EDDIE MORRA BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER DESCRIBED IN NEIL BURGER’S FILM LIMITLESS

JOURNAL ARTICLE Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

For the Degree of Sarjana Sastra (S.S)

By

Necky Wahyu Indah Kartika Valentina Widya S

ENGLISH STUDY PROGRAM FACULTY OF HUMANITIES UNIVERSITAS DIAN NUSWANTORO

SEMARANG 2017

EDDIE MORRA’S BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER DESCRIBED IN NEIL BURGER’S FILM LIMITLESS

Necky Wahyu Indah Kartika, Valentina Widya S Dian Nuswantoro University

ABSTRACT

This thesis entitled Eddie Morra’s Borderline Personality Disorder Described in Neil Burger’s Film Limitless, took a film directed by Neil Burger as the object. The film namely Limitless, is about a man named Eddie who had personality problem. He worked as a novel writer but it was hard for him to finish his novel because his lackof creativity and idea. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative. This research is done by applying the structural approach and psychology approach. Structural approach applied to analyze character, conflict, and setting while psychological approach applied to analyze the main character’s personality structure in Limitless. The results of the research show that Eddie Morra, as the main character of Limitless, belongs to round dynamic. Eddie Morra is described as a broke writer with depression but he can change himself as smart and confident person. Eddie Morra experiences self-conflicts and also external conflicts with his girlfriend Lindy, Russian Reluctant Loan Genaddy, a man in coat, and also Carl Van Loon. Edie Morra personality disorder found in Limitless is Borderline Personality Disorder. It is proved by his unconscious personality, shadow and persona showing after consuming the NZT.

Keywords: Limitless, Personal Unconscious mind, the Persona, the Shadow, Personality Disorder, Borderline, Psychology

INTRODUCTION

Literature is a Latin word “litterature” derived from “littera” (letter) which is the smallest part of alphabet writing. It all of literary works made by a combining letter into text, and words, so it becomes coherent sentences. Literature is referred as a written expression by writer’s imagination that can make a great literature work.

In eighteenth century three major of literary genres are revealed, those are Fiction or Novel, Drama and Poetry (Klarer, 2004 p.9). In study of literature or texts, this field of inquiry is also closely related to other media such as stage, painting, film, music or even computer networks. On the other hand, visual and acoustic elements are being reintroduced into literature. Media, genres, text types and discourses are being mixed.

As one of literary studies, film is enjoyed by almost people in world. It is easy to understand because the visual and sometimes we can amaze by the technology that used to produce the film. It can blow the viewers mind and imagination, and relate it to their real life. In the beginning of twenty-first century, it is impossible to neglect film as a semi-textual genre both influenced by and exerting influence on literature and literary criticism. Film is predetermined by literary techniques: conversely, literary practice developed particular features under impact of film. Film also had major influence on the fine arts; novel. More abstract approaches to painting have been taken in response to these media. The same can said for post-modern fiction, which also derives some of its structural features from film (Klarer, 2004 p.56).

As mentioned before that film as the one of literature study with visual and enjoyed by almost people and there is film called Limitless. This film directed by Neil Burger with story of a man named Eddie Morra as the main character with conflict of his life that can make him describe as depressed person. Eddie Morra is the writer but until the deadline of his book, he cannot finish them yet because his lack of idea not only ruined his job but also ruined his relationship with Lindy. After all of them he lost himself, but he accidently met his old friend and gets ‘souvenir’ called NZT48 known as drug. Consuming those things can help to escape from his pressure of life and he became ‘new person’ sometimes.

In this research, the researcher focuses on analyzing the personality of the main character. The researcher use theory of Carl Jung to analyze the Personal Unconscious mind, The Persona and the Shadow. The Personal Unconscious mind contains our memories which are unaware and still possess or often as a result of repression. The Persona is an identity which can refer to a personal’s personality mask rather than reflects to his actual personality. The Shadow is the elements of our self that consider being negative and not show this side to the outside world as it can be a source of anxiety or shame ( https://www.psychologistworld.com/cognitive/carl-jung-analytical-psychology ).

Based on the explanation above, the researcher focuses on unstable personality of the main character. General description before changed into unstable and consuming pill as the trigger of the main character. The researcher chooses the

main character as the subject of the topic and his personality to deliver the story about mental health.

RESEARCH METHOD

Data and Subject

The data of this research was Neil Burger’s Film Limitless

Unit of Analysis

The researcher focus on two types data of the film there are the intrinsic and extrinsic elements. The intrinsic element is structural approach consisting of the general description of the main character, conflict, and setting. While the extrinsic element is consist of psychological approach to explain main character’s personality disorder.

