A. Title: STRUGGLE FOR LIFE OF MEG ALTMAN IN DAVID FINCHER’S PANIC ROOM MOVIE: AN INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH.
B. Background of the Study
Literature can not be separated from human life. Since it emerges
Literature is a reflection of conditions around the writer, about feeling the life, or showing the ideal condition wanted by the author.
Literature is a reflection of conditions around the writer, about feeling the life, or showing the ideal condition wanted by the author.
Human life is one of the most interesting topics to discus because life experiences always develop as fast as the time goes on. People need many ways to express their impressions about human’s experiences and the life itself, one of this is a form of literary works. Wellek and Warren (1956:90) state that the processes of the author’s creation are the objects of the psychologist investigate curiosity. The classification of the reflection of the literary works according to psychological types, they describe the author’s mental illness, they may even explore his subconscious mind. The evidence of the psychologist may come from unliterary documents or it drawn from the work itself. Psychology is also helpful for us to observe the emotion of each character and the behavior psychology, individual psychology, humanistic psychology, social psychology or psychoanalysis.
Literature has a tight relationship to psychology since it is the exposition of man’s life because literature and psychology have the same object of research that is human being. Literature is a work that expresses and communicates thoughts, feelings, and attitudes toward life and the world (George 1965:16). Meanwhile, psychology is the scientific study of behavior and the mind (Passer and Smith, 2004:3). Hence, it can be concluded that the object of literature and psychology is an individual that includes his personality and view about life and outside world. Furthermore, Jatman (in Endraswara, 2003:97) confirms that there is a tight correlation between literature and psychology indirectly as well as functionally; in fact, psychology and literature have the same object that is human being. In the other word, psychology studies the real psyche while literature studies the imaginative psyche.
Panic Room was directed by David Fincher and written by David Koepp. This 101 minutes duration movie was released on March 29, 2002 by 21st Century Fox starring Jodie Foster. This movie won for some award in ASCAP Award 2003, Saturn Award 2003 in category Best Actress, Excellent in Production Design Award in three categories; Feature Film, Production Designer, Art Director, Black Reel Award 2003 in category Best Supporting Actor, OFCS Award 2003 in category Best Editing, and was nominated for Golden Thriller Award 2002 in category Best Horror and Thriller.
Many authors pay attention to struggle for life, one of them is David Fincher. He was born on August 28th, 1962 in Denver, Colorado, USA. He was successful in directed some the movies such as Alien 3 (1992), Se7en (1995), The Game (1997), Fight Club (1999), Panic Room (2002), Zodiac (2007), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008). He also the director of some videos clip famous actress such as Paula Abdul in The Way That You Love Me (1988), Cold Hearted (1989), Straight Up (2005), Forever Your Girl (2005), Madonna in Oh Father (1989), Express Your Self (1989), Vague (1990), Bad Girl (1993), George Michel in Freedom (1999), Aerosmith in Janie’s Got a Gun (1989), Big Ones You Can Look at (1994), Michael Jackson in Dangerous and Who Is It (1993). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Fincher).
The film focuses on a panic room, a safe shelter usually located inside a residence. The panic room in this film is protected by a four inch thick steel door and an impressive security system, and features a phone line not connected to the residence.
The residence is 38 West 94th Street in Manhattan, a four story townhouse that was previously owned by a disabled reclusive millionaire. Following the owner's death, the house was bought by Meg Altman (Foster), a woman, recently divorced from the owner of a pharmaceutical giant, who is planning to go back to college. Meg has a 12 year old daughter Sarah (Stewart) who suffers from Type 1 diabetes.
On the night the two moves into the home, it is broken into by Junior (Leto), the grandson of the previous owner, and Burnham (Whitaker), an employee of the security company used by the residence. The two are after $3 million in bearer bonds, which is locked inside a floor safe in the panic room. Unknown to Burnham until after they have broken in, Junior has recruited Raoul (Yoakam), a bus driver who lives in Flatbush, to assist in the heist.
After discovering that the Altman’s have moved into the home one week before they anticipated, the burglars decide to go on as planned with the heist. However, Meg wakes up and discovers the intruders from the CCTV monitors in the panic room when she wanted to switch off its glaring light. Before the three burglars can stop her, she runs to Sarah, wakes her by pouring water onto her face, and together they escape to the panic room.
The three make several attempts to get into the room, including filling the room with propane to get the Altman’s to come out, and tunneling in from underneath. Both do not work.
