1
ELSA’S SELF-ACCEPTANCE AS THE RESULT OF HER DEFENSE MECHANISM IN JENNIFER LEE’S FROZEN
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
LUDIA NATALIA GRACE KAOMANENG Student Number: 164214076
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS
UNIVERSITAS SANATA DHARMA YOGYAKARTA
2020
ii
ELSA’S SELF-ACCEPTANCE AS THE RESULT OF HER DEFENSE MECHANISM IN JENNIFER LEE’S FROZEN
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
inEnglish Letters
By
LUDIA NATALIA GRACE KAOMANENG Student Number: 164214076
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS
UNIVERSITAS SANATA DHARMA YOGYAKARTA
2020
vii
I have many faults and I have many fears, but I am going to embrace myself as hard as I can, and I am
starting to love myself, little by little.
-Kim Nam Joon-
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For my beloved family and my lovely seven
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I want to thank God for His grace and His blessing. Through Him, I can go through all of the trials in my life. He gives me hope through my family and those around me. His love never fails to amaze me.
My deepest gratitude for my thesis advisor, Dra. Theresia Enny Aggraini, Ph.D., and also to my co-advisor, Dr. Tatang Iskarna for the patience advice, and guidance. Hence, I can finish this research.
I thank my family for always supporting me in completing my studies, especially to my parents. Thank you for still loving me. For my sisters and my brother-in-law, thank you for everything. Then, to Melinda, Dinda, Vinny, Prisca, and Yosephine. Thank you for coloring the journey of my life.
Ludia Natalia Grace Kaomaneng
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ... ii
APPROVAL PAGE ... iii
ACCEPTANCE PAGE ...iv
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ... v
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH...vi
MOTTO PAGE ... vii
DEDICATION PAGE ... viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS ... x
LIST OF FIGURES ... xii
ABSTRACT ... xiii
ABSTRAK ... xiv
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ... 1
A. Background of the Study ... 1
B. Problem Formulation... 3
C. Objectives of the Study ... 3
D. Definition of Terms ... 3
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE ... 5
A. Review of Related Studies ... 5
B. Review of Related Theories ... 10
1. Theory of Characters and Characterization ... 10
2. Theory of Defense Mechanism ... 12
3. Theory of Self-Acceptance ... 14
C. Theoretical Framework ... 16
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ... 18
A. Object of the Study ... 18
B. Approach of the Study ... 20
C. Method of the Study ... 21
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CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ... 22
A. The Description of Elsa ... 22
B. The Defense Mechanisms of Elsa ... 42
C. The Process of Elsa’s Self-Acceptance ... 49
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ... 54
REFERENCES ... 58
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LIST OF FIGURES
No. Figure Page
1. Figure 1. Elsa's desperate emotion 25
2. Figure 2. Elsa is in isolation 25
3. Figure 3. Elsa's expression when arguing with Anna 30 4. Figure 4. Elsa's relation with her surroundings 37 5. Figure 5. Elsa's icy powers blend together with the wind 38 6. Figure 6. Elsa's creates Olaf's storm clouds 41
xiii ABSTRACT
KAOMANENG, LUDIA NATALIA GRACE. (2020). Elsa’s Self-Acceptance as the Result of Her Defense Mechanism in Jennifer Lee’s Frozen.Yogyakarta:
Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Film is an art that attempts to convey a message behind the story of its characters. Frozen is one of the examples that tell about the story of its character.
Frozen presents a big role in portraying the society or situation that happens within the society. In Frozen, Elsa experiences a problem in hiding her powers. In this study, defense mechanisms and self-acceptance become the main concern of analyzing how Elsa solve her problems related to her own powers by achieving self-acceptance in Frozen.
The researcher formulates three problems in this study. The first one is to examine the characteristics of Elsa in Frozen. The second is to identify the defense mechanisms of Elsa in Frozen. The third is to analyze Elsa’s self-acceptance through the defense mechanism in Frozen.
To analyze the problem formulated above, the researcher uses theory of character and characterization from M. Boggs and W. Petrie, theory of defense mechanism by Anna Freud, and the last is the theory of self-acceptance by Carl Rogers. In conducting the study, the researcher uses library research. The primary source is the film script of Frozen written by Jennifer Lee. Secondary source consists of books, journals, thesis, and articles.
The result of the study are first, Elsa’s characteristics are obedient, protective, independent, and perceptive. Second, Elsa’s defense mechanisms are denial, regression, acting out, fixation, projection, and repression. Furthermore, the defense that highlights the important part where Elsa discovers the understanding of herself and begin her journey to self-acceptance is defense mechanism of repression. The last is Elsa’s self-acceptance. She is able to accept her negative impulses and attitudes. She begins to show good sign towards the perception of new relationship. She can find a renewed view of reality. She is able to adjust with the reality that her powers are parts of her that can bring happiness in embracing everyone that she loves.
Keywords: characteristics, defense mechanisms, self-acceptance.
xiv ABSTRAK
KAOMANENG, LUDIA NATALIA GRACE. (2020). Elsa’s Self-Acceptance as the Result of Her Defense Mechanism in Jennifer Lee’s Frozen. Yogyakarta:
Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Film adalah seni yang menyampaikan pesan di balik kisah karakternya.
Frozen adalah salah satu contoh yang menghadirkan peran besar dalam mnggambarkan situasi yang terjadi dalam masyarakat. Di film Frozen, Elsa megalami masalah dalam menyembunyikan kekuatannya. Di dalam penelitian ini, Mekanisme pertahanan dan penerimaan diri menjadi perhatian utama dalam menganalisis bagaimana Elsa memecahkan masalah yang terkait dengan kekuatannya sendiri denagn mencapai penerimaan diri di Frozen.
Peneliti merumuskan tiga masalah dalam penelitian ini. Rumusan pertama adalah menganalisis karakteristik Elsa dalam Frozen. Rumusan yang kedua adalah mengidentifikasi mekanisme pertahanan Elsa di Frozen. Rumusan yang ketiga adalah menganalisis penerimaan diri Elsa lewat mekanisme pertahanan di Frozen.
Dalam menganalisis masalah yang dirumuskan diatas, peneliti menggunakan teori karakter dan karakterisasi dari M. Boggs dan W. Petrie, teori mekanisme pertahanan oleh Anna Freud, dan yan terakhir adalah teori penerimaan diri oleh Carl Rogers. Dalam melakukan penelitian ini, peneliti menggunakan penelitian kepustakaan. Sumber utama adalah naskah film Frozen yang ditulis oleh Jennifer Lee. Sumber kedua terdiri dari buku, jurnal, skripsi, dan artikel.