Technique of Data Collection and Analysis

The researcher watched the film more than twice and still continues to understand and get the details whole of the film. Read the dialogue, transcript the data into the table to make it easier to understand. The researcher makes a data recapitulation or appendix to classify data based on the categories that contain general description, conflict, setting, and the borderline personality disorder. And also the researcher not forgets to collect some secondary source such as e-books, printed books, internet source, and student’s papers that support the topic of this research in literature and psychology approach.

To analyze the data, the researcher uses structural approach and psychological approach. The structural approach is used to analyze the general description, conflict experienced by main character, and setting in the story. While psychological approach is used to analyze the personality disorder of the main character in film untitled Limitless. The researcher analyzed the psychology of main character by finding the differences of the general description before and after conflict happens on him. The conflicts of main character are also analyzed by the researcher to find it was impact or not. And for the psychology theory the researcher is not assuming by herself but based on psychology work and theory of literature psychology.

DISCUSSION

General Description of Eddie Morra as the Main Character Broke

Eddie Morra is a writer of sci-fi novel who has a contract a book publisher but because of his appearance no one belief of his ability. Some people who do not know that he is a writer, will judge him as homeless person without job and drunken. When Eddie Morra meets his friends and he mentions about his book, unfortunately, he only talks about the intro of it. And when they ask him about the next story of his book he cannot answer it. Eddie Morra tries a lot of method to finish his book. Such as stays at home to find peace, tries to concentrate, but it still useless because he loves to go out, chill out and walking around than stay at home working on something he should finish. Because his project of writing a book is not in good way, he is not doing his job properly makes him does not have money and because of that sometimes the owner of place he living kicked him out.

Depressed

Depression of Eddie Morra causes by a break up with Lindy, his girlfriend, it makes him lost and feeling no one loves him. Lindy wants to break up because she feels that Eddie Morra does valuable things on his age and she does not want to be a girl who works on herself for someone at his irresponsible with their relationship. And the other depression caused by his unfinished-book. He cannot finish the target, and it makes the publisher pushes him harder. It is a big problem for him, because writing a book is his only job, a job that brings him salary, pride and happiness for him. When Vernon offers him the NZT48, he thinks that he should pay for it, since he does not have any money he says that he is broke and depressed. Eddie Morra does not want Vernon to push him because he does not want to get broker and depressed.

Easy

Eddie Morra is easily controlled by Vernon, the person who gives him the NZT. Vernon asks a lot of things to Eddie Morra before he gives the pill again. Eddie will do anything to get the pill. Vernon treats him like a servant. He knows that Vernon is using him, but as long as he gets another NZT he will do anything, such as buys him breakfast, laundry and cleans his house.

Tidy

After consuming NZT, Eddie Morra’s life is changed into a better one. He can handle everything perfectly, and his life becomes brighter than before. He can clean his house, organize his workplace and finish his book on time. The differences of Eddie Morra after consuming NZT are becomes a clean and tidy person, and aware that having dirty place to live is not good. After cleaning up his room, Eddie Morra

makes over his look and lives as a trendy man. He wears suit and know about the good and the bad of something. He never goes back to old messy Eddie Morra.

Smart

Eddie Morra is getting better at learning and doing jobs after consuming NZT. Vernon says that those pills make someone’s brain works on one-hundred performances, while others who are not consuming them only work on twenty percent performances. By consuming NZT, Eddie Morra gets lot benefits of his smartness. He can finish his book just in one night, he learns something new in fast. Eddie Morra is learning piano, mathematic, and other languages. He knows how to make everything organized and he knows how to be smart person. Eddie Morra uses the NZT as much as he can to improve his ability.

Confident

Eddie Morra becomes a confident person because of the NZT48. He knows how to maintain everything on his brain. He is good at speaking, counting, playing music and well-informed; it makes him loved by others in his new life. Eddie Morra even does a crazy thing that no one wants to do such as driving in high speed, jumping from high place to impress his friends, so they amaze by him.

Eddie Morra’s conflict Internal Conflict

The internal conflict experienced by Eddie Morra happens when he feels depressed and broke because his job is not going well. His lack of idea makes him depressed and does not know what to do next. He is being lazy of anything even clean himself makes him like homeless person. When Vernon asks about his book, he cannot answer the progress because he still stuck on it. He cannot do anything and just stares at the screen without starting to type any words, Vernon which known as a drug dealer, automatically gives Eddie Morra a pill. He reassures him that the pill is not drug but some kind of vitamin which can boosts the brain ability to work faster and properly. At first, Eddie Morra who doubts about it has a dilemma, but after Vernon leaves him, he keep that pill and back to home. And one day when he gets his addiction to consume the NZT he gets overdose by it. Seems like he is losing control and get drunk. In eighteen hours he has a lot of trouble. For example, he has a fight with a group of man in the station, makes love with unknown girl under the influence of alcohol. After those things happen, the media shows that the girl is murdered.

