JAKE SULLY’S MOTIVATION TO CHANGE:

A PSYCHOANALYTIC READING OF AVATAR

THESIS

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

Dita Kristiana

392014042

FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS

UNIVERSITAS KRISTEN SATYA WACANA

SALATIGA

2019

INTRODUCTION

People change physically as well as psychologically, intellectually, and most possibly,

morally, and spiritually. In short, people are multi-faceted beings who never remain the same.

These changes may happen sooner or later, because time is one factor behind the changes besides

surroundings, interactions, educations, circumstances, and some others. The changes, be they big

or small, can bring positive or negative impacts to the individuals as well as those around them.

When one person changes a little, other people may not notice it. However, when a person

changes a lot, people usually question the reasons behind the big change. It often happens that

those who change do not notice that they have changed until other people tell them about it.

As a form of art, which may be “essentially an imitation of aspects of the universe”

(Abrams 8), movies may describe changes, including the changes its characters experience. One

of such movies is Avatar. It describes a big change in Jake Sully's characteristic, which is seen in

his perception of life and his spirit to live. Jake Sully is the main character in this movies.

Avatar tells about Jake, an ex-marine who got an accident which left him paralyzed. He

would be able to walk again if he underwent a surgery. Unfortunately, he could not afford the

surgery. Unable to walk, Jake had to be on a wheel chair. Because of this, he was always

ridiculed by people around him. He was occupied by other people's negative thinking about his

condition so that he did not have the spirit to live. In result, he felt stupid, unlucky, and isolated.

One day he met two persons from Pandora. Pandora in this movie is a fictional universe

in which humans seek to mine unobtanium on the fictional exoplanetary moon. The Earth like

moon is inhabited by a sapient indigenous humanoid species called the Na'vi, and varied fauna

and flora. Resources Development Administration scientists, administrators, recruits, and support

personnel travel to Pandora in the 22nd

century to discover this lush world, which is inhabited by

many life forms including the human like Na'vi, but Pandora in science Pandora is an inner

satellite of Saturn. Back to the two men, these two men asked him to replace his late twin

brother‟s position in a mission in Pandora. At first, Jake was not sure whether he would be able

to finish the mission because he was not as clever nor science-lover as his brother was. Finally,

Jake agreed to take his brother‟s position because the two men promised to give him a new life.

To work on the mission, Jake had to move to Pandora. In Pandora, he was rejected by human

clan there because of his condition and background. He knew very little about science and had

no work experience with science which are needed to continue his brother‟s mission. The head of

the Avatar Program was not happy to see that they needed much time to teach him about science.

However, the human clan continued to put Jake in his brother‟s position by exploiting his DNA.

His first mission was to get more information and influence the native people of Pandora to

move from their houses which were standing on a mineral mine called Unobtanium, a mineral-

like energy. The mission and his life in Pandora changed Jake into one with an optimistic view of

life and greatspirit to live.

Because Jake Sully changed greatly, it is interesting to dig out what actually motivated

him to change. To find it out, his behavior and attitudes would be examined. Because of that, this

research would borrow the theory of character and characterization. Besides, this research would

use Freud‟s Psychoanalysis. There are two causes for this selection. First, Psychoanalysis is close

to human life because its concepts are the part of our daily life (Tyson 12). Second, Freud's ideas

explain human behavior. As Tyson states, “... of course, if psychoanalysis can help us better

understand human behavior, then it must certainly be able to help us understand literary texts,

which are about human behavior” (11). Freud's Psychoanalysis will be the right tool of analysis

since the focus of examination of this research is Avatar's main character's behavior and

attitudes.

Tyson also states that “... human beings are motivated, even driven, by desires, needs,

fears, and conflicts of which they are unaware—that is, unconscious--...” (12). The content of the

unconscious is kept in the unconscious by human defense mechanism (Tyson 15). Therefore,

this research would borrow Freud's ideas of defense mechanism as well as the conscious,

preconscious, and unconscious, which make the human mind. Since Freud's belief that human

personality consists of the id, ego and superego (Tyson 12), these aspects of human personality

would also be used in analyzing what motivated Jack Sully to change because the change affects

his personality.

The findings of this study are expected to make the reader implicate in thinking about

psychoanalytic thoughts. Besides, readers are expected to understand the motivation behind big

changes they see in themselves and other people so that they will be able to empathize with

others and understand themselves as well as other people better. This prevents them from being

judgmental of other people. In turn, they will be able to make the right consideration and

decision in an appropriate way. Finally, readers will also become aware of psychoanalysis that

come near around them to explain their own and other people's lives.

