Expressionism in The Black Swan Essay -- Film Analysis

The Black Swan is a psychological thriller that documents a prima ballerina’s descent into madness. Nina Sayers is a dancer at a New York City ballet company. Her mother is a very controlling, ex-ballerina whose career ended when she became pregnant with Nina. Having forced his current prima ballerina into retirement, Thomas Leroy, the company's director, is searching for someone worthy enough to play the Swan Queen in his next production. Despite his doubts about her ability to successfully dance the role of the Black Swan, he gives the role to Nina. However, Nina fears Lily is trying to steal the Swan Queen role from her especially when Leroy makes Lily Nina’s understudy. As they move further into the production, Nina's strive for perfection with the White and Black Swan roles causes a slow descent of her mental state. By using a variety of expressionistic techniques, Director Darren Aronofsky uncovers Nina’s worsening psychosis. (Huggo) Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is an â€Å"anxiety disorder characterized by uncontrollable, unwanted thoughts and repetitive, ritualized behaviors you feel compelled to perform† (Segal and Smith, â€Å"Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Symptoms, Behavior, and Treatment†). This disorder occurs when the brain becomes obsessed with a specific action or thought. Uncontrollable, recurring thoughts and images, known as obsessions, can take attention away from more important matters. Compulsions consist of actions and rituals that one is compelled to carry out multiple times. (Segal and Smith, â€Å"Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Symptoms, Behavior, and Treatment†) Nina's obsession is perfection. She states repeatedly that she â€Å"just wants to be perfect† (Aronofsky). Her compulsion is practice. No matter ho... ...sychiatrists-diagnose-natalie-portmans-portrayal-psychosis/story?id=12436873&page=1>. Schoenstadt, Arthur. "Bulimia." Bulimia. 23 Sept. 2008. Web. 22 May 2012. . Segal, Jeanne, and Melinda Smith. "Anorexia Nervosa: Signs, Symptoms, Causes, Effects, and Treatment." Helpguide.org. May 2012. Web. 15 May 2012. . Segal, Jeanne, and Melinda Smith. "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Symptoms, Behavior, and Treatment." Helpguide.org: Understand, Prevent and Resolve Life's Challenges. Apr. 2012. Web. 10 May 2012. . Segal, Jeanne and Melinda Smith. "Understanding Schizophrenia." Helpguide.org. Jan. 2012. Web. 10 May 2012. .