Body narratives: The embodiment of trauma and dissociation in the character Arthur Fleck in Todd Phillips’ film Joker (2019)

Abstract

Abstract

Todd Phillips' film Joker (Warner Bros, 2019) is a depiction of the extreme polarization of society and the fracturing of the mind of an individual. This study examines the embodiment of trauma and dissociation in the film's main character, Arthur Fleck. These issues are examined from the perspective of personal, collective, and generational trauma. The theoretical framework of the study is based on contemporary trauma theory, and the material is examined in light of the concept of trauma-related dissociation. The trauma and dissociation of the protagonist are especially evident in his battered body, which manifests both structural and individual abuse intertwined with personal, collective, and generational traumatization. The body narrative of trauma that characterizes the protagonist is linked to involuntary laughter, as well as self-expressive dance and spastic movement. Social marginalization and Arthur Fleck's inability to remember, feel, or verbalize emotions ultimately splinter his mind, resulting in the Joker's character. The power and invulnerability of Arthur's alter ego, Joker, lie in his total emotional self-destruction. Such self-destruction also occurs on a social level, as the community and the individuals within it lose their capacity for love and compassion. This lack of empathy leads to division and complete anarchy in society.