THEORY

Character and Characterization

Character and characterization are crucial elements of a movie because a movie tells stories

about people. Even “Main Character” states that scriptwriters have to portray at least one

character that the audience will love or hate. This character is considered the main character or

the protagonist; i.e. the one who faces most problems, and commonly gets the most screen time.

Besides the protagonist, there is the antagonist, which is the one who challenges the protagonist.

Abrams defines character as “the persons represented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are

interpreted by the reader as possessing particular moral, intellectual, and emotional qualities by

inferences from what the persons say and their distinctive ways of saying it—the dialogue—and

from what they do—the action.”(42); while the style of speech is a common means of

characterization in which the language of the characters is individuated and distinguished (Kenan

64).

Barker explains that for some writers, the central subject of interest in fiction is the kind and

the employment of “character” (1). The writers are curious to why the people act and the way

they do. This direct them to be interested in figuring out the various possible ways for people to

misunderstand each other‟s behavior, either causally or in terms of signification. Such authors

will expect readers to be willing to involve themselves in the complicated explorations of their

character motivation and assumptions. Consequently, these authors will also typically spend a lot

of energy trying to construct or portray their characters in ways that endue them with interesting

(convincingly and insight-fully informative) characters. Often this is an expression of their

sharing their reader interest in issues pertaining to the responsibility of agents for actions and

their consequences.

Kirszner states that a character is an imaginary form of a person and it is related to the

psychology that the person has; whereas characterization is the way writers show those

characters qualities. They are reflected in the person's action, reaction to another character or

situation, and the person's gesture and behavior (93). Kenan explains that different authors may

describe their characters in different ways. An author may apply different characterization in

different works or, even, within the same work (59).

Foster distinguishes that characters in fiction are divided into two: flat and round characters.

A flat or simple character “… is less the representation of a human personality than the

embodiment of single attitude or obsession in a character” (qtd. in Kenny 20). On the other hand,

round or complex characters is not only embodiments of attitudes so that it is more lifelike. As a

result, the round character is always more difficult to describe than the flat character. Barker

elaborates that a round character is a character whose characterization of the author is (relative)

“rounded” rather than (relatively) “flat”. It is true that round characters will have to exhibit more

than one trait, it is also true that flat character are often possessed of a multiplicity of

distinguishable traits. The various traits of a “round” character will not all line up in some

coherent hierarchy. A round character, like a “complicated personality” in real life, tends to

experience an internal stress, because of the character‟s obedience to values that, at least in the

situations with which the character is confronted, are not easily reconciled, or as the result of

contrasting tendencies and interests. We can imagine a flat character who is chronically hesitant.

Flat is not worse than round.

Kenney mentions two different characters; i.e. dynamic and static characters. A dynamic

character changes significantly during the course of a story (20). The changes happen within the

character; such as changes in insight or understanding, in commitment, and in values. Barker

adds that the changes are not changes in circumstances, but changes in some sense within the

character and a dynamic character is one that does undergo an important change in the course of

the story. In contrast, a static character remains unchanged throughout the work (Kenney 20).

Supporting Kenney, Barker mentions that a static character, does not significantly change in the

course of the story. The character remains essentially the same at the end as he or she was at the

beginning. In short, a character who is represented as a “mover and shaker,” and is that way

throughout the story, is a static character; whereas an imaginary character with an “inspiring

personality” would qualify as a dynamic character.

According to Jones, a character may be described dramatically or analytically. In dramatic

characterization, readers form their opinion of the characters based on what they do and say, how

they respond to their environment and situation, and what other characters say and think of them.

In the analytic method of characterization, readers learn about the characters from the narrator‟s

comments upon the characters, which may explain their motives, their appearances and their

thoughts. Therefore, to find out what may be behind a character's attitude, readers need to

examine the character' intention and thoughts, behaviors, attitudes, conversation, and interactions

with the other characters as well as responses to the environment and situations (84).

Jones also discusses that the characters, especially the major ones, may be analyzed based

on their physical appearance, personality, social status, and social relationship. The physical

appearance of the major characters means the physical or performance of the characters; such as

their age, physical oddities, performance, etc. It describes their age, look, and sex. The

personality of the character tells readers if the character is responsible, neat, disciplined,

romantic, careless, etc. The character‟s social status points to the background of the characters,

such as: their educational background, their life in the middle or high modern classes; whereas

the social relationship of the characters discusses the relationship between the major and minor

or supporting characters.

