Black Swan – Dark Drama of Nina Sayer
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The Black Swan is a dark drama of Nina Sayers journey as the Swan Queen, the lead ballerina role in the epic ballet, Swan Lake. It follows Nina and uncovers her many personality disorders, which include eating disorders, OCD signs and self-injury. While these disorders are prevalent throughout the movie, the most significant symptoms of a personality disorder coincide with schizotypal personality disorder. The dark drama allows us to see at least five symptoms of this disorder, which are ideas of reference, unusual perceptual experiences, odd behavior, lack of close relationships and paranoid ideation. Her mother also shows characteristics of narcissism, in which a person has a strong sense of inflated ego who seeks constant praise and special treatment. Nina ultimately believes that she has transcended from her previous weak and unstable self into an autonomous and more aware individual, despite no treatment for her disorder whatsoever.
The most prevalent disorder Nina has in this movie is Schizotypal Personality Disorder. As stated in the DSM figure in Abnormal Psychology, an Integrative Approach, at least 5 or more symptoms must be present in order for the disorder to be applicable to the individual (Barlow 444). These symptoms are clearly presented in the Black Swan within Nina, and her narcissistic mother offers no outlet or way of communication about any problems Nina may be having because of her own self-centered way of life.
Ideas of reference, which involve people having a belief that unrelated phenomena in the world refer to them directly or have special personal significance, are present throughout the film, from Ninas perspective. Lily came to Ninas home to invite her for drinks as an apology for speaking wrongfully about Nina to Thomas, the director of the ballet. During this evening, Nina and Lily experimented in drugs and Nina was late to dance rehearsal because of it. Because Tomas saw Lily dance in Ninas absence, he cast her as Ninas alternate, and Nina was overcome with complete hysteria in belief that Lily was “after her part”. Tomas reminded her that that she still had the part, and only she was in control of her ability to dance the part. The difference in Ninas behavior is astonishing during this rehearsal and the premiere show, where Lily is already in character to perform in Ninas absence. Nina, who arrived late due to her mothers attempt to lock her in her room, shows completely unexpected dominance and control over the situation. Nina storms into the dressing room and immediately starts to change her costume for the part, finally asserting dominance over herself and achieving autonomy.
Unusual perceptual experiences are present in the film when Nina sees visual progressions of her transformation into the black swan. In the beginning of the film, her delusions were as small, like seeing skin hanging from her nail, and eventually progressed