Hasil penelitian ini adalah pertama, karakteristik Elsa berperilaku baik, protektif, mandiri, dan tanggap. Kedua, mekanisme pertahanan Elsa adalah denial, regression, acting out, fixation, projection, dan repression. Selanjutnya, mekanisme pertahanan yang menyoroti bagian penting dimana Elsa menemukan pemahaman tentang dirinya sendiri dan memulai perjalananya menju penerimaan diri adalah mekanism pertahanan diri (repression). Hasil penelitian yang terakhir, penerimaan diri Elsa. Dia dapat menerima dorongan dan sikap negatifnya. Dia mulai menunjukan pertanda baik terhadap persepsi tentang hubungan baru. Dia dapat menyesuaikan diri dengan kenyataan bahwa kekuatannya adalah bagian dari dirinya yang dapat membawa kebahagiaan dalam merangkul setiap orang yang dia cintai.
Kata kunci: characteristic, defense mechanisms, self-acceptance.
1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
According to Rudolf Arnheim (1993), “film resembles painting, music, and literature” (p. 8). It can be said that a film is a tool that can deliver messages to the audiences and also has moral values in it. Moreover, according to Arthur Krystal, citing Marcus and Sollors, in his article ‘What Is Literature?: In Defense of the Canon’ published in harpers.org, “literary means not only what is written but what is voiced, what is expressed, what is invented, in whatever form” (Krystal, 2009.) this means that literature is not only about a textual story, but also something that can be expressed in a visual form which is film. Furthermore, a film also has a connection with literature. Film and literature are mainly about a narrative. Both of them telling a story utilize characters, plot, incidents, action, drama, and the general function to entertain the readers or the audience. However, in the film the audience is invited to find what message conveyed in one particular film through the visual.
As a film is an art that attempts to convey or explore something that larger than itself, a film can make the audiences change their perspective. “The movies we see shape the way we view the world around us and our place in that world”
(Barsam & Monahan, 2006, p. 2). After watching the film, the audience becomes more sensitive towards one problem in life, for a film is characterized by the personalities, beliefs, and ambitions of the people who making it.
Previously, it is said that when we see the film, we can view the world around us. It means that as the messages being delivered, the audience can relate the story that is presented in the film with their everyday life. In this case, Walt Disney’s animated musical fantasy film directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee entitled Frozen presents a big role in portraying the society or situation that happens within a society.
Frozen tells about a fearless princess, and started a journey with a rugged iceman and his reindeer and also a naive snowman, to find her sister who has icy powers that sets their kingdom in eternal winter only because she wants to estrange herself from the people especially from her sister, Princess Anna.
However, in this study, the researcher wants to focus more on Princess Elsa, who is different, for she has icy powers. Considering being different is a little bit complicated, especially when living in a judgmental society, a person is forced to embrace a belief that if he or she is different, they do not fit within the society.
Similar to Frozen, Elsa is experiencing a problem in hiding her power. She is aware that she is different and tries to battle her power and try to stay away from her beloved family. In hiding her powers, Elsa experienced problems relating to her sister's past accident. For this reason, she grew with anxiety. To deal with her anxiety, she shows her defense mechanism that changes her attitude towards herself and others. From the issue that is happening, the researcher wants to reveal a journey to self-acceptance. Moreover, this study focuses on analyzing how Elsa solves problems related to her powers by achieving self-acceptance. Therefore, the researcher chooses Frozen as the object of the study.
B. Problem Formulation
Based on the explanation above, the researcher wants to analyze the problem using the research questions formulated as follows:
1. How is Elsa described in Frozen?
2. What are the defense mechanisms of Elsa in Frozen?
3. How does Elsa achieve self-acceptance through the defense mechanism in Frozen?
C. Objectives of the Study
This study is expected to examine the characteristics of Elsa in Frozen and to identify what are the defense mechanisms used by Elsa, and to analyze Elsa’s self-acceptance through the defense mechanism.
D. Definition of Terms
There are several important definitions of terms used in this study such as defense mechanism and self-acceptance. The following definitions are the explanation of the terms mentioned above.
Defense Mechanisms. Dictionary of Psychology by American Psychoanalytic Association state that “defense mechanisms are used by the ego to cope with problems in life and operate unconsciously. It helps to reduce negative feelings, such as anxiety and guilt.”
Self-Acceptance. In The Strength of Self-Acceptance: Theory, Practice, and Research, according to Shepard, “self-acceptance involves a realistic, subjective, awareness of one’s strengths and weakness.” (Shepard as cited in Bernard 2013, p.
xiv). Furthermore, self-acceptance can be achieved by “stopping criticizing and
solving the defects of one’s self, and then accepting them to be existing within one’s self” (Bernard, 2013).
5 CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A. Review of Related Studies
This part reviews related studies that discuss on Frozen. The first study is The Quirky Princess and The Ice-olated Queen: an Analysis of Disney’s Frozen, written by Juniper Patel, a thesis published in 2015. The second is an Analysis of Moral Values Found in Frozen film written by Denik Riana, a thesis published in 2015. The third study is an article published in 2015, written by Christopher Kowalski and Ruchi Bhalla entitled Viewing the Disney film Frozen through a Psychodynamic Lens. These related studies help the researcher in providing ground for the analysis.
The Quirky Princess and The Ice-olated Queen: an Analysis of Disney’s Frozen, written by Juniper Patel, provides an in-depth analysis of Frozen main Characters, which are princess Anna and Elsa. In his study, Patel focuses on plots and themes from the princesses’ story and compare it with the previous princess films to show how and where Frozen departs from the previous fairy tale films’
long-standing tradition. In the first chapter, Patel discusses how the romantic storyline of Anna departs from earlier Disney Princess Film. Referring to Anna’s Character, Patel shows that the way Anna seeks love can be seen from the song
“For the First Time in Forever.” The way Anna sings perform so much joy, exuberance, and a little klutziness as she is running and jumping, not like the perfectly poised Cinderella (p.21). However, Patel believes that a depiction like
this is likely designed to induce kinship with the character and endear her to the audiences (p.21). In the second chapter, Patel focuses on Elsa’s manner in which her attitude resembles or combines the aspects of both Disney princesses and Villains. In this study, Patel tries to find out about Elsa as a misunderstood protagonist. Besides, Patel (2015) said, “I explore how her mental disability links with her self-actualization” (p.2). In this way, regarding Elsa as a misunderstood protagonist, Patel explains that:
While Elsa shares some commonalities with previous Disney Princesses, she also has commonalities with past female Disney Villains. Through Elsa, Frozen depicts the greatest departure to date from the classic Disney films...Elsa has powerful magic, a villainous trait established by the Evil Queen in the very first Disney feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and propagated throughout the Disney eras by Cinderella’s Lady Tremaine, Sleeping Beauty’s Maleficent, The Little Mermaid’s Ursula, Tangled’s Mother Gothel…Elsa is similar to a villain in that she hides her true self and powers, like the Evil Queen who disguises herself to visit snow white. (Patel, 2015, p. 28).