Psychoanalytic Criticism

Rooted in Psychology, which focuses on “the understanding of our own actions and

experience” (Glassman 42), Psychoanalysis also deals with understanding human behavior

(Tyson 11). Freud, the father of Psychoanalysis, believes that every human being has a

particular psychological history which starts in childhood experiences. These early experiences

shape the individual‟s adult behavior (Tyson 12). As Psychology is frequently defined as the

scientific study of behavior because it “… utilizes a form of systematic observation and analysis

that is often called the scientific method” (Glassman 2), a psychoanalyst focuses on examining

repeated problematic behavior (Tyson 12). In doing such a study, psychologists may see specific

behaviors and make inferences about the intent or meaning of these behaviors. However,

researcher tends to interpret behavior in terms that are meaningful to them (Glassman 14).

According to Freud, adult behavior stems from childhood experiences so that family

plays an important role in shaping one‟s behavior. He further explains that human beings are a

product of the role which is given in the family complex (Tyson 13). Freud also believes that

human present behavior is shaped by the unconscious (Tyson 11) because individuals‟

perception of their place in the family and their reaction to shape their unconscious (Tyson 13).

Freud states that the unconscious plays such a determining role in human life (Barry 70). Tyson

explains that the unconscious is “... the storehouse of those painful experiences and emotions,

those wounds, fears, guilt, desires, and unresolved conflicts we do not want to know about

because we feel we will be overwhelmed by them” (12). It is a part of the people‟s mind, which

Freud believes, consists of conscious, preconscious, and unconscious (Barry 70).

However, the unconscious is not passive. The repressed feelings, be they anxiety,

disappointment, or anger, which are stored in the unconscious may move to the preconscious

mind, which contains the unconscious experiences. “The conscious refers to those ideas and

sensations of which we are aware. It operates on the surface of personality, and plays a relatively

small role in personality development and functioning. Freud believed that even relatively

mature people are actually governed by unconscious needs and conflicts” (Ryckman 36).

Saul compares Freud‟s three parts of the mind to an iceberg. The conscious, which lies on

the surface, is seen at the top of the iceberg. It consists of any thoughts individuals focus on at

present; such as ideas and sensations of which they are aware. Operating on the surface of

personality, the conscious is the small amount of mental activity individuals know about and

plays a relatively small role in personality development and functioning, although

psychologically healthy people are more aware of their experiences than the unhealthy

(Rcykman 36). The preconscious consists of all experiences that can be retrieved from memory.

Existing just below the surface of awareness, the preconscious consists of all things individuals

can be aware of if they would like to or try to recall them. In other words, the preconscious

contains unconscious experiences, but they can go to the conscious with little effort. For

example, one may have forgotten the foods they had for supper the day before, but they can

probably recall them when they are asked to list them for a dietician who is trying to help them

lose weight (Rcykman 36).

The unconscious is the most significant region of the mind. Operating on the deepest

level of personality, the unconscious consists of the things individuals are unaware of and cannot

become aware of. Such mental states remain out of awareness because making them conscious

would create a lot of pain and anxiety (Ryckman 36). As “the storehouse of those painful

experiences and emotions, those wounds, fears, guilt, desire, and unresolved conflicts…” (Tyson

12), the unconscious may include early childhood sexual abuse, incestuous feelings, anger or

rage toward certain authority figures, or painful feelings of shame and humiliation because of

competitive experiences (Rcykman 36). Like an iceberg, the important part of the mind is the

unseen part.

Freud also suggests a three part model of the psyche; i.e. id, ego, and superego. These

three levels of personality roughly correspond to, respectively, consciousness. The id operates at

an unconscious level according to the pleasure principle, and consists of two kinds of biological

instincts, that are Eros and Thanatos. Eros or life instinct helps individuals to survive. The energy

created by life instincts is known as libido. Libido is the energy, drive associated with sexual

desire. Unlike Eros, Thanatos or death instincts are viewed as a set of destructive forces in all

human beings. Because Eros is stronger than Thanatos, human beings are enabled to survive

rather than to self-destruct (Barry 70).

The ego develops from the id during infancy. It aims to satisfy the demands of the id in a

safe and socially acceptable way. In contrast to the id, the ego follows the reality principle (Paul

1). The superego develops during early childhood and is responsible for ensuring that moral

standards are followed. The superego operates on the moral principle and motivates individuals

to behave in socially responsible and acceptable manner. If the id pursues pleasure, the ego is

governed by the reality principle, and the superego is the psychic apparatus to pursue idealistic

goals and perfection (Paul 1).

The unconscious tend to ignore destructive behaviors because individuals have formed

their identities around them and because they are afraid of what they will find if they examine

these behaviors too closely are served by the defenses. Defenses are “the processes by which the

contents of our unconscious are kept in the unconscious” (Tyson 15). Barry describes defenses as

psychic procedures for avoiding painful admissions or recognitions (70).

