DEFENSE MECHANISM IN 500 DAYS OF SUMMER MOVIE

A Thesis Proposal

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Sarjana Sastra

(S.S)

LUTHFI MUHAMMAD BAIHAQI

181010600477

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF LETTERS

UNIVERSITAS PAMULANG

2022
 FORM OF APPROVAL

DEFENSE MECHANISM IN 500 DAYS OF SUMMER

Name : Luthfi Muhammad Baihaqi

NIM : 181010600477
Approved by:

Advisor,

Purwanti Taman, S.S., M.Pd

NIDN. 0420067507

THE HEAD OF ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF LETTERS
UNIVERSITAS PAMULANG

Tryana, S.S., M.A.

NIDN. 0420117104

i
 STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY

The writer, who signed below, a student of English Department,

Faculty of Letters, Universitas Pamulang:

Name : Luthfi Muhammad Baihaqi

NIM : 181010600477

Study Program : SastraInggris

Field : Literature

Thesis Advisor : Purwanti Taman, S.S., M.Pd.

Declare that the thesis entitled “Defense Mechanism in 500 Days

of Summer” are:

1. Comprises only the writer’s original work towards the study.

2. Contains no material which has been accepted for the award of
any other educational institution; and
3. Contains no material that have been published before or written
by other person, except where due reference has been made in
the text of the thesis.

The statements are made and the writer is taking responsibility if

the statements are not true.

Jakarta, December 12th, 2022

Luthfi Muhammad Baihaqi

ii
 PREFACE

This thesis is organized to fulfill the partial requirement for Sarjana

Sastra (S.S) in English Department, Faculty of Letters, Universitas

Pamulang. The title of this thesis is “Defense Mechanism in 500 Days of

Summer”. This thesis focuses on defense mechanism that undergone by the

main character in the movie. This study is far from perfect, even after

many researches on the topic, some details may be lack. The writer accepts

any educational comments, critics, and suggestions regarding of the issue

in this thesis. The writer hopes this thesis could provide a useful reference

for thesis and essay writers and educate the readers about the subject of

defense mechanism.

Jakarta, December 12th, 2022

The Writer,

Luthfi Muhammad Baihaqi

Reg. No. 181010600477

iii
 ABSTRACT

The aim of the study entitled “Defense Mechanism in 500 Days of

Summer” was to analyze the issue of defense mechanism which undergone
by the main character, Tom Hansen in the movie. The main character in
the movie mostly showed defense mechanism because of their relationship
problem. This study uses qualitative methods to analyze and reveal the
phenomenon of defense mechanism. The data were analyzed through
words and quotations by using Freud (1936) defense mechanism’s theory
and presented in the form of essay. The writer uses 8 types of defense
mechanism; they are denial, substituion, repression, suppresion, reaction
formation, sublimation, rationalization, and displacement. The result of
the study show that defense mechanism depicted in selected movie was
undergone by the main character because of their relationship problems.
As the research finished, the writer finds that Tom Hansen uses denial,
sublimation, displacement and reaction formation.
Keywords: Defense Mechanism, Anxiety, Qualitative methods,
Denial

iv
 ABSTRAK

Tujuan dari penilitian yang berjudul “Defense Mechanism dalam film 500
Days of Summer” ini adalah untuk menganalisis masalah mekanisme
pertahanan yang dialami oleh tokoh utama, Tom Hansen dalam film
tersebut. Karakter utama dalam film tersebut sebagian besar menunjukkan
mekanisme pertahanan karena ada masalah dalam hubungan percintaan
mereka. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kualitatif untuk menganalisis
dan mengungkapkan fenomena mekanisme pertahanan. Data dianalisis
melalui kata-kata dan kutipan dengan menggunakan teori mekanisme
pertahanan Freud (1936) dan disajikan dalam bentuk esai. Penulis
menggunakan 8 jenis mekanisme pertahanan; penyangkalan, substitusi,
represi, suppresi, pembentukan reaksi, sublimasi, rasionalisasi, dan
perpindahan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa mekanisme pertahahan
yang digambarkan dalam film terpilih dialami oleh karakter utama karena
masalah percintaan mereka. Dengan penelitian ini, penulis menemukan
bahwa Tom Hansen menggunakan penyangkalan, sublimasi, perpindahan
dan pembentukan reaksi.
Kata kunci: Mekanisme pertahanan, Kecemasan, Metode kualitatif,
Penyangkalan

v
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all, the writer would like to deliver the greatest gratitude to Allah

SWT., for the blessings, guidance, and mercy leading to the completion of this

thesis. The writer also like to deliver the sincerest gratitude to all people who

always give support for the process of this study. The writer is feeling grateful

for the given advices, helps, and supports. The most important thing is the writer

would like to deliver gratitude for herself who could survive for finishing this

study.

