조커의 억압가면으로서 아서를 통해 본 빌런의 캐릭터 아크 -영화 <조커>(2019)를 중심으로-

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to define the aspects and meanings of the villain’s character arc, who undergoes an opposite change from Arthur to Joker, by the need to examine the substantive identity and psychodynamics of Arthur Fleck in the movie <Joker>(2019). The research methodology involved: ①employing the psychoanalytic concept of ‘Self’ to distinguish the substantive identity and relationship between Arthur and Joker, ②examining the causal structure of triggers and developments that initiated inner changes using the character arc concepts of obsession and downfall, ③applying the framework of the myth of the hero’s birth to structure the process of Arthur’s disappearance and Joker’s full manifestation. The progress aimed to record the lines and actions of Arthur and Joker expressed in the film, analyze the implied meanings according to the criteria and items of the research methodology, and define terms that could imply the embodied concepts. The conclusions drawn are as follows: 1)Arthur is a false self, and the substantive identity of his true self is Joker. 2)Arthur reinforces his obsession, distorting the true self as a repression mask for Joker’s manifestation. Ironically, due to this obsession, he collapses and crumbles on its own. Arthur’s downfall signifies the dismantling of the repression mask. 3)This stage shares the heroic mythical characteristics of prophecy, impregnation, labor pains, and birth. Joker is completely freed from the repression mask in the impregnation stage and, through the birth stage, declares the emergence of a new villain, the birth of Joker, to the world. The limitation of this study is that due to the specificity of character arc of <Joker>, it is limited to generalizing it as a new villain character arc or using it as comparative data. Nevertheless, as an attempt to deeply understand the impact of the internal conflicts driving the villain’s character arc on narrative events, it is expected that it will be able to contribute as a foundational study for the construction of character arc that explores the human identity problem caused by the ambiguity of the complex modern society.