Defense may be done by selective perception, selective memory, denial, avoidance,

displacement, and projection. Selective perception is utilized when individuals hear and see only

what they feel they can handle. Selective memory takes place when individuals modify their

memories so that they will not feel nor completely forget the painful events. Denial happens

when individuals believe the problem does not exist or that it never happens. In avoidance,

individuals stay away from people or things that cause the pain. When individuals express the

repressed feeling to a less threatening person/object than the one who cause the fear, frustration,

or anger, displacement is at work. Projection refers to the act of ascribing the repressed feelings

to someone else, stating that it is theirs and denying that they have the problems themselves

(Tyson 15). Barry explains the projection as a defense mechanism in which aspects of oneself are

not recognized as part of oneself, but are considered in or attributed to another. He adds another

form of defense mechanism, i.e. screen memory which refers to the use of trivial or

inconsequential memory to obliterate a more significant one (70).

Tyson states that the most complex of the defenses is regression. Regression has

temporarily returned to and reliving the previous pleasant or unpleasant psychological state. It is

a defense because regression brings the individuals away from the present difficulty. (Tyson 15).

According to Tyson, when the defenses break down, individuals experience anxiety,

which can reveal the persons‟ core issues (16). According to Tyson, core issues may take the

forms of fear of intimacy, fear of abandonment, fear of betrayal, low self-esteem, insecure or

unstable sense of self, and Oedipal complex (16-17).

Individuals who suffer from fear of intimacy will not build a close emotional relationship

with other people because they feel that the closeness will seriously hurt or destroy them and that

they can be emotionally safe only by keeping an emotional distance from others. This can also

function as a defense if this particular defense occurs frequently or continually, then fear of

intimacy is probably a core issue.

Individuals will experience fear of abandonment if the persons feel their friend and loved

ones are going to leave them or do not really care about them. When the persons feel that their

friend cannot be trusted, they experience fear of betrayal.

Individuals cannot deserve attention, or the other life rewards but can belief that they are

less worthy than the other people, they experience low self-esteem. Insecure or unstable sense of

knowing ourselves. This core issue makes them very vulnerable to the influence of other people

and they may find ourselves continually changing the way that they look or behave as they

became involved with different individuals or groups. This core issue prevents individuals from

developing mature relationships with their peers and a dysfunctional bond with a parent of the

opposite sex, they experience Oedipal complex.

Some core issues are related. They may cause as well as are caused by other core issues

(Tyson 17). For example, if fear of abandonment is one‟s core issue, the person may develop fear

of intimacy as a core issue as well, believing that. If the person does not get too close to a loved

one, s/he will not be hurt when that loved one inevitably leaves her/him (Tyson 17). Tyson

emphasized that core issues define one‟s being in fundamental ways because they do not consist

of occasional negative feeling, such as passing episodes of insecurity or low self-image (Tyson

17).

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DISCUSSION

Avatar’s Summary

This movie tells about human future life which human depletion his energy so they

moved to another planet to get the energy. Then, this story begins in one city of the earth, there is

one person his name Jake Sully. He is an ex-marine and he paralyzed. He move to an

exoplanetary moon called Pandora to complete his twin brother duties in there because his DNA

same with his brother and the head of division promising to give him a new leg. In Pandora, he

became an avatar for live because Pandora have an atmosphere that human cannot live in fear. In

the beginning of this movie, Jake support human clan and give the best to make the human clan

fascinated about his achievement when he can be closed and trusted by the Na‟vi clan. Jake

made the human clan fascinated about his job to attest that he not just a meal on wheels. But this

changed when he knew more about Na‟vi clan, especially his character. He thinks about this and

compare his old life with his new life. He also gives the background why he changed.

Jake Sully’s Different Attitudes

The main character in Avatar, Jake Sully, represents human beings who experience big

changes as a person. He is described as being transformed into a different individual after he had

been seriously wounded, which left him paralyzed. He was portrayed as an individual who did

not have the spirit to live so that he always had negative thinking, suspicious, grumpy, and

blaming everything about himself. This is implied in his narration:

When I was lying there in the VA hospital, with a big hole blown through the middle of

my life, I started having these dreams of flying. I was free. Sooner or later, though, you

always have to wake up. They can fix a spinal, if you got the money, but not on vet

benefits, not in this economy. (00:00:39--> 00:01:13).