Furthermore, in this study, Patel wrote, “Elsa is shown to suffer from anxiety and depression stemming from her forced isolation” (p.34). Moreover, the trauma that Elsa undergoes is the result of having power and the pressure of Anna’s memories that cause Elsa’s mental illness (p.36). In the end, Patel concludes that Frozen portray both Anna and Elsa as “a type of feminine power that stems not from seeking male approval nor male assistance, and which does not dominate other women or men, but instead grows from collaboration among a variety of people”
(p.47). Although the depiction of Elsa’s recovery from her anxiety and depression do not briefly show in the film, it may give hope for whomever that suffer from those emotionally.
Another related study that discusses Frozen is entitled an Analysis of Moral Values Found in Frozen film written by Denik Riana discusses the moral values in Frozen film. In the study, Riana said that “Frozen film is one of that many moral lessons” (Riana, 2015, p. 4). She also argues that there are two kinds of lessons. The first lesson is how we can control our power, and the second powerful lesson that found in Frozen is familial love that shows how far the action of a family member could go to protect each other back (p. 4). This descriptive qualitative study discovers that in a society, love and affection are necessary as this is done to avoid disputes and disunion (p. 65). In conclusion, Riana found that:
the moral values found are hard-working, cooperation, carefulness, love and affection, humanity, self-control, cheerfulness, share, sorry and apologizing, confidence, respectfulness, not easy to believe, kind and friendly, bravery, not selfish, responsibility, loyalty, helping other, patience, honesty, and peacefulness (Riana, 2015, p. 96).
The last related study written by Christopher Kowalski and Ruchi Bhalla entitled Viewing the Disney film Frozen through a Psychodynamic Lens examines the film using the psychodynamic lens to understand why the film resonates strongly with the audiences. This article also pays attention to “Elsa’s transformation from an unconfident, young woman ashamed of her gifts into a strong-willed character in command of her powers” (Kowalski & Bhalla, 2015, p. 146). It also examines the transformation as a metaphor of ordeals that happen during puberty and adolescence and to find out the psychological defenses that are used by Elsa to deal with the ordeals (p. 146).
Kowalski and Bhalla wrote that there is a similarity in reality and the film that both a child and a child character when they experience the ordeals of puberty and adolescence:
From a young age, children have an awareness of their need to grow up into adults. This awareness evokes significant anxiety, similarly, the process of growing up itself brings with it many anxieties - from the child’s fear of her parents dying to the fear evoked by the aggressive urges that we gradually become conscious of and that form a normal and integral part of our psyche.
When Elsa sings of the “fear that once controlled me,” she might be singing for any member of the audience, and this concept acts as a strongly unifying idea. In adolescence, these “fears” often revolve around a social situation and others’ perceptions of them - with fears of being humiliated or of not fitting in being pervasive. Other fears include the fear of our inherent capacity for destruction which, in Elsa’s case, seems particularly pertinent. Indeed, Elsa’s journey in the film closely mirrors the requirements that children must navigate in adolescence. This process involves a complex shift in the child’s part from the infantile to the adult self. It requires the re-structuring of one’s personality along with the development of a stable self-identity, all the while tolerating the major physical and emotional changes that are taking place during puberty…As well as struggles to come to terms with the emotional turmoil of puberty, adolescence, and, indeed, sexual development, Elsa must also negotiate her chaotic magical powers and assume the very adult responsibility of ruling a kingdom. By the end of the film, she appears to have successfully navigated all the requirements, but the process is not smooth.
Over course of the film, she employs repression, isolation, splitting, projection, and acting out as a means of coping with the various demand on her. This, too, reflects the processes that adolescence themselves may attempt (Kowalski & Bhalla, 2015, pp. 146-147).
Furthermore, in the film, it shows Elsa's journey and the development of Elsa and Anna's relationship. As in the song "Do you want to build a snowman?" portrays that they are incredibly close. Following the childhood accident where Anna is struck unconscious by Elsa's magic power, they are separated in a different room.
During this separation, Kowalski and Bhalla argue that "Elsa begins to develop unconscious, envious feelings towards Anna- not only due to the position as the youngest in the family and her greater access to and attention from, their parents
but also since Anna is "normal" and "uncursed" (2015). However, Rivalry and envy are normal aspects of sibling relationships, and the audiences probably are experiencing exactly such feelings (p. 149). Besides, Kowalski and Bhalla conclude that:
The appeal of Frozen might, in part, be attributed to its literal representation of intrapsychic conflicts and ambivalent relationships, and its demonstration of the successful resolution of these...When watching the film, individuals will relate to the characters’ narrative and the themes discussed above in numerous and varied ways. Additionally, for any individual, the same theme may have different meanings at different stages of their life. An overarching message, that might be said to unite all viewers at all developmental stages, in the hope that they, too, (Kowalski & Bhalla, 2015, p. 149).
The three related studies mentioned above are significant to this study because those studies discuss the characters' situation in the Frozen film.
Although each study's research topics are different, the three studies analyzed Frozen as the object of the study. The first study wrote by Patel (2015), The Quirky Princess, and The Ice-olated Queen: an Analysis of Disney's Frozen, which helps the researcher to analyze the character's situation that happens in the film. Meanwhile, the second study, written by Riana (2015), an Analysis of Moral Values Found in Frozen film, informs the researcher about the family's role through moral values findings in the film. The last study, written by Christopher Kowalski and Ruchi Bhalla entitled Viewing the Disney film Frozen through a Psychodynamic Lens, helps the researcher provide the ground to analyze the character's journey and also the development of character relationship with others. Compared to this study, it also utilizes the same object, Frozen Film, and analyzes the characters in the film. However, this study has a different topic.
Moreover, this only focuses on one of the characters named Elsa and examines
how this character begins her journey to achieve self-acceptance. Furthermore, this study highlights that being different and living in a judgmental society can make a person refuse to accept themselves and prefer to become someone else that they are not.
B. Review of Related Theories
There are several theories used to answer the research questions that are mentioned in the problem formulation. In this section, the researcher explains each theory, which consists of the theory of character and characterization, the theory of defense mechanisms, and the theory of self-acceptance.
