Psycho-Analytic Essay Plan

Introduction:

• "Science concerned with interaction of conscious and unconscious processes."
• Ideas about conscious/unconscious are central to the narrative - 2 women in comatose states, Benigno claiming Alicia and him "get along better than most married couples.", Marco telling him "she's braindead Benigno" about Lydia,
• Oedipus complex - Benigno wants to sexually posess mother? parallels between his and mothers and his and Alicia's relationships,
• Vagina dentata - castration anxiety, symbolism (purse and hairclip),

Paragraph 1: Oedipus Complex:

• Freud theorised that all males experience desire to sexually posess mother and exclude/reject father - could become personality disorder if left unsolved.
• Parallels of relationships - Alicia took place of mother? - "What do you know about women?" "Everything, I spent 20 years with one and now 4 with this one." - reducing them to simply 'women'.
• MA - Benignio at window calling Dr. Roncero's office - wedding picture of mother - father's side has been folded/torn - rejection of father.
• Shrinking lover scene - going and never coming back, sense of conscious decision to sexually violate Alicia - "No. I'm okay." "I saw a film that really disturbed me last night", non-diegetic soundtrack of low strings music, match cut from Amparo's face to Alicia's - both comatose/asleep, music slows with mid shot of Benigno touching Alicia's thigh, lava lamp symbolism?

Context:

• 'La Modiva Madrilena' - counter-cultural movement during the transition of Spain from Francoist to democratic, constitutional monarchy (challenged gender roles, fresh, new nakedness)
• …