As an ex-marine, Jake seemed to have been sent to a war or area of conflict which left

him with not only severe physical wound, but also serious psychological wound as he said he

had “a big hole blown through the middle of my life”. His physical wound was so serious that

the VA hospital could not do the surgery for free. This creates another problem for Jake because

he did not have money to pay for his leg surgery. (00:00:42 --> 00:00:45).

Jake also describes himself as a man who has lost his spirit to live. Being a marine who

had to lie on a hospital bed with a spinal injury must have made Jake feel very disappointed.

Having a serious spinal injury may also prevent him from serving as a marine again. Jake may

feel that his future looks dark, especially because he is not young anymore. He said, “… I started

having these dreams of flying… Sooner or later, though, you always have to wake up.” As he

said, he freed himself from the disappointing reality by dreaming, which he did repeatedly.

Unfortunately, he could not dream all the time. He was always reminded of the painful reality.

As a result, Jake turned to be blaming others, even life itself, as the causes of his

condition, in which he could not afford a surgery and; therefore, had to lie on bed or sit in a

wheelchair.

I don't want your pity. You want a fair deal, you're on the wrong planet. The strong prey on

the weak. That's just the way things are. And nobody does a damn thing… All I ever

wanted in my sorry-ass life was a single thing worth fighting for. (00:02:06 --> 00:02:49).

First, Jake blamed life itself as an arena of survival for the fittest. He thought if one did not have

power, the person would lose because “the strong prey on the weak” (00:02:17 --> 00:02:18).

Jake is one of the weak because he has a spinal injury and he has no money. Having money

means being able to afford for the surgery, which will make him recover. In turn, he will be able

to serve in the marine again. Because Jake does not have the money he cannot do whatever he

wants. Second, Jake blamed everyone around him because they did not do anything, although he

only would like to have something worthy in his life. Because of this, he said that his life was

like ass.

Jake‟s attitudes show that he is a pessimist and negative thinker. His negative thinking is

seen in the way he blamed everybody as those responsible for his condition because they did

nothing (00:02:19 --> 00:02:24). He also claimed that things would never change because they

were the way things were, which also reflects his pessimism and frustration.

Jake‟s anger, disappointment, and feeling that his life is worthless are deepened by how

people see and treat him. Jake also felt harassed noticing people‟s gestures when they saw him

sitting in his wheelchair, “I hope you realized you just lost yourself a customer... If it ain‟t

raining, we ain‟t training” (00:03:04 --> 00:03:12). This is represented in a scene in which two

men forcibly ejected Jake inhumanely because Jake was helping a woman who was hit by her

male friend. Helping someone should make one feels useful and „hero-like‟. However, Jake was

made to feel useless and powerless instead when the man‟s friends threw Jake to the floor before

throwing the wheel chair right onto him (00:02:58 --> 00:03:06).

The above event seems to affect Jake because it makes him remember his old life when

he became a marine. It implies that Jake thinks that his present condition makes him to be

humiliated. This is strengthened when Jake expressed his anger with himself and his condition as

a paralyzed unemployed man who can be easily humiliated by others as well as his hope he can

be a normal human again so other people do not judge him like this (00:03:08 --> 00:03:14).

Second, Jake is described as a positive-thinking man with optimism, ambition, and a

spirit to live, which is reflected when he moved to Pandora to finish his twin brother‟s contract.

In Pandora, Jake experiences two character changes, which show that his optimism, confidence,

and his spirit to live grow. First, when he arrived in Pandora and was trusted by other people, and

the second is when he is getting familiar with the Na‟vi clan and feels alive again because this is

the kind of life that he has been looking for.

The first characteristics change happens when Jake came to see his brother‟s corpse and

reflected on his characters. He was convinced by two men from his brother‟s work of replacing

his brother position so he can, “It'd be a fresh start on a new world. You could do something

important. You can make a difference.” (00:04:41 --> 00:04:48). These three sentences show

that Jake has a spirit to live in „a new world‟, which must be different from „the wrong planet‟ in

which „the strong prey on the weak‟ (00:04:15 --> 00:04:17). They also reflect Jake‟s

enthusiasm, optimism, and confidence that he could do something important so that his life will

not be an ass-life (00:04:41 --> 00:04:44). The words that Jake, such as „fresh start‟, „new

world‟, „you could‟ and „you can‟ made him be more positive thinking in seeing his situation,

life, and himself. The second big changes in Jake happened after Jake had moved to Pandora.

Jake started to change soon after he came to see his brother‟s corpse and reflected on his

characteristics. He was convinced by two men from his brother‟s work to accept the offer to

replace his brother‟s position in the mission. Jake said to himself, “It'd be a fresh start on a new

world. You could do something important. You can make a difference.” (00:04:41 --> 00:04:48).