External Conflict

Eddie Morra against Lindy

Eddie Morra has conflict with Lindy when she knows that he is consuming drug. After he has the NZT-48, Eddie Morra is doing well on his job and he proves it to Lindy. He wants Lindy to get back to him and after that they are getting back to together. Lindy is amazes and happy with Eddie Morra’s progress for being good person and not suspicious of his personality. But after what happens of him which Eddie Morra is chased by a man known as of Vernon consumen’s slave who wants to have the NZT too, Eddie Morra tells the truth of what happens to Lindy. They have some arguements because of that, and Lindy is shocked with the changes of Eddie Morra’s made by NZT. Lindy is dissapointed with him, as he is not the same as before but he says to her that he is still the same as person. But sometimes he consume the NZT to protect her, to work, and he live in good way. Eddie Morra tries to make sure everything is okay.

Eddie Morra against Genaddy

Conflict between Eddie Morra and Genaddy begins when Eddie Morra, with his mathematic skill has the idea to manifold the money and make sure it works. He borrows some money from Genaddy and makes a deal to pay back as soon as possible. But unfortunately, he could not make it on time so they look for Eddie Morra to give him a lesson. On his uncontrolled condition, Eddie Morra meets Genaddy who wants the money back. But because he forgets to turn the money back, Genaddy hit Morra and finds the last pill of NZT, is to be eaten by him. He grabs it and he eats it. He knows the advantages of it and wants more from Eddie Morra. So Genaddy and his bodyguard surrounds Eddie Morra’s house and searches him. Eddie Morra run to his home, his save place. But someone knocks his door roughly, the gangster wants Eddie Morra gives them the NZT.

Eddie Morra against Man in Coat

The man in coat is Hank Arwood’s slave who has a job to get the NZT from Eddie Morra. Hank Artwood which known as Carl Van Loon partner in work is also Vernon’s costumer, he needs the NZT because he already addicted on it and his body can’t resist it any longer.

Eddie Morra against Carl Van Loon

The famous finance tycoon visits Eddie Morra’s office and they have a deep talk about their career. Eddie Morra even once worked for Carl Van Loon as an advisor at his office with Hank Atwood. At first Carl wants to make Eddie Morra back to him and work with him on his team but Eddie Morra rejects it.

Setting in Limitless Setting of place Home

Home is a place for Eddie Morra’s live. The story begins here when he is a writer. He has a messy room because of his depression and after having an NZT he cleans all of the room and makes it comfortable. But because afraid of terror, Eddie Morra decides to move out from the old house and live in the apartment with extra security in the entrance, such as CCTV in front of his room, door made of steel, and anything that makes him safer than before.

Restaurant

Eddie Morra goes to restaurant is when he breaks up with Lindy. They had lunch together and Lindy said straightly that she wants to break up with him. Besides, she even pays the bill of their lunch. And when Eddie Morra asks Lindy out again, he wants to fix up what happens before and Lindy is okay with that. Eddie Morra has a proper job right now, so he invites Lindy to have dinner together at Italian restaurant after long time since they break up.

BAR

Bar is place where Eddie Morra and Vernon had their time. After going lunch with Lindy and he gets dump by her, he decides to go home but on his way he meets Vernon. Because he does not meet him in a long time, Vernon want to have some chitchat with Eddie Morra, so he ask him to have some drink. At first Eddie Morra does not want to do it but he cannot reject Vernon’s invitation. Bar also place where at the first time Eddie Morra gets NZT from Vernon.

Vernon’s apartment

Eddie Morra comes to Vernon’s apartment to get some NZT because he is addicted on it. And tragedy happens there, Vernon is murdered by unknown when Eddie Morra leaves him alone in the apartment.

Park

Eddie Moora borrows money from Genaddy to his private job and has promise to meets up at park. He wants to make more money by calculate the logarithms. As the promises, if he cannot return it, he will die. This is the beginning of the conflict with the gangster. When Eddie Morra can’t return it, the problem will get worse.

Eddie Morra’s office

After every horrible thing happens to Eddie Morra who already has a good name, he publishes a book, and being famous person by his smartness. He tries to become the president of United States. Carl Van Loon visits Morra’s office and they have private conversation which ends up with arguments.

Setting of Time Morning

The day before Eddie Morra consuming the pill, he becomes productive, he writes his book, even cleaning the house. In the next morning when he wakes up, he goes back to normal like nothing happens. However he finishes his book and he goes to publisher to submit it.

