Joker (2019) Psychology Analysis

Summary

In this episode, 'Will Larious the Therapist' delves into the complex psychology of Arthur Fleck, the Joker, from the 2019 film. Analyzing his symptoms, the video suggests Arthur suffers from schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type. It discusses the character's depressive and psychotic episodes, highlighting the film's use of lighting to signify his mental states. The video also explores how the Joker reflects societal fears and the absence of a traditional hero archetype in this narrative, offering a deep dive into the cultural significance of the character.

Takeaways

• 🃏 The character Arthur Fleck from the movie 'Joker' is portrayed with a complex mix of psychological issues, including symptoms of depression, schizophrenia, and mania.
• 🔍 The video suggests that Arthur's condition could be classified as schizoaffective disorder, which combines symptoms of schizophrenia and a mood disorder.
• 💊 The script discusses the use of Venlafaxine, an antidepressant used for treatment-resistant depression, hinting at the severity of Arthur's condition.
• 🎨 The film's lighting is used symbolically to reflect Arthur's psychological state, with blue tones indicating depression and yellow suggesting hallucinations or fantasy.
• 🗓️ Arthur's symptoms and their progression throughout the movie are analyzed to determine the timeline and nature of his mental health condition.
• 🎭 The role of the Joker is described as a 'psychological barometer' reflecting societal fears and attitudes, with the 2019 version being particularly disturbing.
• 🗝️ The character's violent actions are not symptoms of his mental health but a response to a society that is 'sick' and based on power and exploitation.
• 👥 Arthur's hallucinations and delusions are detailed, including his relationship with his neighbor and his belief in signs from the universe.
• 🔮 The video posits that the Joker embodies the 'shadow archetype,' representing societal fears and anxieties that change over time.
• 🎬 The 'Joker' film is presented as a commentary on the absence of a traditional hero archetype, suggesting a world without clear moral guidance.
• 📑 The script calls for viewers to subscribe and engage with the content, indicating the video's intent to provoke thought and discussion on the topic of mental health in pop culture.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the video script discussing Arthur Fleck's character?

The main theme of the video script is the psychological analysis of Arthur Fleck's character from the 2019 film 'Joker', exploring his mental health issues and the societal implications of his actions.

What is the Rubik's Cube analogy referring to in the context of Arthur Fleck's life?

The Rubik's Cube analogy refers to the complexity of Arthur Fleck's life, which is a mix of psychological problems, social problems, and bad luck, all of which need to be solved or understood.

What is the role of 'Will Larious the Therapist' in the video script?

Will Larious the Therapist is the founder and CEO of the fictional 'Character Mental Health Co-op', which is a platform that diagnoses and treats fictional characters from various media. In this script, he is analyzing Arthur Fleck's psychological state.

What does the script suggest about Arthur Fleck's initial mental state?

The script suggests that Arthur Fleck initially shows signs of major depressive disorder, with symptoms such as low self-esteem, lack of energy, and depressed mood.

How does the video script link Arthur Fleck's hallucinations to his mental health?

The script links Arthur Fleck's hallucinations to his mental health by suggesting that they represent his deepest fantasies and delusions, which are indicative of a schizophrenic spectrum disorder.

What medication is hinted at in the script as part of Arthur Fleck's treatment?

The script hints at the use of 'Vennela zine', which is suggested to be an antidepressant used for treatment-resistant depression, not a typical SSRI.

What is the significance of the lighting used in the film to represent Arthur Fleck's psychological state?

The lighting in the film is used to symbolize Arthur's psychological state, with blue tones representing his depression, and a yellow tint indicating his hallucinations or breaks from reality.

How does the script differentiate between Arthur Fleck's periods of depression and his periods of elevated mood?

The script differentiates between Arthur's periods of depression and elevated mood by describing his symptoms and behaviors, such as lack of motivation and self-preservation during depression, and goal-oriented and impulsive behaviors during hypomania.

What is the term used in the script to describe Arthur Fleck's mental health condition?

The term used in the script to describe Arthur Fleck's mental health condition is 'schizoaffective disorder', which is a combination of symptoms from mood disorders and schizophrenia.

How does the video script interpret the role of the Joker character in relation to societal fears?