While Jake was lying in VA Hospital bed, he had to repress his desire to have “a single

thing worth fighting for” (00:02:49). Therefore, he used the words „a new world‟, which must

be different from „the wrong planet‟ he was in, in which „the strong prey on the weak‟ (00:04:15

--> 00:04:17). These also reflect Jake‟s enthusiasm, optimism, and confidence that he could do

something important so that his life will not be an ass-life (00:04:41 --> 00:04:44). The words

that Jake used, such as „fresh start‟, „new world‟, „you could‟ and „you can‟ imply his different

perspective of seeing his situation, life, and himself.

Jake changes more after the colonel promised to give him new real legs.

Colonel : “You got some heart, kid, showing up in this neighborhood.”

Jake : “I figured it's just another hellhole.”

Colonel : “Such a Marine could provide the Intel I need, right on the ground…

Look, Sully. I want you to learn these savages from the inside. I want you to gain their

trust. I need to know how to force their cooperation or hammer them hard if they won't.”

Jake : “Am I still with Augustine?”

Colonel : “On paper. Yeah, you walk like one of her science pukes, you quack like

one, but you report to me… Son, I take care of my own. You get me what I need, I'll see

to it you get your legs back when you rotate home. Your real legs.”

Jake : “That sounds real good, sir.” (00:25:20--> 00:27:29).

Jake is trusted. The Colonel knows that Jake has a capability to do a dangerous mission.

The people Jake would have to meet were „savages‟ and Jake had to live with them to learn

about them from the inside. The colonel‟s attitude should influence Jake a lot, especially because

he gives Jake a chance to do a challenging task.

The next bigger change of character happens when Jake is an avatar. His optimism,

confidence, and spirit to live, grow rapidly compared to the time he arrived at Pandora. When he

moved to Pandora, Jake had an ambition to finish the project, although he did not know what

actually happened. However, after he had known and understood what really happened, he knew

what he had to do. Being an avatar makes him very happy and excited because he can sense his

legs again. As an avatar, Jake seemed to have a new spirit and deeply moved by what happened

at that time (00:20:42 --> 00:22:44). Jake‟s changed behavior and attitude are most probably

caused by his having real legs again, which was his repressed desire. Therefore, the way he acts

and view things are influenced by his unconscious, which he is not aware of. This is suitable to

Freud‟s idea that human beings are controlled by the unconscious (Barry 70).

Another significant change happens when he knows more deeply about the Na‟vi clan. At

first, he only knows about the Na‟vi from Sky people (human from earth) which actually did not

know the truth. This is the Colonel said when Jake and other human arrived on Pandora.

You are on Pandora… If there is a hell, you might want to go there for some R&R after a

tour on Pandora. Out there, beyond that fence, every living thing that crawls, flies or

squats in the mud wants to kill you and eat your eyes for Jujubes. We have an indigenous

population of humanoids called the Na'vi. They're fond of arrows dipped in a neurotoxin

that'll stop your heart in one minute… They are very hard to kill. (00:10:29 --> 00:11:15).

The Colonel‟s statement of „wants to kill you‟, „eat your eyes‟, and „they are very hard to

kill‟ makes Jake and the other human beings afraid and think that the Na‟vis are a dangerous

clan. However, Jake‟s unconscious need seems to be stronger than the danger that he may have

to face in Pandora because Jake continues to live in Pandora. Jake changed his perspective about

the Na‟vi clan after he has stayed and learned more about the Na‟vi. He feels that he is falling in

love with the Na‟vi‟s attitude and perspective about life and he feels blessed when he gets the

opportunity to be an Omaticaya; i.e. the natives of the Na‟vi clan. His positive thinking is

reflected in his statement, “My feet are getting tougher. I can run farther every day. I have to

trust my body to know what to do.” (01:08:13 --> 01:08:21). This reflects that Jake is more

confident with his life. We can see from what Jake said in this scene that he „trust his body to

know what to do.‟ He has spirit to live, and more know what most he does in his life. “I may not

be much of a horse guy, but I was born to do this.” (01:24:29 --> 01:24:32). His statement

represents his new spirit to live and a bigger confidence with his life.

Jake‟s determination to live with the Na‟vi in Pandora shows that he has got what he

unconsciously need there. As Jake said,

Everything is backwards now. Like out there is the true world and in here is the dream…

I can barely remember my old life. I don't know who I am anymore. (01:30:14 -->

01:30:55). The Na'vi say that every person is born twice. The second time is when you

earn your place among The People forever. (01:33:08 --> 01:33:19).

