THE MATRIX A psychoanalytic reading

FILM DATA  Directed and written by the Wachowski Brothers  UK Release : June 11 th 1999  Genre : Action / Sci-fi (Cyberpunk)  Actors : Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie Ann Moss, Hugo Weaving, Joe Pantoliano…  Awards : 4 Oscars (including Best Sound and Best Effects) and 28 other awards. Source : The Internet Movie Database. Source : The Internet Movie Database.

The Plot  In the year 1999, Thomas Anderson lives a double life. By day he is a computer programmer and a law abiding citizen. By night he is a computer hacker who goes by the name “Neo” and questions the reality of the world around him, wondering whether he is living a dream he would some day wake up from. Neo gets caught by agents who want him to give information about Morpheus, a legendary computer hacker tracked by the government. As Neo refuses to cooperate, the agents “bug” him. Neo is finally rescued by fellow hacker Trinity, who de-bugs him and introduces him to Morpheus. Morpheus awakens Neo to the truth : the real world is a ravaged wasteland where humankind is enslaved by the machines, which use them as living batteries and recycle them. To keep them under control, they have designed a computer-generated world known as the Matrix. Morpheus also believes Neo is the One, the legendary and long-awaited saviour who will defeat the machines and free the human race. In order to do so, Neo must first free his own mind to develop his dormant potential and then, return to the Matrix to fight the Agents, sentient programs devoted to track Morpheus and the human rebellion…

Interpretations and influences of The Matrix  The Wachowski Brothers claim that The Matrix is a synthesis of all the things they like and believe in. The film has indeed countless references to contemporary cinema, classic literature as well as historical and religious myths, and philosophy.  One of the reasons behind the success of The Matrix is that the Wachowski Brothers have skilfully managed to illustrate complex philosophical and religious concepts and ideas. The film has indeed been applauded for bringing philosophy to the masses.  The main philosophical themes explored in The Matrix are : the perception of reality and the world as an illusion, free will and destiny, the nature of existence, the individual vs the society and man’s awakening to his inner self or divinity.  A psychoanalytic reading of The Matrix is also relevant as the film revolves around Neo’s awakening to the real world and to his true self.

What is psychoanalysis ?  Definition : method of analyzing psychic phenomena and treating emotional disorders that involves treatment sessions during which the patient is encouraged to talk freely about personal experiences and especially about early childhood and dreams (  Psychoanalysis was first developed by Sigmund Freud in the late 19 th century to demonstrate that some physical illnesses and neuroses can have psychological origins, especially in the unconscious mind.  The main Freudian concepts include : the three instances of the unconscious mind (ego, superego and id), the oedipal complex and the interpretation of dreams.  Other major psychoanalysts and theories include C.G. Jung (the collective unconscious, archetypes) and Jacques Lacan (the Other, the mirror stage…)

Neo’s quest : an allegory of a psychotherapeutic journey  Psychotherapist David Mischoulon has established a parallel between Neo’s journey in The Matrix to a patient’s into mental and spiritual health – with the aid of a psychotherapist (Morpheus).  Morpheus’ attitude is indeed reminiscent of a therapist. Instead of telling the truth, he guides Neo in a way so that he figure out by himself what the Matrix is and who he really is.

Neo’s quest : an allegory of a psychotherapeutic journey (2) Also, to find his true self, Neo must unlearn everything he had learnt while he was in the Matrix, and “reprogram” himself – like a patient undergoing a cognitive therapy. Interestingly, Morpheus wears mirror shades, which reflect Neo’s soon-to-be-discovered true self. It must be noted that mirrors are omnipresent throughout the film.

Finding one’s inner hero  This therapeutic journey is an integral part of the film’s narrative structure, which is itself based on Joseph Campbell’s monomyth, better known as the Hero’s Journey or the Hero Cycle.  Known examples of hero’s journeys are the stories of Jesus-Christ, Buddha… and the Star Wars saga !  The Hero’s Journey also uses some psychoanalytic concepts such as Jungian archetypes and symbols, rites of passage, unconscious forces, as well as father/mother figures and desires.

