Psychology Paper On “The Beach“

4 Pages 1046 Words

Psychology 101 Research Project on Selected Movie:

“The Beach”
Throughout movies are underlying symbolic meanings and metaphors. When watching any movie it is like watching blips of a dream. Movies are meant to reach the unconscious mind, leading movie viewers to become psychologically involved with what is happening. In other words, catharsis takes place. Movies always portray psychological happenings and their effects. One such movie is “The Beach”. This movie is a tale of a young man’s search for paradise and finds it through a remote, secretive beach. This magnificent, beautiful beach is guarded by farmers who do not want any new visitors, and want to keep their marijuana growing safe and secret. Richard, and two of his friends he invites along, maneuver past the farmers into a small community. “The Beach” portrays the theory that power corrupts through Richard’s journey, the protecting farmers and leaders, and through the sequence of events.
Power Corrupts Seen Through Richard’s Journey
The theory that with power causes corruption is apparent through Richard’s journey. Richard begins his journey seeking deeper knowledge of himself and the world. Richard not only wants to find paradise physically, but also mentally. So, he leaves America, his parents, conformity, and peer pressure to try to individuate and find himself. Richard ends up in Bangkok, Thailand. While staying in a hotel, he stumbles upon a map directing him to a perfect beach that is considered paradise. This beach represents the real landscape of earth, where land meets water and it is evocative of reality versus unknown depths. This is the same situation with Richard. Richard begins as part of the masses, then removes himself to find more meaning and depth. Obviously, this is a metaphor. Both begin in innocence, then proceed to be corrupted.


Moving on, before Richard leaves on his mission for paradise, he leaves behi...