Jake‟s decision to leave his old life and be an avatar for the rest of his life should be caused by

his happiness to be among the Na‟vi, which is implied in his statement that “I barely remember

my old life.” He also said that his life in Pandora is “the dream” he has repressed in his life.

Although he does not know who he is anymore, he considers himself to have been reborn. It is

because he feels secure about his position among the Na‟vi.

The Motive behind Jake Sully’s Changing Attitudes

The above discussion of Jake‟s different attitudes points to four stages in Jake‟s life that

influence his behavior and attitudes; i.e. his getting wounded, his moving to Pandora, his

becoming an avatar, and his experience living among the Na‟vi. Since psychoanalysis deals with

an understanding of human behavior (Tyson 11) and Freud believes that every human being has

a particular psychological history, which start in childhood experiences and the early experiences

shaping the individual‟s behavior (Tyson 12), the four stages in Jake‟s life would be read from

psychoanalytic perspective to make inferences about the intent or meaning of these behaviors.

Being wounded and paralyzed, and having no money must have made Jake very

disappointed, even angry, with his situation because he has lost the chance to be able to walk

again; which means he will not be able to serve in the marine anymore. Because he cannot do

anything about it, his disappointment and anger should be repressed and stayed in his

unconscious (Tyson 12). Because of his limitation, Jake also has unfulfilled desires. He said that

he would like to have something that was worth fighting for (00:02:49)

However, as Ryckman explains, the unconscious is not passive (36) so that Jake had to

make a lot of efforts to keep the unpleasant feelings and unfulfilled desire in the unconscious

(Tyson …). He did it by dreaming although he was always brought back to reality (time

reference). Dreaming is Jake‟s way of staying away from the painful situation and reality (Tyson

15). It is his defense mechanism to avoid the painful recognition of the unexpected reality he was

in (Barry 70). Another defense mechanism that Jake used to keep his repressed unpleasant

feelings in the unconscious is projection (Tyson 15). As Barry explains, in projection aspects of

oneself are not recognized as part of oneself but attributed to another (70). Similarly, Jake

blamed life, in which the strong always preys on the weak, and everyone around him, who did

nothing to help him (00:02:17 --> 00:02:18)

Similarly, when Jake was thrown to the floor by two men after he tried to help a woman,

Jake remembered his old life as a marine. This is his way of running from the reality and a

defense mechanism (Barry 70; Tyson 15). He was also angry with himself and his life, and

desired to be a normal human being again. Jake‟s reaction fits Ryckman‟s statement that the

unconscious is not passive (36). His repressed anger and disappointment were in the

preconscious so that his experience of being humiliated when he helped the woman caused his

repressed anger and disappointment with his life to come to the surface.

Jake‟s decision to accept the offer to replace his brother‟s position in a mission and to

move to Pandora are caused by his frustration, hopelessness, and unfulfilled desire when he lived

on planet earth. In other words, his repressed anger with his life and unconscious need to have a

meaningful life cause him to make the decision. As Freud states, even relatively mature people

are actually governed by unconscious needs and conflicts” (qtd. in Ryckman 36).

Because Jake does not have an experience of working in the field of science, which must

be very different from working as a marine, the sentences Jake said to encourage himself that

“It'd be a fresh start on a new world. You could do something important. You can make a

difference” (00:04:41 --> 00:04:48) seem to be the repressed desires that come out of his

unconscious. As Tyson stated, the unconscious contains repressed feelings and desires as well as

painful experiences (12). While Jake was lying in VA Hospital bed, he had to repress his desire

to have “a single thing worth fighting for” (00:02:49). Therefore, he used the words „a new

world‟, which must be different from „the wrong planet‟ he was in, in which „the strong prey on

the weak‟ (00:04:15 --> 00:04:17). These also reflect Jake‟s enthusiasm, optimism, and

confidence that he could do something important so that his life will not be an ass-life (00:04:41

--> 00:04:44). The words that Jake used, such as „fresh start‟, „new world‟, „you could‟ and „you

can‟ show the different perspective he uses to see his situation, life, and himself.

The influence of Jake‟s unconscious is also seen when the Colonel praised his bravery to

show up in the neighborhood. Jake said that he considered the neighborhood “another hellhole”,

which means very unpleasant place (00:25:20). The other unpleasant place to live in must be the

old world on earth he had lived in before moving to Pandora. Therefore, his decision to move to

Pandora is based on his previous experience of living on earth, which means his present attitude

and behavior are governed by unconscious needs (Ryckman 36; Tyson 12).