Altman’s make several attempts to call for help, including signaling a nearby neighbor with a flashlight (who they can only see from the opening of a water pipe) and tapping into the main telephone line to call for help (because Meg has not yet hooked up the panic room's phone). Only one works; the two get through to Meg's husband and Sarah's father, Stephen, before the burglars cut them off. To make matters worse, Sarah collapses due to hypoglycemia caused by her diabetes and unfortunately the glucagons injections are in the fridge.
When all attempts to get into the room fail, Junior lets it slip that there is much more money in the panic room than he let on, and gives up. Burnham and Raoul find out that the bonds are actually worth $22 million. Upon trying to leave the house, Junior is shot in the head by Raoul. Stephen Altman arrives at the home and then taken hostage by Raoul and Burnham. Raoul beats him to a pulp. They then use the unconscious Altman to trick Meg (who is desperate to get the glucagons injections for Sarah) into momentarily exiting the panic room. Raoul ambushes her and a brief struggle ensues which ultimately results in Raoul and Burnham becoming trapped in the panic room with the critical Sarah and Meg outside with Raoul's gun. However Meg was able to throw in the glucagons syringe in time and begs the two intruders over the intercom to give Sarah the injection, which Burnham, being the more humane of the two, later does.
However, a police patrolman arrives having received Altman's call earlier. Sarah trapped with the two burglars, and Raoul threatening to kill her, Meg lies to the officer. Meanwhile, Burnham gets to work on the safe and obtains the bearer bonds. As the duo attempt to leave while using Sarah as a hostage, Meg and the badly injured Altman attack them. After an intense struggle, Burnham flees while Raoul prepares to kill Meg with a sledgehammer. However, upon hearing her screams for help, Burnham doubles back and kills Raoul, delaying him enough that he gets caught by the police who return as the earlier patrolman was suspicious at Meg's behavior. As they approach, he releases the bonds, letting them fly off into the night. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0258000/synopsis).
In the end of movie, she can save the family them from a crime the three villains with doing anything.
In fact people can solve their problems automatically through their daily life. Human being cannot be separated from the phenomenon and reality of life. Some people may see problems as a challenge in their lives and drive them to solve the problems. Beside that, people also can find some persons who give different reaction; they may see those problems as a border and have no clues to solve the problems. The complexities consists of sadness, happines, hesitation, and anxiety, which appear, in life as evidences that every human has thought and feeling.
According to Wellek and Warren (1956:81), for some conscious artists, psychology is very beneficial to tighten their views about reality, sharpen their powers of observation, and to give an opportunity to explore the undiscovered patterns. Hardjana (1985:65) adds that besides analyzing the psychological of the author through his works, the followers of psychology of literature also make use of their knowledge about the psychological problems and environment to minterpret a literary work without cannecting the literary work it self with the biography of the author.
The psychology aspect is very interesting for the writer’s to create the literary works. They depict the psychic condition of human being through their literary works. Here, struggle for life as a part of psychological studies gets special attention from David Fincher, one of famous director. The ways that are done by one of major character to fulfill his desire are clearly portrayed in one of his movies, Panic Room.
Based on the case above, the writer is interested in analyzing the major character, Meg Altman, because she has a very important role in the plot, and gives information about psychological phenomenon. It is seen from the way of the main character struggle, a person who wants to get his life. The writer gives the title of this research STRUGGLE FOR LIFE OF MEG ALTMAN’S IN PANIC ROOM MOVIE BY DAVID FINCHER: AN INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH. The writer adopts the psychological theories by Alfred Adler.
C. Literature Review
Among the library of university in Central Java there are many researchers who have analyzed the movie by using individual psychology approach. The first researcher “Dwi Purwaningrum 2001” investigates how the major character struggles to get his love in F. Scoot Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby by using Individual Psychological Approach. Her title is A Struggle for love in F. Scoot Fitzgerald the Great Gatsby: An Individual Psychology Approach. The second research “Syarif Hidayatullah 2002” investigates how the major character struggle to survive and create a better life in Ron Howard’s Cinderella Man by using Individual Psychology Approach. Her title is The Struggle to survive in Ron Howard’s Cinderella Man: An Individual Psychology Approach. In this occasion, the researcher takes the individual psychological approach to reveal struggle for life of Meg Altman as the main character in Panic Room movie.
