Analysis of Amir’s defense mechanisms projected upon his bereavement in The Kite Runner

Bintang Alam Mahardhika, Dias Andris Susanto, Siti Nur'Aini

Abstract


This study discusses the bereavement of Amir, the main character of The Kite Runner, and analyzes the defense mechanisms projected toward the bereavement. This study uses a psychological approach to identify and analyze Amir’s bereavement and defense mechanisms. The qualitative descriptive nature of this study allows data to be presented in the form of texts or descriptions. Data were mined from the novel through the character’s feelings, thoughts, and dialogues. This analysis shows that Amir experiences five stages of bereavement: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. To cope with the bereavements, he performs several defense mechanisms; displacement, rationalization, projection, repression, regression, undoing, and denial. This study is conducted upon the elements within the novel through a psychological perspective to better understand the story as well as to provide multi-dimension literature understanding.


Keywords


literature; psychoanalysis; defense mechanism; bereavement

Full Text:

PDF

References


Beattie, H. J. (2017). Psychoanalysis and Literature. Contemporary Psychoanalysis, 53:4, 614-620. https://doi.org/10.1080/00107530.2017.1391541

Chamamah-Soeratno. (1994). Penelitian Sastra: Tinjauan tentang Teori dan Metode Sebuah Pengantar dalam Teori Penelitian Sastra. Yogyakarta: Masyarakat Poetika Indonesia, IKIP Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta.

Chen, D. (2020). An Analysis of Kite's Symbolic Meaning in The Kite Runner. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, Vol. 10, No. 2, 238-242. http://dx.doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1002.13

Cramer, P. (1987). The Development of Defense Mechanisms. Journal of Personality, 55-4, 598-614.

Durkheim, E. (1976). The Elementary Forms of Religious Life. Great Britain: Allen & Unwin.

Freud, S. (1894). The Neuro-Psychoses of Defence. The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, Volume III, 41-61.

Hall, C. S. (1987). Freudian Psychology and Western Literature. Changsha: Hunan Art and Literature Press.

Italie, H. (2012, October 10). 'Kite Runner' author to debut new novel next year. New York.

Kai-fu, C. (2019). A Study of Amir's Psychological Change in The Kite Runner. English Language Teaching; Vol. 12, No. 5, 190-193. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v12n5p190

Kübler-Ross, E., & Kessler, D. (2014). On Grief & Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief Through the Five Stages of Loss. New York: Scribner - Simon and Schuster, Inc.

Larasati, P., & Irmawati, N. D. (2022). A sociological approach of literature in Leo N. Tolstoy's short story God Sees the Truth, But Waits. Journal of English Education, Literature, and Culture Vol. 7, No. 1, 137-147. http://dx.doi.org/10.30659/e.7.1.137-147

Meyer, M. (2011). Literature to Go. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Moloeng, L. J. (2004). Metodologi Penelitian Kualitatif. Bandung: Remaja Rosdakarya.

Nurtjahyo, G. (2016). The Anna Leonowens' anxieties and ego defense mechanisms as found in Elizabeth Hand's Anna and The King: a Freudian psychoanalytical approach. Journal of English Education, Literature, and Culture Vol. 1, No. 1, 17-27. http://dx.doi.org/10.30659/e.1.1.17-27

Rosenblatt, M. L. (1938). Literature as Exploration. London: D. Appleton-Century company.

Schafer, R. (1968). Aspects of internalization. New York: International Universities Press.

Stroebe, W., & Stroebe, M. S. (1987). Bereavement and health: The Psychological and Physical Consequences of Partner Loss. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Sukmadinata, N. S. (2009). Metode Penelitian Pendidikan. Bandung: Remaja Rosdakarya.

Wen, T. (2019). On the Way to a Good Man Again - An Analysis of Amir in The Kite Runner from Perspective of Freud's Personality Structure Theory. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, Vol. 9, No. 5, 589-593. http://dx.doi.org/10.17507/tpls.0905.14

Wilson, D., Dhanji, N., Playfair, R., Nayak, S., Puplampu, G., & Macleod, R. (2017). A scoping review of bereavement service outcomes. Palliative and Supportive Care, 15(2), 242-259. https://doi.org/10.1017/S147895151600047X




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30659/e.8.1.1-20

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2023 Bintang Alam Mahardhika, Dias Andris Susanto, Siti Nur'Aini

License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/