The script interprets the Joker character as an embodiment of societal fears and cultural anxieties, changing with the times to reflect the prevailing concerns of the era.

What is the significance of the 'shadow archetype' mentioned in the script?

The 'shadow archetype' mentioned in the script refers to the darker, often suppressed aspects of the human psyche that the Joker character represents, reflecting societal fears and anxieties.

How does the script suggest that Arthur Fleck's actions are a response to his environment?

The script suggests that Arthur Fleck's actions are a response to the power structures and exploitation he experiences in Gotham, leading him to adopt the brutal rule of force that dominates the city.

What is the contrast between the Joker character in this film and previous versions?

The contrast lies in the fact that in this film, the Joker is not a threat from somewhere else but is one of us, embodying the societal fears and anxieties that we are afraid of, unlike previous versions where he was more of an external threat.

What message does the script convey about the absence of a hero archetype in the film?

The script conveys that in this film, there is no hero archetype to counterbalance the Joker's shadow archetype, suggesting a world where traditional notions of good and evil are subverted.

Outlines

00:00

😈 Psychological Portrait of the Joker

This paragraph delves into the complex psychological profile of Arthur Fleck, who is portrayed as the Joker. The character's life is depicted as a series of challenges, including psychological, social, and financial issues. Arthur's lack of a reliable mentor and his struggle with mental health are highlighted. The founder of the 'Fictional Character Mental Health Co-op', Will Larious, introduces the concept of 'schism affective disorder', a condition combining mood and schizophrenic symptoms, to diagnose Arthur's mental state. The paragraph outlines Arthur's clinical symptoms, suggesting major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, and mania. The use of lighting in the film to reflect Arthur's psychological state is also discussed, with blue tones indicating depression and yellow suggesting a break from reality or a fantasy state.

05:04

🌀 The Evolution of Arthur's Mental State

The second paragraph continues the analysis of Arthur's mental health, focusing on the timeline of his symptoms and their evolution. It discusses the onset of hallucinations and delusions, which are key indicators of schizophrenia, and how these manifest in Arthur's interactions with his neighbor and his perception of events. The paragraph also explores the concept of 'ideas of reference', where Arthur believes random occurrences are personally significant. The discussion then shifts to Arthur's brief period of apparent improvement, signified by a change in lighting to a surreal yellow, which is later revealed to be another hallucination. The paragraph concludes with the return of Arthur's mood disorder and the emergence of hypomania, suggesting a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type.

10:06

🎭 The Cultural Significance of the Joker

The final paragraph shifts the focus from Arthur's personal struggles to the broader cultural significance of the Joker character. It discusses how the Joker has evolved to reflect societal fears and the changing archetypes over time. The paragraph argues that the Joker's actions in the film are not symptoms of his mental health but are instead a response to a sick society. The character is portrayed as a product of a system based on power and exploitation, embodying the 'shadow archetype' of chaos and destruction. The paragraph concludes by contrasting the traditional hero-villain dynamic with the reality of the film, where there is no clear hero, and the Joker becomes a symbol of societal fears and the absence of a savior in a world that is metaphorically burning.

Keywords

💡Rubik's Cube

A Rubik's Cube is a 3D puzzle with six faces, each covered by small colored squares. It serves as a metaphor in the script for the complexity of Arthur's life, suggesting that his problems are multifaceted and interwoven, much like the colors on a Rubik's Cube.

💡Mental Health

Mental health refers to a person's emotional, psychological, and social well-being. In the video, it is the central theme as the character Arthur Fleck is analyzed for various psychological disorders, highlighting the importance of understanding mental health in the context of his actions and the narrative.

💡Schism Affective Disorder

Schism Affective Disorder is a term used in the script to describe a condition that combines symptoms of mood disorders with those of schizophrenia. It is a key concept in understanding Arthur's mental state, as it is suggested that his behavior is influenced by this disorder.

💡Depression

Depression is a common mental health disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and a lack of interest or pleasure in activities. In the script, Arthur's symptoms of low self-esteem, lack of energy, and depressed mood are indicative of depression, which is a significant part of his character's portrayal.