1. Theory of Characters and Characterization
Characters and characterization are important elements in a story. These theories are needed to analyze the description of Elsa’s character. In Art of Watching Films by Boggs and Petrie, there are several ways to identify and understand the characterization of a character, or how a character in the film is constructed throughout the film (Boggs & Petrie, 2008, pp. 60-67). They are:
a. Characterization through appearance
The first impression will be made by the viewers when they see the character’s facial features, dress, physical build, mannerism, and the way the characters move (pp. 60-61).
b. Characterization through dialogue
The character’s choice of word represents a character’s thought, attitude, emotions, and social-economic backgrounds. These are revealed through the pitch, stress, grammar, sentence structure, and particular dialects. “Therefore, viewers
must develop a keen ear, attuned to the faintest and most subtle nuance of meaning revealed through the human voice- listening carefully not only to what is said but also to how it is said” (2008, pp. 61-62).
c. Characterization through external actions
According to Boggs and Petrie (2008), when “the motivation for a character’s action is clearly established, the character and the plot become so closely interwoven that they are impossible to separate, and every action that the character takes in some way reflects the quality of his or her particular personality”
(p. 63). This shows that the viewers can identify the character’s personality through the character’s external action (p. 63).
d. Characterization through internal actions
Through the internal action, the viewers can identify a character’s mind and emotion. These made up from the character’s secrets, unspoken thoughts, daydreams, fears, and fantasies. These can be known through the help of visual elements, such as shots, film punctuation and montages. (p. 63).
e. Characterization through reactions of other characters
The reactions of other characters towards the main character “serves an excellent means of characterization” (p.63).
f. Characterization through contrast: dramatic foils
According to Boggs and Petrie (2008) “one of the most effective techniques of characterization is the use of foils- contrasting characters whose behavior, attitudes, opinion, lifestyle, physical appearance, and so on are the opposite of
those main characters” (pp. 64-65). By doing this technique, the viewers will see the main character’s individual standing out.
g. Characterization through caricature and leitmotif
The caricature exaggerates the character’s one or dominant features or personality traits. While leitmotif is the repetition of a single action, phrase or idea, by a character until it becomes a trademark or theme song for that character (pp.
65-66).
h. Characterization through choice of name
The choice of name represents the character’s identity and also reflecting appropriate qualities of sound, meaning or connotation (pp. 66-67)
2. Theory of Defense Mechanism
In Theories of Personality written by Hall, C. S., & Lindzey, G. (1978).
Anna Freud (1946) states that under the pressure of excessive anxiety, the ego is sometimes forced to take extreme measures in order to relieve that pressure. These measures are called defense mechanisms. Furthermore, all of the defense mechanisms have two common characteristics, which are they deny, falsify, or distort the reality and they operate unconsciously (Freud as cited in Hall &
Lindsey. 1978. pp. 51-54). In the following are the types of defense mechanism.
a. Repression
Repression occurs when an “object-choice that arouses undue alarm is forced out of consciousness” (Hall & Lindsey, 1978, p. 52). For example, a disturbing memory can be prevented from becoming conscious. However, it can affect behavior as a consequence of repressing feelings or painful memories.
b. Projection
Projection is a neurotic or moral anxiety that is converted into an objective fear. Projection serves a purpose to reduce anxiety by replacing a smaller danger for a bigger one (Hall & Lindsey, 1978. p.53).
c. Reaction formation
Reaction Formation, in this mechanism, there is a replacement of an impulse that produces the anxiety or feeling with the opposite. For example, hate is replaced by love. The impulse that produces the anxiety still exists. However, it is covered by the other impulse that does not cause anxiety (Hall & Lindsey, 1978, p.
53).
d. Fixation
The fixation is marked by each new step that entails a certain amount of frustration and anxiety and if these become too strong, it will halt the normal growth. In other words, a person who becomes fixated usually taken a new step that is full of anxiety. For example, a very dependent child show defense by fixation (Hall & Lindsey, 1978, p. 54).
e. Regression
Regression is marked by a person who encounters traumatic experiences that retreats to an earlier stage. For example, a child who is weeping, hanging onto the teacher, sucking thumb, or hiding in the corner because he or she is afraid of the first day of school. Another example, a person who has lost a job may drink alcohol to find comfort. Furthermore, people tend to return (regress) to a stage where they have been previously fixated. If before they were a very dependent
child, they will likely become very dependent again when their anxiety rises to an unbearable level (Hall & Lindsey, 1978, pp. 53).
f. Acting Out
The individual deals with emotional conflicts, or internal or external stressor, by acting without reflection or apparent regard for negative consequences. Acting out involves the expression of feeling, wishes, or impulse in uncontrolled behavior with apparent disregard for personal or social consequences (Vaillant, 1992, p. 253).
This defense is an act of coping with emotional conflicts by expressing his or her feeling in actions rather than reflecting through internal feelings first.
g. Denial
The individuals deal with emotional conflicts, or internal or external stressors, by refusing to acknowledge some aspect of external reality or of his or her experience that would be apparent to others (Vaillant, 1992, p.
256).
In other words, denial describes as a situation where the person cannot face the reality. Moreover, he or she refuses to acknowledge some aspects that are in themselves (p. 256).
3. Theory of Self-Acceptance
Carl Rogers in The Strength of Self-Acceptance: Theory, Practice, and Research by Michael E. Bernard (2013) states that insight of self-acceptance involved four elements. He suggests accepting one’s impulses and attitudes, being in tune with one’s behavior and the perception of new relationships, and planning new and more satisfying ways to adjust in reality. Furthermore, Rogers believes that when a person achieves self-acceptance, interrelationships with others also can be improved (Bernard, 2013, p. 5).
The first element is an acceptance of one’s impulses and attitudes, which emerged in part through the influence of others. Negative impulses and attitudes in particular are often a result of prior negative experiences. The second element is being in tune with one’s behavior and the perception of new relationships. The third element involved the renewed view of reality made possible by this acceptance and understanding of the self. The fourth element is the planning of new and more satisfying ways in which the self can adjust to reality (Bernard, 2013, p.5).
Maslow in The Strength of Self-Acceptance: Theory, Practice, and Research (2013) states that Self-acceptance occurs from the discovery and development of the self (p.4). He believes that self-acceptance is a process of self-discovery, and it requires one person to have a better understanding of him or herself. To add, understanding of the self means an act of reflecting on the previous actions or reactions, whether it is good or bad. In the process, a person needs to accept who he or she is by reflecting on the previous actions or reactions, which are later used as a reference that leads to a better self (Oyediran, 2016).
For Rogers (1995), “self-acceptance formed a basis for a number of important interpersonal realities with interpersonal implications.” Furthermore, he explains that:
As an individual accepts oneself, she or he is able to stay more open to the breadth of their experiences, thereby increasing their self-understanding.
The increased self-acceptance also helps provide the confidence to speak from what one is experiencing. Thereby increasing one’s authenticity (Bernard, 2013, p. 9).
Rollo May, in The Strength of Self-Acceptance: Theory, Practice and Research, shares similar thoughts in terms of “the interpersonal relationships and how the environment interacted with the person” and “while a balance with interdependence and independence is needed.” May (1983) proposes that
“self-acceptance becomes possible through freeing oneself from social dependence and allowing one to accept oneself as she or he wishes to be” (Bernard, 2013, p. 6).