Finding one’s inner hero (2)  Some of the steps of Neo’s Hero cycle include (non-exhaustive list) :  The Call To Adventure (the “Wake up” message on Neo’s computer) ;  Supernatural Aid (Encounter with Trinity and Morpheus);  The Belly Of The Whale (Neo is unplugged from the Matrix, then flushed out of his pod to the sewers)  Meeting with The Goddess (Meeting with the Oracle)  The Tempter (Cypher sows doubt in Neo’s mind)  Apotheosis (Neo rescues Morpheus and starts to believe as he fights Agent Smith).

Archetypes in the Matrix On his heroic and therapeutic journey, Neo will meet several characters who not only will serve a certain function (Proppian characters), but also reflect an aspect of himself (Jungian archetypes). Archetypes are generic models of characters and personalities. Carl Jung believed these archetypes are rooted in the collective unconscious, since they permeate myths and literature from the ancient times to the present. Archetypal characters are always present in “hero’s journey”-types of stories.

Archetypes in the Matrix (2)  To name but a few of them… (P – proppian character, J – Jungian archetype)  Neo – the HERO (P/J), the SELF (J)  Trinity – the HELPER and PRINCESS (P), the ANIMA (J)  Morpheus – the DISPATCHER or DONOR (P), the FATHER (P), the WISE OLD MAN (J), the ANIMUS (J)  Cypher – the FALSE HERO (P), the TRICKSTER or the SHADOW (J)  Etc.

The Antagonists  A Hero’s journey cannot be complete without antagonists. The first Matrix film presents a Manichean world where the boundaries between good and evil are clearly set :  Neo / Agent Smith  The Real World / The Matrix

The Antagonists (2)  The cyberpunk genre is itself full of symbolic oppositions that include :  Humans / Machines  Flesh / Metal  Real / Virtual  The individual / the society (or capital)  Freedom / Rules  Choice / Predeterminism  Rebellion / Submission

The Matrix : the Big Other On his journey, Neo finds out what the Matrix (the ultimate antagonist) is. The Matrix can symbolize many things. From a general psychoanalytic point of view, the Matrix represents a set of beliefs and social norms that act as a brake to the individual’s mental (and also spiritual) development. It can also be Lacan’s Big Other, the virtual symbolic order that alienates the individual. The Matrix can also represent the fantasies a person can have of oneself and the world, and from which they need to be freed in order to grow up.

The Matrix : the Big Mother The word “Matrix” also derives from the latin Mater, which means Mother. The Matrix can also represent the mother in all her darkest aspects : she is controlling, overprotective and she feeds and lulls her children with false representations of the world in order to keep them at her side. The humans trapped in the Matrix look like babies from birth to death. They are naked, hairless and sleep in foetal position in a sort of amniotic liquid, and are linked to wires that remind of umbilical cords. The film shows how it is essential to cut this cord and free oneself of the motherly influence in order to find and to be oneself.

The Matrix : the unconscious menace The Matrix can also stand for the two negative aspects of the unconscious mind : the id and the superego. The id is ruled by the pleasure principle and seeks instant gratification. Pleasure is mostly provided by the senses, which, in the film, are stimulated by the Matrix. The id is also driven by Eros and Thanatos - the instincts of life and death. Eros manifests itself in the search of pleasure and Thanatos in a desire of peace and escape of reality through the media or substances (alcohol, drugs) or … a return to the Matrix.

The Matrix : the unconscious menace (2) The superego is the internalisation of the father figure and cultural regulations, It acts as our “conscience” and maintains our sense of morality and taboos. It also reacts aggressively towards the ego. The superego aspect of the Matrix is embodied in the Agents, who act as a repressive force and try to put a brake to the humans’ mental growth.

The Matrix : Plato’s Cave The Matrix is also viewed as a digital age version of Plato’s cave. In this myth, humans are bonded into a cave and watch shadows of the real world projected onto a wall by a fire burning behind them. These humans are not aware they are locked in a cave, nor that what they are watching is not real. With this allegory, Plato wanted to demonstrate that the world we are living in might be an illusion.

The Matrix : Plato’s Cave (2) Another known contemporary day version of Plato’s cave is also … the theatre ! The very place where The Matrix was first shown to the audience. Indeed, when we watch a film, we watch images projected on a wall by a light from behind and we are so fascinated by the story, the images and the effects that we are like chained to this new reality unfolding, even if we know it’s not real. Cinema is then like acting like the Matrix. Even though we know that what we see is not true, we are still fascinated by that illusion.

Screening Monday 12 th January