D. Limitation of the Study
This study is limited to the struggle for life of Meg Altman and how the struggle influences his psychological development by David Fincher in Panic Room movie. This study uses individual psychological perspective. It is as a means of analysis with consideration that Meg Altman psychological development is influenced by the struggle for life.
E. Problem Statement
In this research, the writer proposes a single problem statement. The problem of the research is how the struggle for life of Meg Altman is reflected in Panic Room movie.
F. Objective of the Study
Dealing with the problem statement above, the objectives of the study are:
1. To analyze the movie based on its structural element by finding character and characterization, setting, point of view, style, plot and theme.
2. To analyze the movie based on individual psychological approach.
G. Benefit of the Study
The result of the study is highly expected to give benefit as follow:
1. Theoretical Benefit
a. To enrich references of individual psychological approach in a movie, which can be used by those who are interested in analyzing this literary work.
b. To give a high contribution to the body of knowledge, particularly to those who are interested of Meg Altman in Panic Room movie by David Fincher.
2. Practical Benefit
a. For getting deeper understanding about individual psychological perspective of Meg Altman in Panic Room movie.
b. For getting bachelor degree of education in English Department.
H. Research Method
In this research, the writer analyzes of Meg Altman in Panic Room movie by David Fincher using qualitative method. There are four points that should be taken into account in this research method:
1. Object of the Study
The writer takes the Panic Room movie as the object of the study. The movie is directed by David Fincher.
2. Type of the Data and the Data Resource
The type of the data is in the form of a script movie entitled Panic Room movie directed by David Fincher. The researcher will divide the data source into two categories, there are:
a. Primary Data Source
The primary data source is the film itself the Panic Room by David Fincher. The Data are taken from the dialogue, scene, setting, and all of the statement related to the problem.
b. Secondary Data Source
The secondary data source is taken from other sources, which relates to the primary data source such as website about the film and another data related to this research.
3. Technique of the Data Collection
- Watching the movie several times and determining the character that will be analyzed.
- Making notes of important parts in both primary data and secondary data.
- Reading some relates books to find out the theory, data and information required.
- Classifying the data.
4. Technique of the Data Analysis
The writer uses two techniques in analyzing the data:
- Analyzing the structural element of the movie.
- Analyzing the struggle for life of the main character using descriptive analyzing based on underlying theory.
I. Underlying Theory
1. Notion of Individual Psychology
Individual psychology theory was introduced by Alfred Adler, an Austrian neurologist and psychoanalysts (Baron, 1995: 474). He proposed individual psychology concept based on his experience when he was a child. He had a series of childhood illness that made him feel weak and inferior, especially in comparison with his strong and healthy older brother. In later childhood, Adler worked very hard to overcome his physical disabilities. Finally, he was successful in his efforts until he became a leader to among his friends (Baron, 1995: 474).
According to Adler (in Hall and Lindzey, 1981: 159 – 161), every person is created with a unique pattern of motives, traits, interest, and values. Every act performed by the person shows his own special characteristics and style of life. It means that in this life, every person has his own characteristics and life style. Adler also emphasizes the individual’s efforts to compensate for his or her organic weaknesses.
2. Basic Assumption of Individual Psychology
There are several basic assumptions of individual psychology, such as: (a) inferiority feeling and compensation, (b) striving for superiority, (c) style of life, (d) social interest, (e) creative self, (f) fictional finalism.
a. Inferiority Feeling and Compensation
According to Adler as quoted by Hall and Lindzey (1985: 147), the feeling of inferiority is quite normal. Throughout life, feelings of inferiority arise constantly as we meet new and unfamiliar tasks that must be mastered. Each time we confront a new task our initial awareness of inferiority is overcome as we achieve a higher level of functioning.
b. Striving for Superiority
Adler (in Hall and Lindzey, 1981: 123) acknowledges that the striving for superiority may manifest it self in a thousand different way, and that each person has his own concrete mode of achieving or trying to achieve perfection. Adler (Hjelle and Ziegler, 1992: 143) believes that the great dynamic force governing human behavior is a striving to be aggressive. There are three distinct stages in his theorizing on the ultimate goal of human life: to be aggressive, to be powerful, and to be superior.
c. Style of Life
Style of life refers to the unique pattern of traits, behaviors, and habits, which show the particular ways that a person does to reach his life goal (Hjelle and Ziegler, 1981: 81). Style of life includes not only the person’s goal, but also self-concept feeling toward others and attitude toward the world. (Feist, 1985: 74).