💡Psychosis

Psychosis refers to a mental state where an individual experiences a loss of contact with reality, often manifesting as delusions or hallucinations. Arthur's interactions with his neighbor and the ideas of reference he experiences are examples of psychotic symptoms in the script.

💡Hypomania

Hypomania is a state of elevated mood, energy, and activity, but less severe than a manic episode in bipolar disorder. In the script, Arthur's increased energy and goal-oriented behavior suggest a hypomanic episode, which is part of his Schism Affective Disorder.

💡Shadow Archetype

The shadow archetype, in Jungian psychology, represents the darker, unconscious aspect of the personality. In the video, the Joker embodies this archetype, representing the chaos, destruction, and societal fears that are a reflection of the culture's own darker side.

💡Suicidal Ideation

Suicidal ideation refers to thoughts of engaging in suicide. Arthur's plan and means to commit suicide, as mentioned in the script, are indicative of the severity of his mental health struggles and the depth of his despair.

💡Therapeutic Relationship

The therapeutic relationship is the bond between a therapist and a client, which is crucial for effective treatment. In the script, Arthur's poor therapeutic relationship is highlighted, suggesting that it is a missed opportunity for support and guidance in his life.

💡Cultural Fears

Cultural fears refer to the collective anxieties and concerns of a society. The script discusses how the Joker character has historically represented different cultural fears, and in this version, he embodies the fears and uncertainties of the people in a society that is perceived as sick and exploitative.

💡Mania

Mania is a state of abnormally elevated or irritable mood, which is often associated with bipolar disorder. The script suggests that Arthur's disorder includes manic symptoms, contributing to the complexity of his mental health condition and his actions throughout the narrative.

Highlights

Arthur Fleck's life is described as a complex mix of psychological, social problems, and bad luck.

Arthur lacks a reliable mentor and struggles with fundraising and therapy.

The episode aims to diagnose the psychological aspects of the Joker's character.

The Joker serves as a reflection of American psychology through different portrayals.

The 2019 version of the Joker is considered the most interesting and disturbing.

Arthur Fleck exhibits a range of clinical symptoms suggesting major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, and mania.

Schism affective disorder is proposed as Arthur's condition, combining mood and schizophrenic symptoms.

The film uses lighting to symbolize Arthur's psychological state, with blue tones indicating depression.

Arthur's stopped medication suggests treatment-resistant depression.

Arthur's interactions with his neighbor are revealed to be hallucinations, indicative of psychosis.

Arthur's delusions and ideas of reference are key symptoms of his schizophrenic spectrum.

Arthur's improved demeanor is contrasted with the yellow lighting, hinting at a break from reality.

The timeline of Arthur's symptoms is crucial for distinguishing schizoaffective disorder from other conditions.

Arthur's mood disorder and impulsivity suggest hypomania, part of bipolar disorder.

The Joker's crimes are not symptoms of his mental health but a reflection of a sick society.

The Joker character has evolved to embody different cultural fears throughout comic history.

This version of the Joker represents a societal shift, embodying the fears and uncertainties of the people.

The film lacks a traditional hero archetype, highlighting the absence of a moral counterbalance.

The use of lighting and setting in the theater scene underscores the disconnect between the elite and the suffering masses.

