Actions are based on either love or fear. In Erich Fromm's book, Sigmund Freud's Mission, he expresses that people repress their true thoughts because they worry that they will be cast out by others for being different. Leonard Zelig (Woody Allen), the main character of Woody Allen's mockumentary, Zelig, takes this repression to another level because he has the ability to change his physical and mental characteristics to match those around him. Dr. Eudora Fletcher, a female psychiatrist, was the only person who truly cared about helping Zelig. Zelig's fear of societal oppression due to past traumatic experiences would be Erich Fromm's explanation for Zelig's multiple personas.
Fromm would recognize Zelig's emotionally scarring past to be …show more content…
Fletcher was not treating him. Dr. Fletcher was the first to "feel that [Zelig] might be suffering not from a physiological disorder, but from a psychological one." By "...transcending the thought patterns of [her] society," Dr. Fletcher was able to delve into Zelig's mind and make substantial progress towards alleviating his condition. The last major step Dr. Fletcher took towards eliminating his illness was a "...two-pronged attack... in which she would operate on Zelig under a conscious and hypnotic state." In his hypnotic state, Dr. Fletcher dug around to "[understand] the realities that produced [Zelig's personality disorder]." There, she discovered Zelig's painful past and how he truly felt about Dr. Fletcher. She used this information to "...deeply probe and restructure [Zelig's mind]." While Zelig was conscious, Dr. Fletcher "...[provide the] love and affection..." he had expressed a need for while he was hypnotized. Dr. Fletcher knew that "...it [was] imperative [as a] psychoanalyst..." to understand the origins of Zelig's behavior and drive that away rather than messing with his physical form. The therapy was ultimately successful; Zelig no longer felt the need to manipulate his appearances and freely expressed his personal opinions. The doctor and her patient even fell in love with each other and lived happily together as a married couple. If he had seen her treatment methods, it would be clear to Fromm that Dr.
Fromm would recognize Zelig's emotionally scarring past to be …show more content…
Fletcher was not treating him. Dr. Fletcher was the first to "feel that [Zelig] might be suffering not from a physiological disorder, but from a psychological one." By "...transcending the thought patterns of [her] society," Dr. Fletcher was able to delve into Zelig's mind and make substantial progress towards alleviating his condition. The last major step Dr. Fletcher took towards eliminating his illness was a "...two-pronged attack... in which she would operate on Zelig under a conscious and hypnotic state." In his hypnotic state, Dr. Fletcher dug around to "[understand] the realities that produced [Zelig's personality disorder]." There, she discovered Zelig's painful past and how he truly felt about Dr. Fletcher. She used this information to "...deeply probe and restructure [Zelig's mind]." While Zelig was conscious, Dr. Fletcher "...[provide the] love and affection..." he had expressed a need for while he was hypnotized. Dr. Fletcher knew that "...it [was] imperative [as a] psychoanalyst..." to understand the origins of Zelig's behavior and drive that away rather than messing with his physical form. The therapy was ultimately successful; Zelig no longer felt the need to manipulate his appearances and freely expressed his personal opinions. The doctor and her patient even fell in love with each other and lived happily together as a married couple. If he had seen her treatment methods, it would be clear to Fromm that Dr.