In addition, Carl Rogers, in the Journal of Humanistic Psychology (1982) states that:
Human nature is basically good and locates evil, including the human propensity towards engaging in hurtful acts, externally. It is the lack of self-acceptance, unjust systems, and negative influences from the world around individuals that lead individuals to engage in these negative acts (Bernard, 2013, p. 10).
Here, Roger explains that the lack of self-acceptance, unjust system and negative influences from the world around makes oneself involved in the negative acts (p.
10).
C. Theoretical Framework
This study examines the journey to self-acceptance as it portrays through Elsa’s experience in Frozen film. This is focusing on Elsa’s psychological issues of anxiety and throughout the story; finally, she can accept her own powers. This study is analyzed by using the psychoanalytic approach. Therefore, there are three research questions stated in this study.
The first question is answered by applying the theory of character and characterization. There are eight ways that are used to understand the characterization of a character. This theory by Boggs and Petrie help to identify why Elsa denies herself through the appearance, dialogue, external actions, the internal actions, the reaction of other characters, and usage of the contrast:
dramatic foils, leitmotif and caricature, and choice of name. The second question is answered by applying the theory of defense mechanisms to identify types of
defense mechanism used by Elsa to cope with her anxiety and also connecting it with the related studies which are analyzed the character in Frozen film. The last question is answered based on the result of question number one and two by applying theory of self-acceptance to analyze Elsa’s journey to self-acceptance.
18 CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The object of the study is the film script of Frozen by Jenifer Lee. The researcher used the film script as the primary source to analyze Elsa’s character in the film. Frozen was released on November 22 (Limited) and 27 (Expands Wide) 2013 in the United States of America by Walt Disney. It is directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee and produced by Peter Del Vecho, starring Kristen Bell as Anna and Idina Menzel as Elsa and Christophe Beck as a composer and Jeff Draheim, an editor, as cited by Box Office Mojo. According to financial information thenumbers.com, Frozen produced $1,270,753,622 worldwide box office with $400,738,009 domestic box office, with $243,390 for the opening weekend and production budget of $150,000,000. In his article, Scott Mendelson wrote that Frozen is the first Disney Animation film that debut with over $50 million for its opening as cited by Forbes. It also won several awards such as Best Animated and Best Original Song (Let It Go) in the Academy Awards (2014), Best Animated Feature Film in the Golden Globe Award (2014), Prize for Outstanding Foreign Language Film in Japan Academy (2015), Producer Guild of America Awards for Best Animated Motion Picture (2014), Best Animated Film in the BAFTA Award (2014), Favorite Animated movie in the Blimp Award (2014), and it also won two Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Animated Feature (2014).
Frozen tells a story of two sisters named Elsa and Anna in Arendelle that separated because her sister Elsa has an icy power. During their childhood, Elsa likes to play with her sister Anna. They build a snowman that they call as Olaf.
While playing with Olaf, Anna jumps off a large pile of snow, seeing her sister jumps to high, Elsa try to help her sister by making a soft landing for Anna.
Unfortunately, Elsa slips on the ice and the blast of power that meant making a smooth landing hits Anna in the head. Anna suddenly unconscious and her hair turn into a streak of Elsa’s platinum blonde hair. Knowing about this accident, their parents rush to take Anna to the rock trolls that are magical creatures that live in the forest. The trolls’ leader named Grand Pabbie cures Anna and wipes away her memories of Elsa’s magic power. After that, Grand Pabbie warns the parents that Elsa’s magic power will grow stronger and needs to be controlled and says that
“fear” is the greatest enemy of Elsa.
The king overreacts about this matter and orders the castle to be closed and teaches Elsa to hide her powers and is isolated so that no other people can get hurt by Elsa’s magic power. Therefore, because of this, Elsa is making a distance from her sister and the outside world.
Elsa begins her journey to the kingdom’s north mountain and realizes that in this place, she can be on her own and begin to try to control her powers. She builds an ice palace and lives by herself. She also vows that she will be in this place by herself not to harm other people again. In this state, Elsa is afraid to meet with her sister. She is afraid that she may hurt her sister again, but suddenly Anna comes inside the palace ad try to talk with Elsa that her powers are not a reason why they
should stay away from each other, and the fact that Anna has already forgiven her, Elsa still wants to keep her distance from her sister. She does not want her sister to be in danger to get her sister to safety; she creates a giant snow creature to throw her sister out.
At the castle, The Duke of Weselton secretly orders his two bodyguards to kill Elsa. The bodyguards come to Elsa palace and try to arrest her. She tries to run, but a falling chandelier hits her. She wakes up in a dungeon cell, but she manages to escapes by freezes the shackles and breaks through the wall and get outside and look for her sister. While looking for her sister, Elsa meets with Hans (Anna will marry back then). Hans tells Elsa that Anna is dead and makes Elsa angry and decided to fight against Hans. While Elsa fights against Hans, Anna steps in front of Elsa and freezes solid. Elsa breaks down in tears. Hugging her sister, but suddenly, Anna melts back to normal. Then, Elsa realizes that love is the key to control her powers. In the end, Arendelle is restored to peace. The film finished with a scene where Elsa creates an ice rink in one of the castle courtyards and promises never to shut the castle gate again, and finally, Elsa can accept her magic power as a beautiful gift and not as a curse.
B. Approach of the Study
To answer the research question in this study, the researcher applies a psychoanalytic approach. It is said that a Psychoanalytic approach is a form that concern with the interaction between unconscious and conscious processes and the laws of mental functioning (Berger, 200, p. 75). Furthermore, Freud (1963) states that “is not identical with what you are conscious of; whether something is
going on in your mind and whether you hear of it, are two different things.”
(Freud as cited in Berger, 200, p 77). It means that we are not aware of something that is going on in our minds and are not in complete control with ourselves. It is because we are affected by the events and circumstances in ways we cannot understand (Berger, 2000, p. 77). As in Elsa’s case, she is not aware that in dealing with the events and circumstances happen in her life cause her to show unintended actions. These events and conditions are related to her psychological issue, which is anxiety that found throughout the story. Thus, this approach helps the researcher to obtain an understanding of Elsa’s character.
C. Method of the Study
This study used the library research method. The primary source in this study is Frozen, a film script written by Jennifer Lee. The other sources are books, journals, thesis, and articles that help the researcher analyze the study.
There are several steps to conduct this study. First, the researcher read the film script several times to gain a better understanding of Elsa’s story and watched the film several times to have further knowledge about the characters. Second, the characterization and the description of Elsa were analyzed using the theory of character and characterization. After the researcher found the answers from the first question, the researcher used the defense mechanism theory to identify Elsa’s defense mechanism to cope with her anxiety. The last, the researcher used the answer from the evidence to analyze how Elsa achieved her self-acceptance and connected it with the related studies written by Patel, Kowalski & Bhalla. Denik Riana to support the analysis of Elsa’s journey to self-acceptance.