Jake‟s distinguished behavior is his repressed from his past experience. There are a few

clues leading to why he behaved differently and why living in Pandora among the Na‟vi clan is

the center of his changing characteristics.

Jake regained his spirit to live after he had decided to start a new life on Pandora, burying

the old life on earth. As he said, “It'd be a fresh start on a new world.” (00:04:41). His sentence

implies an optimistic attitude and a willingness to forget his old life on earth. In fact, Jake turned

to be happy, optimistic, and positive-thinking, especially after he became an avatar and lived

with the Na'vi clan. Even he got an opportunity to be an Omaticaya; i.e. the native of the Na‟vi

clan which means he was considered a part of the Na‟vis, because he help the Na‟vi clan to free

themselves from the Sky people. Helping the Na‟vi clan to be free from the Sky people must be

something that Jake had to fight for. By doing so, his repressed desire while he was on earth has

been fulfilled.

This accomplishment should be the reason why Jake decided to be an avatar and live in

Pandora among the Na‟vi clan. His happiness and satisfaction with his life in Pandora is reflected

in his narration that he has almost forgotten his old life in the true world and that he even do not

know who he is (01:30:14 -- 01:30:55). Jake‟s sentences reflect selective memory as a defense

mechanism that he uses to modify his memory so that he will completely forget his painful past

experiences (Tyson 15). Jake calls his life in Pandora “the dream”. This means life in the Na'vi

clan is so perfect for him that it all feels like a dream come true. The dream is another way of

escaping from the unpleasant reality. Jake says that life in the Na'vi clan is so perfect for him that

it all feels like a dream come true.

The changes that Jack experienced, although they happened gradually, are significant

changes. It is shown in Jake‟s statement that he does not know himself anymore. He even said

that he has been reborn. His reference to the Na‟vi‟s belief that every person is born twice

reflects how important the Na‟vi is for him and that he also believes in it. He has also earned his

place among the Na‟vi, who are the people (01:33:08 --> 01:33:19).

CONCLUSION

Freud‟s psychoanalytic theory reveals the reasons why Jake has very contrasting

behaviors. The discussion shows that his repressed experiences, painful feelings and unfulfilled

desires, which are kept in his unconscious, are things that control his behavior. In other words,

Jake‟s life is motivated by his repressed past. His past that made him be more disappointed with

other people around him especially the government. He very disappointed with the government

because when he got an accident as a marine, the government does not give him proper deserve.

So, this made him cannot working and he get punishment from other people because of his

condition.

Jake‟s motivation of being an avatar forever is a result of avoidance of his pain which has

been repressed in the unconscious, his disappointment with the bad system of government

service, especially for him who was injured while he was on duty as a marine, his condition and

his anger with other humans beings who humiliate him in a public place. Therefore, his repressed

disappointment and anger drive him to instantly decide to be an avatar forever because when he

becomes an avatar, he can be a normal human being, he has a life that is no longer

underestimated by others, and he can find the life that he has envisioned. In other words, Jake‟s

behavioral changes are motivated by his repressed anger, disappointment, and desire which he

himself may not be aware of.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

It took a lot of time and efforts to accomplish this thesis as the final project of my study.

The process of finishing this task was quite challenging. This achievement would not be

completed. Without the hands, encouragement, and intelligence of dedicated and supported

people.

Therefore, I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to these persons.

• First of all I would like to thank to my savior Jesus Christ for always giving me

strength and patience to finish this thesis after all the challenges and difficulties.

• My deep and sincere thanks to my Ibu and Bapak who always support, love, and

encourage me. Although they cannot directly feel this happiness, I know they are

always there by my side. I miss both of you.

• I would like to say special thanks to my supervisor Ms. Lany Kristono, M.Hum.

Thank you for your patience, motivation, enthusiasm, and immense knowledge in

supervising the writing of this thesis

• To my examiner, Mr. Erio R.P. FanggidaE, M.Hum. Thank you for your time in

perfecting this work with your competence in literature.

• Thanks to my big family who has supported and always reminded me about my

college study. Mommy, Pak dhe, Bulek Ti, Mas Novi, Mba Endang, Dek Nunki,

Bulek Tutik, Abang Melky, Feli, and Aksa.

• Thanks to Abang, Ruby, Ayu, Michelle, Nita, and all my friends who always

supported and patiently listened to all my good and bad stories and kept on

encouraging me during my accomplishing this thesis.

• My deep gratitude to all FLA's lecturers who have helped me to be a better educated

person.

• Last but not least, thank you to all my friends in FLA, especially the Fourteeners.

Dita Kristiana

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