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White Oleander is filled with many different psychological principles but I chose to focus on narcissism and Astrid's journey to self actualization. The film chronicles the journey of Astrid, a 15 year old girl who is shuffled from foster home to foster home after her mother is sent to prison for posioning her ex boyfriend. Through the turbulent series of foster homes, Astrid discovers who she is, independent of her mother.
Narcissism is a personality disorder, in which the individual has (King, 2008):
- unrealistic sense of self
- manipulative
- fragile self-esteem; can't take criticism
- little regard for other's feeling
Ingrid displays these characteristics from the beginning. Take for example when Astrid asks her mother about attending Parent's night she responds simply with "what can they tell me about you that I don't already know...". Or the fact that she believes work is beneath her " ...I'm going to skip work today and work {polaroids} until I finish." Throughout the movie the audience witnesses Ingrid's disregard for others and her manipulative ways. Exemplified by Claire's visit to the prison "O God! How can you stand to live with poor Claire?" she is obviously jealous of the relationship Astrid has developed with her, so she tries to belittle it with such comments. After this visit, Claire commits suicide, leaving Astrid alone...again. "You poisoned her too, this time with words."
A blatant show of Ingrid's personality disorder is in one of the last scenes, Astrid now gothic, goes to visit her mother in prision. Ingrid is very disturbed by the appearance of her daughter, Astrid asks a string of questions related to her childhood, the death of Barry, Claire, and her father. Ingrid tells the story of her life. Including a time when Astrid was three years old and was left with Annie, a woman in the neighborhood. Ingrid left her for over an year, just to "take nap in the afternoon, make love all day..." all very self centered reasons. (Watch until 1:21)
Not only does Ingrid portray basic signs of narcissism, Astrid also demonstrates the effects of a DNP (Destructive Narcissistic Pattern) Parents. Click Here
Astrid's journey to self discovery can be defined using Abraham Maslow's humanistic approach. According to Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs we start with the basic physiological needs, then move up to the need for safety and shelter, to the need to belong and be loved, then a high level self-esteem, finally the goal of self-actualization (King, 2008).
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