22 CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
This chapter presents an analysis of the three problems. The first discussion is the description of Elsa. The second is the defense mechanisms of Elsa. The third is the process of Elsa’s self-acceptance.
A. The Description of Elsa
The description of Elsa is conducted through several steps. In Boggs and Petrie’s theory of characters and characterization, there are eight ways to examine a character through the appearance, dialogue, external actions, internal actions, the reaction of other characters, and the usage of the contrast: dramatic foils, leitmotif, and caricature. However, not all eight ways are applied to examine Elsa’s characteristics due to the lack of data presented. After conducting the analyzes, there are some results that the researcher found are:
1. Obedient
Elsa is known as an obedient princess to her parents, especially to her father.
First, Elsa’s obedient manner is analyzed through the dialogues, which is the conversation between her and her father.
KING. The gloves will help.
KING. See? You’re good… (Starting their mantra) conceal it.
YOUNG ELSA. Don’t feel it.
YOUNG ELSA & KING. Don’t let it show.
(Lee, 2013, p. 9).
For the accident that happens when Elsa and Anna are still young, her father closes the gates of Arendelle and isolating Elsa in a different room to keep her
powers hidden from everyone, including Anna. Elsa went through her days alone to learn to contain her powers. However, day by day, her powers seem to get stronger. She expressed the anxious feeling of her powers to become stronger to her father.
ELSA. I’m scared. It’s getting stronger (Lee, 2013, p. 10).
As because of that, her father makes her wearing gloves to conceal the powers.
Elsa follows her father’s instruction, and her father teaches Elsa a mantra (a song) to conceal her powers. The dialogue above, shown that Elsa is trying to conceal her powers. She says, ‘do not feel it’ means that she determines that she needs to suppress her powers. She wants to be able to control her power so that there is no one will get hurt again.
Second, Elsa’s obedient manner is reflected through leitmotif, which is the song conceal, don’t feel that is sing by Elsa. Below are the lyrics:
ELSA. Don’t let them in. Don’t let them see. Be the good girl you always have to be. Conceal. Don’t feel. Put on a show. Make one wrong move and everyone will know. (Lee, 2013, p. 16).
Boggs & Petrie states that leitmotif is the repetition of a single action, phrase, or idea, by a character until it becomes a trademark or theme song for that character (pp. 65-66). This song later used by Elsa to control her powers. The song lyrics, “be the good girl you always have to be,” can be interpreted as an instruction of her father, which means that she has to follow what her father wants her to be. “Conceal. Don’t feel. Put on a show” can be interpreted as the instruction from her father for her to always hide her powers and to be able to control her powers. Elsa’s father wants her always to act normal and believes that
everything is going to be alright. “Make one more wrong move, and everyone will know” can be interpreted as everything will be okay if she followed this instruction. In this case, she denies everything that related to her powers. She knows that she also struggles to suppress her powers. However, it does not mean that others would want to know how she feels if they know that she has powers.
Therefore, by singing, “make one wrong move, and everyone will know,” means that she is not allowed to make mistakes.
Third, Elsa’s obedient manner is analyzed through the dialogue between Elsa and Anna. When they separated in a different room, Anna, repeatedly, comes to Elsa’s room. In front of the door, Anna asks Elsa to play with her. It keeps going from Anna is still young until Anna becomes a teenager. However, Elsa not even once opens the door to play with Anna. Whereas she knows how much she loves Anna, but prefers to stay away from Anna because she does not want to hurt her only sister.
YOUNG ANNA. Do you want to build a snowman? It doesn’t have to be a snowman.
YOUNG ELSA. Go away, Anna!
(Lee, 2013, p. 9)
Furthermore, the more reliable evidence that shows how obedient Elsa is when their parents pass away. In a desperate time, Anna stands in front of Elsa’s bedroom door and tells how Anna wants Elsa to be there for her, but once again, Elsa never opens the door. Through (figure 1), we can see that Elsa desperately wants to be there for her sister behind the door. It can be seen through her furrowed brows and restless eyes. However, she has to follow her father’s instructions to stay away from other people, including Anna, as her powers may
hurt others. Here, Elsa’s expression can be seen from her internal action that shows she wants to accompany Anna (Figure 1). However, she does not want her sister to hurt by her powers and the fact that she listens to her father’s saying.
Moreover, in Figure 2, Elsa’s power gets stronger and already gives her a devastating effect. Here we can see that the impact of isolation has already possessed Elsa’s mind that she cannot help others or her sister because Elsa also struggles with her power. She always tries to contain her power, but in the end, the result that she still gets is her power getting stronger day by day, as she ages.
The effect of isolation can be seen through Elsa’s sitting position, where she is leaning against the door while hugging herself. Furthermore, Elsa’s surroundings portrayed her power that is getting stronger.
Figure 1. Elsa's desperate emotion
Figure 2. Elsa is in isolation
The evidence above shows how obedient Elsa is. She never once violated her father’s instruction. No matter how desperate Elsa wants to be together with
her sister, but never violates her father’s saying. Furthermore, she also does not care if the isolation that she went through day by day makes her depressed. All she cares about is to follow her father’s instruction that she needs to keep everyone safe from her powers, including staying away from her sister.
2. Protective
Elsa has been in isolation since the accident that happens when they were still young. For this reason, she grew anxious. The anxiety that she has, caused by the accident that occurs when she and Anna were still young. The accident happened when they were playing together in the ballroom at night. Anna asked Elsa to do the magic and built a snowman together.
YOUNG ANNA. Do the magic! Do the magic! This is Amazing!
YOUNG ELSA. Watch this!
YOUNG ELSA. Hi, I’m Olaf and I like warm hug.
YOUNG ANNA. I love you, Olaf.
(Lee, 2013, p. 4).
They continued to play by sliding down the snowbanks together. Next, Anna fearlessly jumped off from a snow peak into midair while Elsa made another peak to catch Anna. They kept playing this for some time. However, Elsa suddenly slipped. Her magic then accidentally stroked Anna in the head and fell unconsciously.
YOUNG ANNA. Catch me!
YOUNG ELSA. Gotcha!
YOUNG ANNA. (Jumping faster) Again! Again!
YOUNG ELSA. Slow down!
YOUNG ELSA. ANNA! MAMA! PAPA!
(Lee, 2013, p. 4).
This accident causes Elsa to deny herself by hiding her powers from others.
However, as she tries to hide her power, it only gets stronger day by day. In
contrast, on her coronation day, Elsa and her sister are reunited. However, this reunion does not work as it used to be. It makes both of them having a conversation awkwardly.
ELSA. ..Hi.
ANNA. Hi me…? Oh. Um. Hi.
ELSA. …You look beautiful,
ANNA. Thank you, you look beautifuller. I mean, not fuller, but more beautiful. (Lee, 2013, p. 20).
