The central theme of the film Inside Out 2015 based on a character named Riley, a young girl whose family is forced to move because her father cannot find a job (Docter, 2015). The uniqueness of the plot is that the viewer gets acquainted with several characters in Riley’s head. These symbols represent anger, sadness, joy, disgust, and anxiety. As the story progresses, Riley struggles to adjust to her new surroundings. This film not only demonstrates metaphors of emotions and thoughts through the representation of internal characters but also explores the interaction of emotions with each other.
The theory of psychoanalytic development is revealed in a detailed examination of the film Inside Out. In the movie, the concept of sublimation can be seen. This term refers to the human defense mechanism aimed at redirecting excess energy into an alternative channel to achieve positive results. This method relieves stress and reaches heights in creativity, sports, or hobbies. Riley demonstrated an example of sublimation while playing on a hockey field when control of her life was transferred to anger. An aggressive girl, overcome by destructive feelings, decided to channel this energy into sports, an excellent example of sublimation.
Another interesting theory related to this cartoon is Skinner’s operant learning theory. This theory is based on the idea that human or animal behavior can be conditioned by stimuli that the subject may or may not consider satisfactory in a particular case. In particular, human behavior patterns are regulated by positive reinforcers, prizes, memories, or rewards. It is a memory that is the critical factor in this film, as, in Inside Out, Riley repeatedly turns to deep capsules to calm down in the face of stress. On the other hand, emotions determine a girl’s behavior: in moments of critical need, key emotions determine which memories or patterns should be used to guide Riley.
The most important part of the plot is the interaction between emotion and memory. The film perfectly shows how memories can change when recalled. Memories are displayed as translucent balls containing events. Each globe acquires its shade depending on the underlying emotion of the event. The emotional nature of events sometimes changes when remembering them. Some events become more negative over time, as shown in the cartoon. Moreover, in most cases, memories, in retrospect, become more positive. The film also shows the relationship between sleep and memory. Sleep is a time to transfer the day’s memories into a long-term diary. Sleep is an active part of the consolidation process that strengthens memories. In addition, dreams are displayed as elements of the events of the day, only distorted and with the addition of fantastic and absurd elements. It reflects how the mind connects memories and gives meaning to what is being studied.
If I were a director, I would change the part of the film about memory because many moments in the cartoon do not fully correspond to the concepts of memory. In the film, memories are shown as stable and complete representations of real-life events, but they are not. Riley’s Day events are automatically encoded into a single globe. Each memory sphere is stored somewhere on a shelf in a vast long-term storage library. Memories are retrieved and safely sent back to headquarters and thus to consciousness. Memory works a little differently. The brain encodes everyday life events without the intentional intention of learning or remembering them. However, he does not store each memory as a separate unit. The brain has different systems for essential cognitive functions: vision, hearing, language, and emotions. The optical system processes visual components, auditory elements are processed by the auditory system, and the limbic system processes emotional details. Memories are stored piecemeal throughout the brain. No globe on the shelf could be taken out and used to reproduce the event exactly as it happened. Memories are reconstructed from different parts when remembered. This reconstructive process is influenced by what is known about the world around us, current thoughts and beliefs, and goals. That is why memories can change over time, just like the person himself.
Forgetting is another area in which the film portrays a widespread but unconfirmed theory. Memory balls become less colorful and dull as they get older and are not extracted. Over time, they become dark and gray and go to the memory dump, turning into dust and disappearing forever. Many studies show that although some information cannot be reproduced on demand, there is still evidence of prior training. Information may come to mind with a good reminder, be recognized more quickly, or take less time to re-examine that information. All memories can disappear, but they will leave a particular imprint.
In general, the film perfectly shows the complexity of the human mind. Even if not all the details are entirely accurate, the metaphors are based on a fundamental understanding of psychological science. The film traces the theory of psychoanalytic development and Skinner’s ideas and also conveys the connection between memory and emotions. However, some details in the film still do not correspond to reality regarding memory.
Work Cited
Docter, Pete, and Ronnie Del Carmen. Inside Out. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, 2015.