| Disclaimer: I am a psychology student who has watched the original NGO at different points of my life: the first tome when I was dealing with depression and the last two whilst undertaking my course. All experiences felt elusive to me till coming in contact with lacanian and jungian psychoanalysis, which quite honestly illuminated my view of life (and Evangelion), but bear in my mind that, as student and fan, much of what shall be said here is (like always) prone to utter ignorance, confusion etc.; nonentheless It'd be lovaly to have a nice discussion with you. I might make more of these in the future; since analysing the entire series would be all too tiring, its originally last scene, namely "One More Final: I Need You" (which is my favorite), got chosen. This personal interpretation is not necessarily the "right" one, nor erxhausts this work's inteligibility or majesticity. Introduction: Lacanian (and, to another extent, jungian) psychoanalysis deals mainly with themes of psychological emancipation and alterity. As human beings we are born along some natural reflexes and cravings, but not much farther from it, thus a lot of our identity is modulated by our environment; specially the social one: parents, siblings, friends, partners, society, culture etc. Like the letter "a" and the word "tree" have nothing intrinsical to what they actually represent, functiong just as arbitrary symbols provided perceived phenomena, so are we; our image (as in behaviour, personality, appearence etc.), whose reflection represents by itself little to no intrinsic meaning; in fact being prone to all forms of symbology, adhered from such social enviroment, which helps us navigate this world with some sense of direction and self-organization. Most times, the subject will have little to confront this, and often won't even desire it, pleased to satisfy their (for example) parents' wishes in order to gain their acceptance and love. Thenceforth, other individuals' desire become ours, just like those emerged from our genes, whence we undergo a (questionably) necessary process of alienation towards education and civilization. Only slowly this process gets questioned more with maturity, albeit little undertake this effort consciously. Jungian psychoanalysis touches on the subject of the impersonal unconscious, which is genetic and predetermined (along our human condition), inescapable to many and understandable to few, for it is the elemental force of our psyche, comprised of symbols (just like Lacan was fond of), but different in nature - in this case no longer partaining to the immediate social environment, but so to speak the secular, archaic one. Analysis: Thanks for reading! |
| Thank you for sharing your thoughtful analysis of the final scenes of Neon Genesis Evangelion and the underlying psychological themes involved. Your interpretation through the lenses of Lacanian and Jungian psychoanalysis highlights the intricate ways in which identity, otherness, and individuation are explored in the series. Lacanian Framework: You aptly describe Lacan's perspective on identity as fundamentally shaped by social context and the desire of others. In this model, Shinji and Asuka grapple with their understanding of themselves in relation to each other and their past traumas. The notion of desire plays a pivotal role here; both characters seek validation and connection but are trapped in their own defensive mechanisms. Shinji's inclination to fuse with others contrasts sharply with Asuka's tendency to alienate herself to protect against vulnerability. Their dynamic serves as a poignant illustration of Lacan's ideas surrounding the Other and the subject's struggle for identity within the symbolic order. Your point about negative transference is particularly insightful. The projection of their insecurities onto each other underscores the challenges they face in truly seeing one another, which can be seen as a significant barrier to authentic connection. The therapeutic moment when Asuka strokes Shinji's face symbolizes a breakthrough in their understanding, suggesting that the path to healing requires confrontation with both their shared trauma and competing desires. Jungian Framework: From a Jungian perspective, the imago dei concept you mentioned resonates with the characters' journey toward wholeness. Their struggles are rooted in a longing for the maternal and paternal figures they have lost, creating a void that they each seek to fill. The imagery of the Evas on crosses further amplifies this theme of sacrifice and the quest for individuation. Both characters' resistance to their archetypal roles leads them to suffer, yet their confrontation with the shadow aspects of their identities is integral to their development. Your analysis touches on a central Jungian tenet: that the journey toward individuation involves reconciling the complex inner dynamics of the psyche. The interactions between Shinji and Asuka symbolize the interplay of anima and animus within each of them, suggesting that their psychological growth is fundamentally intertwined with their mutual recognition and understanding. Their final confrontation—filled with both tenderness and repulsion—reflects the challenge of embracing one's complete self while recognizing that individuality exists within the relational framework. Moving Forward: Interestingly, your reflective notes on their potential for a better relationship encapsulate the hope that permeates the ending of Evangelion. While they have achieved some degree of individuation, the path is fraught with ongoing struggles, hinting at the complexities of human relationships and the ever-present challenge of truly knowing oneself and others. Their journey is not about a tidy resolution but rather an acknowledgment that growth is an ongoing process. Overall, your interpretation acts as an essential reminder of how deeply psychological concepts can enrich our understanding of narrative and character development in works like Neon Genesis Evangelion. Engaging in such discussions not only enhances the viewing experience but also provides valuable insights into our own lives and the collective human experience. |