Transcripts

Arthur flex life is a Rubik's Cube of

psychological problems social problems

and bad luck he needs guidance but

doesn't have a reliable mentor he needs

money but isn't very good at fundraising

he needs counseling but has the worst

therapist money won't pay for that's

where I come in on this episode we will

figure out the psychological part of the

supervillains problems but even more

than that we will see that while we were

busy trying to diagnose the Joker the

Joker was actually diagnosing us hello

I'm will larious the therapist founder

and CEO of the fictional character

mental health co-op we diagnose and

treat all of your favorite characters

from TV shows movies and video games hit

the subscribe button to join our

treatment team so here's a joke for you

what do you get when you cross a gifted

performer with gripping character

writing that straddles the line between

sympathetic and terrifying with a dance

that's so awkward it's hypnotic what you

deserve the role the Joker brings out

the best of the actors who've played him

most of the time and that is because

this character is something of a

psychological barometer every time you

see this clown it's like a window into

American psychology and the 2019 version

of this Dark Mirror is probably the most

interesting and disturbing yet but first

let's break down his clinical portrait

when we meet Arthur Fleck he has a

laundry list of clinical symptoms he has

low self-esteem lack of energy lack of

eye contact socially atypical thoughts

and behaviors suicidal ideation with a

plan and means depressed moods feelings

of paranoia errata manic delusions and a

hallucination with benefits so that's a

lot of things so let's organize them

these symptoms suggest something in the

major depressive spectrum these symptoms

suggest something in the schizophrenic

spectrum and these things suggest mania

schizophrenia depression and mania oh my

there are a good number of conditions

and disorders that can produce these

symptoms but in my opinion what we see

from Arthur Fleck is something called

schism disorder schism which have sup

made from a mood disorder in criteria a

of schizophrenia the waist gives of

affective disorders distinguished from

depression or bipolar depression is when

the symptoms occur so let's look at

Arthur Flex symptom timeline at the

beginning of the movie Arthur shows many

signs of major depressive disorder we

see the low self-esteem a low slow

speaking voice self-report of

consistently depressed mood lack of

motivation and lack of self preservation

efforts and according to Arthur this was

something that he had been experiencing

for some time all I have I think that

have thoughts Arthur has the Blues

literally one of the many triumphs of

this film is the use of lighting to add

another dimension of the psychological

storytelling in the beginning of the

movie where Arthur's depression is most

active the lighting scheme is dominated

with blue tones however early in the

movie we see subtle clues that he's not

experiencing your run-of-the-mill

depression you seen the pill bottles

that he stopped taking one compound

where part of the name is actually

visible you only see alzene but

considering context there's a strong

possibility that this is the drug

Vennela zine Fenella Xena is an

antidepressant but it is not a selective

serotonin reuptake inhibitor or SSRI

SSRIs are the typical go-to for

psychiatrists to treat major depressive

disorder

Vennela zine is used among other things

to treat treatment-resistant depression

this is significant because if the

depression Arthur is experiencing is

being caused by schizophrenic spectrum

disorder SSRIs would not be effective in

treating it so that's the mood disorder

let's get to the meat of this sukh

sandwich psychosis now the most obvious

schizophrenic thing that happens to

Arthur is his interaction with his

neighbor which we know in hindsight to

be a hallucination but there are at

least two other examples of criteria a

of schizophrenia clinically speaking

delusions are false beliefs that are

held in isolation of social

reinforcement that a person holds

despite evidence to the contrary they

are the sauce of the sock sandwich and

they come in five delicious flavors

jealousy type persecutory type grandiose

type somatic type and the extra spicy

erotomanic type or automatic delusions

are the persistent false belief that

someone is so totally into you when they

are in fact so totally not and when you

listen to the dialogue from the

hallucination you see that she

represents Arthur's fondest fantasies

someone who affirms his belief and

laughs at his jokes additionally we see

one other major symptom of psychosis

ideas of reference that means the

persistent false belief that random

events and coincidences are signs from

the universe meant specifically for the

person listen to what he says about

hearing my name is carnival on the radio

after getting fired from his job the guy

was singing

that his name was chlorophyll because

that's my clown name work for my whole

life I didn't know if I even really

existed but I do

this is psychosis Arthur is still very

sick right now but according to his

words and body language he looks like

he's feeling a lot better compared to

when we first saw him with his therapist

he's making direct eye contact it has

the courage to challenge her lack of

engagement with his life story he stands

up to the office bully and is able to be

creative on his feet and legitimately

funny at times from his perspective

Arthur's life has never been better he

has a supportive partner is starting a

career that has promise for success and

finally has a chance to meet his

long-lost father but this brief vacation

from his crushing depression is just

another symptom of his underlying

condition and once again there's a clue

in the lighting that Arthur is

