An Analysis of Esteem Needs Reflected in the Main Characters of Challengers (2024)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36733/elysian.v6i2.14321Keywords:
Esteem Needs, Challengers Movie, Film Analysis, Psychological ApproachAbstract
This study examines the representation of esteem needs and psychological defense mechanisms in Luca Guadagnino’s film, Challengers (2024), utilizing Abraham Maslow’s humanistic motivation theory. Through a qualitative content analysis, this paper investigates the divergent psychological trajectories of Tashi Duncan, Art Donaldson, and Patrick Zweig. The findings reveal that Tashi’s post-injury transformation into a hyper-controlling strategist serves as a vicarious mechanism to sustain external prestige. Conversely, Art exhibits an internal confidence vacuum coupled with the impostor phenomenon, while Patrick represents internal self-adequacy paired with a severe deficit in social standing. Ultimately, this study demonstrates that competing pursuits of self-worth within a shared social circle turn interpersonal connections into transactional power struggles, proving that external recognition cannot substitute for intrinsic self-acceptance.
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