Afternoon

Some story in Limitless happens in Afternoon, for example when Eddie Morra and Lindy having lunch and also the conflict with Genaddy when he is waiting for Eddie Morra to pays back the money in front of his house at twelve o’clock in the afternoon.

Setting of Social Low Social Class

Eddie Morra does not get the salary because his book is not launched yet. Moreover, he does not have any income. Eddie Morra lives in apartment, with the small space of his place he cannot even pay the monthly rent and Valerie known as wife of the owner has already warned to kick him out. And also Eddie Morra actually is treated by her girlfriend. He even cannot buy his own food in restaurant so Lindy must pay it when they have lunch together. That is why those situations make Lindy give up on him.

High Social Class

Eddie Morra continues his life as new person. After leave all his lame life, from the writer who not gets the salary, now Eddie Morra working on good place. He earns a lot of money, can buy his own apartment which have high price. Eddie Morra is even having new friends on high social class too. His friends invite Eddie Morra to have a party on the beach. They are going to the beach by a private plane.

Eddie Morra’s Borderline Personality Disorder Personal Unconscious Mind

Eddie Morra knows that he is consuming drug but sometimes he is not remember how the pill works on his body which makes him good at anything. Eddie Morra is unconsciously recalled his memory that he forgets after consuming the pill. The drug leads him to have more energy to work and think straightly on how he is working. It pushes Eddie Morra to work and learn anything that makes him smarter than before, so he can be more productive.

The Persona

The persona of Eddie Morra happens when he is taking NZT-48 and his new personality comes out likes he is being tidy, smart and confident. That personality is a side that he shows to other people on his life to make him get advantages, such us having a partner of work, be the man that can be trusted by his clients, and becomes one of the candidates of the United States president. All that Eddie Morra does when he is on drug are to prove to others about his skill to get lot money, and make a lot of friends. It works very well and people start to notice him, want to get closer to him, amazed with his skill and start to be friend with him, make Eddie Morra as their inner circle even they do not know his background.

The Shadow

Eddie Morra’s shadow personality is known by Lindy, his girlfriend. Since Lindy knows the personalities of Eddie Morra before he consumes NZT, she is amazed when Eddie Morra proves himself as new person that can do anything. At first Eddie Morra says that he is learning without any booster, unfortunately, when Eddie Morra is down and he needs a doping, he only has Lindy and he needs her help. After that he tells everything about the personality he wants to hide and it becomes their secret.

CONCLUSION

Based on the analysis of Neil Burger’s Limitless in the previous chapter, it can be concluded that Eddie Morra as the main character of Limitless belongs to round and dynamic character. Eddie Morra is described as a depressed, broke writer who is hopeless with in carrier because he cannot finish his book. With the novel and the financial problem that he has Eddie Morra is changed into smart, tidy and confident person after consuming the NZT.

Eddie Morra experiences both internal and external conflicts. Eddie Morra’s internal conflicts mostly appearbecause his depression of his work which is not going well. This sometimes makes Eddie Morra feels hopeless and sad because of that. Vernon gives him NZT. The internal conflicts create external conflicts with

people around him, such as his girlfriend, Lindy, the reluctant loan Gennady, the man in coat who chased him, and also Carl Van Loon.

There are some particular locations that become the setting of the places of Limitless there are home, restaurant, BAR, Vernon’s apartment, park and also Eddie Morra’s office. The events in Limitless happen in the morning and afternoon.

The setting of social in Limitless is considered from low to high class society. It can be seen from the first job Eddie Morra has, which is not going well, but after consuming NNZT he can change his path and gets another job to live as successful person. After analyzing Limitless using Carl Jung’s personality theory, the researcher finds out that the personality of the main character in Limitless, Eddie Morra, is a result of depression of his work. It leads Eddie Morra to have a chance to consume NZT-48 to boost his brain.

As a representation of human being, Eddie Morra has the personality called personal unconscious mind. Those contain individual memories and sometimes are experienced under the unconscious mind. In Limitless, Eddie Morra personal unconscious are found on the way he is working under the NZT-48 and can be seen from his general description also internal conflict.

Another Eddie Morra’s personality is The Persona, Eddie Morra social personality that he shows to the world. It must be a positive side of his life and sometimes it is quite different from his true personality. And it can be seen from his confident on the general description.

The last is Eddie Morra’s shadow, the opposite personality of Persona. It is the personality that not all of people around him know about. Sometimes it was about bad side of oneself which someone does not want anyone to know since it will make people judge Eddie Morra. But in Limitless, Shadow personality of Eddie Morra just known by his girlfriend Lindy.

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