experiencing a break from reality when

he first speaks directly to the

hallucination of his neighbor you notice

the lighting has this eerie yellow tint

a lighter and happier color but also a

little surreal almost as if cluing the

viewer into the fact that what he's

seeing is too good to be true

remember this it'll be important later

so like I said before distinguishing

Schism affective disorder from other

conditions requires a consistent time

line we first see the hallucination the

night before Arthur has this fateful

encounter with the Wayne foundation

Burroughs we see the psychosis and lack

of depression symptoms lasts all the way

up to this moment when he sees that his

time at the comedy club was not as

successful as he remembers later we find

out that it has been at least two weeks

since the subway murders

this is the beginning of his mood

disorder creeping back into his life

with a vengeance the psychiatric bubble

burst Farrar threw out the worst

possible time when he finds out that not

only he does not know his biological

father but he doesn't know his

biological mother either

his mentor turns on him his

hallucination turns on him and he

descends back to his mood disorder to

find it even worse than how he left it

his suicidal ideation is back he does

not appear to be sleeping but also

doesn't seem tired he's energetic he's

goal-oriented and more impulsive and

hedonistic than he was at the beginning

of the movie

these suggest that the bread on the sock

sandwich is hypomania hypomania refers

to a pathological state of elevated mood

that when coupled with clinical

depression results in bipolar disorder

bipolar disorder is a condition that

should and will have an episode all on

its own but in summary in his periods of

pathologically elevated mood coupled

with periods of pathologically depressed

mood the risk of suicide and people with

bipolar disorder is significantly higher

than for people with only depression due

to higher levels of energy and

behavioral impulsivity and so but the

evidence from our through self-report

symptoms and timeline of his disorder we

can know the specific type of sucks and

which he has been dealt we have asked

Izzo affective disorder bipolar type

first episode with a romantic sauce

current episode hypomanic so in all the

analysis of Arthur's behavior and

symptoms you may have noticed that I

haven't mentioned the notable amount of

killing he's done in the film and that

is because and I cannot stress this

enough the murders are not a symptom of

Arthur's mental health diagnosis even if

he believes they are according to

studies people on the schizophrenic

spectrum are more likely to have been

the victim of violence than the

perpetrator of violence the crimes that

the Joker commits are not evidence of

his mental health condition but evidence

that he's become well adjusted to a

world that is sick in our analysis of

the dark nights version of this

character we described how that version

of the Joker dissociated from military

trauma by embodying the shadow archetype

young symbol of chaos and destruction

The Joker character has embodied the

shadow archetype since his inception in

the Golden Age of comics when he was

juxtaposed with Batman's hero archetype

but what the hero and the shadow embody

change relative to their day and age in

the golden age defined by a confidence

and justified use of force and a fear of

outsiders

the Joker was a law breaking murderer

set up against the dedicated vigilante

determined to fight for truth and

justice in the Silver Age a period

defined by lawmakers fear that comics

caused violence in homosexual and

homosexuality the Joker was an unserious

jolly prankster who deviated from the

button-down stoicism of masculinity of

the time in the modern age of comments

and in the film Dark Knight The Joker

tended to embody the American fears of

terrorism the shadow was that danger

from somewhere else that could sneak in

among us and strike at any moment unless

we were saved by the hero the Joker has

always been a window into American

cultural fears and this version of the

character is no different like a literal

shadow it changes as we change in this

movie the Joker is just another person

two massive people's scared and

uncertain this Joker isn't a threat from

somewhere else he's one of us because we

are what we're afraid of

Arthur is locked in a system that is

based off of power and exploitation and

after years of being abused ignored and

taken advantage of he finally gives in

to the brutal rule of force that

dominates Gotham and becomes this new

shadow archetype but unlike other

versions of this character

there is no hero archetype there is no

right side up in this story the hero

that usually battles this archetype is

just a naive little boy locked away in a

lavish estate and completely ignorant of

the world that people like Arthur live

in which finally brings us back to

Chekhov's gun remember when we were

talking about the lighting in the mental

states and that this eerie too good to

be true yellow lighting as a clue that

Arthur's in a fantasy world well we see

that lighting one other place we see it

in the theater as protestors and angry

masses crowd outside there's Thomas

Wayne with Gotham elite laughing away at

a movie from the 20s they are watching a

relic from the same era that produced

the Golden Age of comics this movie is a

refutation of the very idea of a hero

archetype the world is burning and not

only are they not saving it they can't

even be bothered to watch it burn

they're too absorbed in the glow of

their own delusion of virtue and

relevance the dark night was about chaos

cough and the epic battle between good

and evil this dark masterpiece looks at

the idea of a battle between good and

evil and laughs it back into the history

books agree with our assessment let us

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