Hall and Lindzey (1999: 249) state that style of life is the system principle by which the individual personality function; it is the whole that commands the parts. It is formed very early in childhood, by the age of four or five, and all experiences are assimilated and utilized according to this unique style of life.
d. Social Interest
According to Adler as quoted by Feist (1985: 71) society interest can be defined as attitudes of relatedness with humanity in general as well as empathy for each member of human race. It manifests itself as cooperation with others for social advancement rather than for personal gain. It is part of human nature and some amount of it’s existing in everyone.
e. Creative Self
The creative self is the essential principle of human life. Alwisol (2004: 96) argues that creative self is a medium used to adapt the world facts and makes those facts become the subjective, dynamic, united, personal, and unique personality. The creative self gives the meaning of life, determines the goal and medium to reach the goal of life.
Adler (in Alwisol, 2004: 96) states that every person has a power to create his own life style. An individual has to be responsible for himself and his attitude. Besides, he also has a creative power to control his own life, be responsible for his final goal, determines a way to reach his goal and contributes the development of social interest. The creative self makes a human become free to do everything toward the directive purpose
f. Fictional Finalism
Adler (in Feist, 1985: 66) explains that each individual has the power to create his or her non-fictional goal. Although constructed by heredity and environment, fictional goal is not determined by them. Fictional finalism is the product of a free creative power. He also adds that as a subjective ideal, however, the fictional final goal has great meanings because it unifies personality and makes all behavior more comprehensible.
3. Structural Elements of the Movie
a. Character and Characterization
Character is a person who does the dialogue in the scene (Widagdo and Gora, 2004: 24). Characters usually appear as actors in film. They are the most interesting part in film production. The filmmaker teams show a person as an actor doing something, they have to make decision how much we see the personality of characters related with other manifestations such as body posture, facial, expression, and also their clothing (Douglass and Hardner, 1996: 95).
b. Setting
Setting is given to create a story as real and concrete as possible. It is really important to create a real impression at the story for reader will be able to create circumstances as if the story really happens. Setting may help the readers in developing their imagination about the story. Setting of a literary work consists of two broader setting. The first is setting of time. In many work of fiction the time is important especially in the historical fiction. Secondly, setting of place, that is work of fiction in which the place is classified as example of locale region (Kenney, 1988: 32).
c. Plot
Plot is the specific pieces of the story chosen to tell the protagonist’s story to the film –going other audience (http:// www. Dsigel.com/film/glossary.html). The term of plot is used to describe everything visibly and audibly which present in the film. The plot includes, first the entire story events that are directly describing in film performance, secondly, the film’s plot may contains material there is no relationship to the story world (Bordwell and Thompson, 1990: 5).
d. Point of View
Point of view is the most interesting in the narrative elements. It is the basic narrative devices available to the story teller. Some authors deciding from whose point of view to tell the story is a fundamental consideration in making a story (Douglass and Harnder, 1996: 31). There three definitions of Point of view. First, Point of view refers to a camera shot taken as if seen through the eyes of character. Second, Point of view refers to the perspective of the story teller. This Point of view is divided into three categories: first person, second person, and third person (not omniscient). The meaning of not omniscient in movie production is Point of view that the reader or viewer can enter the mind and hear the conscious though of a character. Third, Point of view refers to interest, attitudes and belief associated with a character of group’s particular perspective.
e. Theme
Theme according to Widagdo and Gora (2004: 28) is an answer about the basis question of the film that is what a film will talk.
Discovering theme is where the filmmaker certainly begins (Douglass and Harnder, 1996: 3). The main point of film direction is whether the movie can be accepted and enjoyable for the viewer or not, thus the filmmaker should find what the most appropriate theme is. In discovering the theme, the filmmaker will examine their attitude toward the subject, study the material and analyze their knowledge of the audience (Douglass and Harnder, 1996: 3).
J. Research Paper Organization
The research paper will be divided into five chapters. The first chapter is introduction, which consists of the background of the study, literature review, limitation of the study, problem statements, objective of the study, benefits of the study, research method and research paper organization. The second chapter is underlying theory, which consists of the notion of individual psychology, basic assumptions of individual psychology, and structural elements of the movie. The third chapter is the structural analysis of the movie. The fourth chapter is the individual psychological analysis of Meg Altman in Panic Room, namely inferiority feeling and compensation, striving for superiority, style of life, social interest, and creative self and fictional finalism. And the last chapter is conclusion and suggestion.
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