Moreover, not only are having awkward conversations but also a warm sister bonding that failed. Through this conversation, indeed, they are enjoying talking to each other. However, it does not last long because Anna mentions her wish that if they could be like this all the time. As hearing that, Elsa said that she is also enjoying that warm sister bonding with Anna. Suddenly, she denies her excitement and quickly makes Anna disappointed.
ELSA. Well, he was sprightly.
ANNA. (rubbing her sore feet). Especially for a man in heels.
ELSA. Are you okay?
ANNA. (loving Elsa’s attention). I’ve never been better. This is so nice. I wish it could be like this all the time.
ELSA. (Sincere) Me too…. But it can’t.
ANNA. Why not? If—
ELSA. It just can’t.
ANNA. (Anna’s smile drops and try not to get emotional). Excuse me for a minute.
(Lee, 2013, pp. 23-24).
This dialogue shows that even though Elsa has been in isolation to suppress her powers, the past accident's thought is still lingering in her mind. This past accident has been following her until it grows with her in the form of her anxiety. To make she is less anxious whenever her sister near her, she needs to deny that she also feels happy reuniting with her sister. Furthermore, Elsa does not forget her role as
an older sister for Anna despite having a problem with her powers. She knows that sometimes she is emotionally sensitive to her powers, but she still cares for others.
Elsa’s protective character is analyzed through the dialogues. The dialogues showed Elsa’s thoughts towards her sister’s sudden engagement with the man that she just met on the coronation day. Anna comes along with Hans to find Elsa and asks for her blessing. When they meet Elsa, Anna addresses her sister as Queen and tells that it is she again. It shows that Anna thinks that because her relation with Elsa is not like how they used to be. Therefore, she is just randomly asking for Elsa’s blessing. However, Anna not expected that Elsa would not allow her to marry Hans. Elsa was confused when her sister talked about a marriage ceremony, even talked about inviting all the brothers of Hans to live in Arendelle. Elsa is aware that now there are only both of them that have each other back, so she does not want to make a wrong decision in protecting her sister.
ANNA. I mean…Queen… me again. Um. May I present Prince Hans of the Southern Isles.
HANS. Your Majesty. (bowing) ANNA. We would like--
HANS. --your blessing-- ANNA. --of--
ANNA/HANS. --our marriage-- ELSA. Marriage…?
ELSA. I’m sorry, I’m confused.
ANNA. Well, we haven’t worked out all the details ourselves. We’ll need few days to plan the ceremony. Of course we’ll have soup, roast, and ice cream and then-- wait. Would we live here?
ELSA. Here ? HANS. Absolutely!
ELSA. Anna--
ANNA. Oh, we can invite all twelve of your brothers to stay with us-- ELSA. What/ no, no, no, no, no.
ANNA. Of course we have the too. I don’t know. Some of them must--
ELSA. Wait. Slow down. No one’s brothers are staying here. No one is getting married (Lee, 2013, pp. 29-30).
Elsa’s attitude in replaying Anna’s words shows that Elsa is confused with her sister’s action. She cannot believe that her sister would take a reckless step.
Furthermore, knowing that Elsa does not allow her to get married, Anna is throwing a tantrum. Without hesitation, Anna says that you can marry someone if it is true love. However, Elsa against Anna’s words by saying, that what does Anna knows about true love. This saying of Elsa makes Anna angrier and answers back to her sister. She says she knows about true love more than her sister does and that Elsa only knows how to shut people out. However, Elsa still does not allow her sister to get married.
ANNA. No. Whatever you have to say, you- you can say to both of us.
ELSA. Fine. You can’t marry a man you just met.
ANNA. You can if it’s true love.
ANNA. What do you know about true love?
ANNA. More than you know. All you know is to shut people out.
ELSA. You asked for my blessing, but my answer is no. Now, excuse me.
(Lee. 2013, p. 30)
Besides, the dialogue above in Figure 3 allows us to see Elsa's expression when she argues with her sister since her sister has made her angry. Elsa is afraid that she cannot control her emotion because of her sister's action and can harm her sister. Elsa is aware that if her sister keeps arguing with her, she cannot control her power. Elsa is already in a state where she cannot hold back anymore.
Knowing that she cannot control her emotion anymore, Elsa wants to leave the ball. Through figure 3, we can see that Elsa is frowning, and her eyes radiate fear and insecurity. However, her sister still insists on knowing why Elsa does not allow her to get married.
Moreover, Elsa's attitude shows that she feels insecure about the situation with her sister. In this figure (figure 3), we also can see that there are so many people watching them arguing. Furthermore, it shows that Elsa is under pressure because if she cannot control her power, everyone in the hall, including her sister, may get hurt. However, Elsa accidentally unleashes her powers toward Anna and the guests. Horrified by her action, Elsa chooses to leave the palace and isolating herself far away in the North Mountain to protect the kingdom from her.
Figure 3. Elsa's expression when arguing with Anna
Elsa cares about her sister and other people that she does not want to cause harm.
In this case, since Elsa accidentally unleashes her powers, the Duke of Weselton does not wish Elsa to leave the palace. Considering that Elsa's power is mighty and may hurt other people, the Duke gives orders to capture Elsa. Furthermore, The Duke's reaction to Elsa's magic that accidentally shoots from her hand turns the staircase into ice. He even refers to Elsa as a monster because he thinks that Elsa's power is sorcery. Aware of her powers' strength, to protect them, Elsa asks the Duke and his men to stay away from her. It shows in the dialogue below.
DUKE. (ducking behind his man)…sorcery. I knew there was something dubious going on here.
DUKE. There she is! stop her!
Elsa. (to the Duke) please, just stay away from me. Stay away!
DUKE. Monster… monster!
(Lee, 2013, p. 32).
Second, Elsa’s protective character is analyzed through the dialogue between her and Anna. After she decides to leave Arendelle, she builds another palace in the North Mountain. Here, Elsa lives by herself. She is isolating herself in her palace. Surprisingly, Anna follows her to the North Mountain and tries to persuade her to come back to Arendelle with her. However, Elsa thinks that she is okay by herself. Elsa believes that she can freely use her magic without hurting other people if she stays in this place. Here, Elsa is hinting that to protect her and others. She has to live by herself.
ANNA. I’m so sorry about what happened. If I’d known.
ELSA. (on guard) No, it’s okay. You don’t have to apologize… but you should probably go, please.
ANNA. But I just got here.
ELSA. You belong to Arendelle.
ANNA. So do you.
ELSA. No. I belong here. Alone. Where I can be who I am without hurting anybody. (Lee, 2013, p. 66)
From the conversation above, it can be seen that Elsa’s mind is full of fears and thought of living alone without hurting others. However, Anna does not stop to persuade Elsa. Here, Anna persuades Elsa using the happy memory that they experienced together when they were children. At that moment, Olaf appeared in the middle of their conversation. Olaf is the snowman that they built together when they were young. Anna is persuading Elsa that they can be together.
