimation are introduced in the road to the superego. This applies to all of us in the sense that, we all get in situations where we have to choose right from wrong. The Id may take over and do what is pleasurable even though it may not be the right thing to do. The superego might come in and bring us back to reality and show us the consequences and what’s morally right. We can all take away lessons from this movie on how to involve our superego with our

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