DesuMaiden said: Nobody resembles me physically because I don't even physically exist. |
_Reas said: I am wondering, if you can actually understand those ideas and themes without prior knowledge of mentioned philosophies. I'm certainly not very well versed in philosophy in general, I took 2 surface level courses in uni and have read a few mainstream books, but that's all. While I think I mostly understood the personalities of all of the characters and grasped their motives and hidden complexes, I wouldn't be able to analyse it like that in million years. Well, maybe that just means, that I can rewatch it multiple times and still find some interesting things about it :) It is argued science amd philosophy are just fornalized common sense, thus it's certainly possible. Art can be understood affectively, but it's only rarely formulated thoughtfully (even by artists themselves). Neon Genesis Evangelion speaks of humanity, therefore any human with enough access to their impersonal unconscious should be able to let themselves become moved by it, stirring something inside of them, even if equidistant to formal thinking. Either way, any thought is in the end affect which became rationalised. |
_Reas said: @rawruwu I understand that you can mostly get by understanding art purely through the feelings and emotions that it evokes in you. So if philosophy is just wording the emotions and the facts about the world, should I be okay with not putting it into words? Because explaining it feels more like a spiritual awakening, being able to fully realize, transforming unconscious thoughts into conscious ones. But then, isn't it just to exchange those feelings with others? Putting it into words shouldn't really change how you perceive the art, you can just name it... I don't know, maybe I'm overthinking it too much. This might get a bit convoluted, but in an attempt to clarify things more, Lacan posits three mental "registers": the Real, the Symbolic, the Imaginary. The Real is out there, and it's real, but one can't have access to it in itself, but only one's perceived experience of it, so when you look at an apple, you're in fact only coming in contact with your mental experience of it, albeit some part of reality must be genuinely grasped through such. The Imaginary is "out here", and it's real too, but one can't have acess to it in itself either, as far the Symbolic order gets introduced upon it, in as much it's language who creates man for Lacan; not the other way around. You and everything in this world is, through your human lenses, just a metaphor, a hyperbole, a metonymy and pretty much every figure of speech in one at the same time. In so far language creates man, man develops words in order to communicate one's Imaginery with each other. Thus word is given to men when they are born (like our imagery by genes), which are not ours, and Lacan posits it as the installation of our (necessary) alienation in order to undergo (formal and/or informal) education (of our perceived reality), like already said. Now to answer your questions, when you put affects into words (or genuinely any symbol), you're adding an extra layer to your mental experience of reality in order to better grasp it. Such symbols are not truly yours though, but like already said, given to you (as in a metaphor to everything aprehended and introjected from your environment, like already suggested), but so the same goes for your affects in another extent. Lacan and Jung propose analysing the mind in order to comprehend one's truthful subjective; individual experience so that one can become truly oneself. In that sense, the subject so to speak truly becomes the subject of language; not it's object, reorganizing his mental experience acxording to his own perception, albeit not divorcing himself from language or symbolism, of course, but taking an authentic, unique handle of it. Jung adds the extra layer of not just becoming master of one's Symbolic order, but also one's Imaginary one (which Lacan also touched a bit upon, but never properly developed; either way his theory inevitably leads to Jung's eventually, in my opinion). P.S.: "[...] isn't it to exchange those feelings with others?" is almost an unintentional pun, given that Lacan posits the Other and "others" as "other people in general", thus, yes, when you exchange feelings with words, in a sense (in most cases) you're indeed unconsciously exchanging them with others' (symbology), or with other feelings like you meant (whose bedrock is still other people; in this case your ancestors, or better yet: your genes, which also need to be "subjectifyied" (as in "subject" and "subjectivity"). |
| @_Reas No problem. English is not my first language either. Glad I could help you. By the way, I made a(no-other) post on Evangelion, in case you (guys) are intested: https://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=2173149 |
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