Knowing that her power can bring life to Olaf, Elsa is amazed by her power.
OLAF. 58…59…60.
ELSA. Wait. What is that?
OLAF. Hi, I’m Olaf and I like warm hugs.
ELSA. (shocked) Olaf?
OLAF. (bashful) you built me. You remember that?
ELSA. (astonished) and you’re alive?
OLAF. Um… I think so?
ANNA. He’s just like the one we built as kids… we were so close. We can be like that again.
(Lee. 2013, pp. 66-67)
Furthermore, Elsa’s protective character is also shown in her external action of creating the giant snowman. As Boggs & Petrie mention in their book that “every action that the character takes in some way reflects the quality of his or her particular personality” this shows that we can identify the character’s personality from the external action (p. 63). When they talk to each other about the beautiful memory of playing together with Olaf, suddenly, another memory returns to Elsa.
The flashback of the accident where young Anna is struck by Elsa’s powers that cause young Anna falls unconscious. It causes Elsa to return to her protective mode to make her sister stay away from her. In Elsa’s mind is only her sister’s safety. She does not care if it can make her sister hates her because she always thought that it is for the best.
Moreover, Anna tells Elsa that Elsa set off an eternal winter everywhere, and now Arendelle is in deep snow. For this reason, Elsa is panic. She says that she such a fool and she cannot be free. It makes Elsa cries and set a storm inside her castle.
ELSA. (Panicking) I’m such a fool! I can’t be free!
ANNA. You don’t have to be afraid.
ELSA. No escape from the storm inside of me!
ELSA. I can’t control the curse!
ANNA. We’ll reverse the storm you’ve made.
ELSA. Anna, please, you’ll only make it worse!
ANNA. Don’t panic.
ELSA. There’s so much fear!
ANNA. We’ll make the sun shine bright.
(Lee, 2013, pp.69-70)
Suddenly, Elsa’s fear becomes too strong. It highlights that her anxiety has already taken over her awareness as the blizzard is sucked back into her and explodes out like a sharp snowflake that accidentally struck Anna right in the heart. Elsa is shocked, but after seeing that Anna is okay, she creates a giant snowman to drive her sister away to protect her.
ELSA. No, we can’t.
ELSA. Good bye, ANNA.
ANNA. ELSA, wait--
ELSA. (calling back) I’m just trying to protect you.
(Lee, 2013, p. 67)
This evidences above show that Elsa is aware of the strength of her powers.
That is why she chooses to leave the kingdom to protect the people, including her sister from herself. Furthermore, Elsa’s action to shut her heart for others is because Elsa does not want to hurt them. She cannot suppress her powers, and knowing that her powers will only grow stronger, she willing to do anything to keep her sister away from herself.
3. Independent
As a princess who was born with powers, Elsa always follows what her parents say to her. Especially when she accidentally hurt her sister. Since then, her father tells what Elsa has to do and what Elsa cannot do. To learn how to control her power, she has to live in isolation that separates her from the ones that she loved the most. Furthermore, the isolation that Elsa experienced has made her lives in a depression that has a devastating effect on her life. She begins to shut herself and always afraid that her power will cause a great danger to other people near her. Therefore, she always put others first instead of herself. Although she
knows that, it can cause other people to misunderstand her. Throughout the story, Elsa is seen as always try to suppress her emotion along with her power. This condition has made Elsa feel depressed all the time.
Moreover, because of the argument that happens between her and Anna, cause Elsa cannot control her emotion anymore. This argument between them caused Elsa to accidentally unleash her power in front of the guests and her sister.
To save other people and herself, she decides to leave Arendelle and begins her journey to the North Mountain.
Elsa’s independent character is analyzed through the leitmotif. In her journey to the North Mountain, Elsa frees herself from the burden of hiding her powers all the time. She begins experimenting with her powers. As a result, from the accident in Arendelle’s ballroom, Elsa decides not to care about what others may think about her. While experimenting with her powers, she looks free from the anxiety she has been experiencing. The first verse can be interpreted as a realization of Elsa. In experiencing this path, Elsa comes to realize that she is alone in facing her power. In the lyric, she sings “a kingdom of isolation, and looks like I’m the Queen.” It means that real isolation is not the isolation that other people should order her to do; instead, she must do it herself.
The snow glows white On the mountain tonight, Not a footprint to be seen.
A kingdom of isolation
And looks like I’m the Queen.
(Lee, 2013, p. 36)
The second verse showed that Elsa knows how strong her powers are. Every time she tries to suppress it, the power will only grow “like this swirling storm inside.
Couldn’t keep it in”. Moreover, she tries repeatedly, but she cannot keep the powers hidden, as shown in the lyric, “heaven knows I tried.”
The wind is howling
Like this swirling storm inside.
Couldn’t keep it in, Heaven knows I tried. . . (Lee, 2013, p.36).
In the third verse, we can see that being a good girl for Elsa does not help suppress her powers. It is shown that Elsa always tries to follow her father’s instructions to conceal and do not feel, but still, it makes others know what she is hiding.
Don’t let them in, Don’t let them see,
Be the good girl you always have to Be.
Conceal, Don’t feel,
Don’t let them know.
Well now they know.
(Lee, 2013, p.36)
Instead of hiding her powers, she decides to “let go.” When she sings that she no longer cares what others think of her, she seems to free herself from the fear that is lingering in her mind. She decides to experiment on her powers and declares no rules for her to conceal her powers anymore. She sings that no right or wrong that can hold her to prove herself. She sings, “I am the one with the wind and sky.”
This lyric can be interpreted as confidence in showing that she may have powers and that she is different, but she is the one who can handle her powers, she is the one who knows what to do with her powers, not anyone else. Here, she declares
that no one can bother her anymore and begin to accept her powers. Shown from the lyrics below:
Let it go. Let it go.
Can’t hold it back anymore.
Let it go. Let it go.
Turn away and slam the do.
I don’t care what their going to say
Let the storm rage on.
The cold never bothered me anyway.
It’s funny how some distance Makes everything seem small.
And the fears that once controlled me Can’t get to me at all.
It’s time to see What I can do,
To test the limits and break through.
No right, no wrong, no rules for me. . . I’m free!
Let it go! let it go!
I am the one with the wind and sky.
Let it go! Let it go!
You’ll never see me cry.
Here I stand and here I’ll stay.
Let the storm rage on . . . (Lee, 2013, p. 37).
Continue with the last verses, for she has succeeded in free herself from the pressure that she experienced at the beginning of the story. She then determines to leave everything in the past; for now, she will show herself. She does not want to become a perfect girl anymore, but she prefers to become the way she is.
Moreover, in the lyric here, "I stand in the light of day" can be interpreted as her confidence in showing her independence to face herself without other people's intervention.