However, the writer would like to mention the people who contributed in

the process of this study, they are:

1. Dr. (H.C) H. Darsono, as Head of Sasmita Jaya Foundation.

2. Dr. E. Nurzaman, A.M., M.M. M.Si., as a Rector of Universitas

Pamulang.

3. Dr. M. Ramdon Dasuki, M.A., as Dean of Faculty of Letters

Universitas Pamulang.

4. Tryana, S.S., M.A., as Head of English Department Universitas

Pamulang.

5. Purwanti Taman, S.S., M.Pd., as the thesis advisor who has dedicated

her time for support and assist the writer through the process of

conducting this thesis with very detail advices and suggestions. The

writer is very proud and thankful to be under her guidance.

6. The lecturers of Universitas Pamulang who have taken the time to

come to the class and share their knowledge to the writer.

7. The writer’s parent for their fully support and their non stop prayer to

vi
 the writer so the writer finally can finish this thesis without any big

problem.

8. The writer’s one and only love, Sarah Almadinah. Without her,

maybe this study would never exist. She helps the writer at anytime

whenever the writer happy or sad, she always there. Her support

system is very important in the success of making this study. The

writer love her so much.

9. The writer also wants to thanks to Group Healing Bersama Aul,

especially Ferdi Rizqi Ikhsani and Aulia Diah. Their sense of humour

and support always make the writer happy and their support and

advice help the writer focus to conduct this thesis.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

FORM OF APPROVAL..........................................................................................................

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY......................................................................................

PREFACE................................................................................................................................

ABSTRACT..............................................................................................................................

ABSTRAK...............................................................................................................................

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS..................................................................................................

CHAPTER 1.............................................................................................................................

1.1 Background of Study......................................................................................1

1.2 Statements of Problem....................................................................................6

1.3 Scope and Limitation of Study.......................................................................6

1.4 Goals of Study................................................................................................6

1.5 Function of Study...........................................................................................7

1.6 Systematical Presentation...............................................................................7

CHAPTER 2.............................................................................................................................

2.1 Related Studies...............................................................................................9

2.2 Review of Literature.....................................................................................11

2.2.1 Character................................................................................................11

2.2.2 Characterization.....................................................................................14

2.2.3 Defense Mechanism...............................................................................18

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 2.2.4 Movie.....................................................................................................25

2.3 Theoretical Framework................................................................................27

CHAPTER 3...........................................................................................................................

3.1 Approach of Study........................................................................................29

3.2 Data Source..................................................................................................30

3.3 Data Collection.............................................................................................30

3.4 Data Analysis...............................................................................................30

CHAPTER 4...........................................................................................................................

4.1 The Description of Tom Hansen and Summer Finn in 500 Days of Summer

Movie..................................................................................................................31

4.1.1 Tom Hansen...........................................................................................32

4.1.2 Summer Finn.........................................................................................33

4.2 The Types of Defense Mechanism is Undergone by The Main Character in

500 Days of Summer...........................................................................................34

CHAPTER 5...........................................................................................................................

5.1 Conclusion....................................................................................................54

5.2 Suggestion....................................................................................................55

REFERENCES.......................................................................................................................

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 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of Study

It is very natural and reasonable for humans to live a pleasant life in

general, but not all of them can live up to their expectation. Some people had

problems with their anxiety, fear, concern and unpleasant memories that

emerge in themselves. Hence, people would easily show some displeasing,

annoying or undesirable emotion by unsubstansial things. To cover up those

displeasing emotions or thoughts, humans naturally might obscure those

feelings with some behavior that could protect them. This nature act is called

defense mechanism. In other words, behavior that people reveal when they

face the shock, anxiety, concern and unpleasant thoughts is called defense

mechanism. The purposes of this study is expected that the readers have a

better understanding about defense mechanisms and the readers can prepare

and handle well when they get problems in their life, especially when it comes

to defense mechanism problems. Other than that, in some cases most students

can have a reference for doing a study with similar issue.

In this study, the writer decided to discuss defense mechanism in a form of

a movie. There are so many forms of literary works, such as drama, poems,

novels, or short stories. In this era, it’s quite often that a literary work is

adapted into a movie, and a movie is still considered to be a form of literary

 2

works. What makes movie really close to literature is that a movie must have a

script because a script is supposed to be written form just like a literary work

as a poem, prose, novel, and drama. As Giannetti (1987) states that a movie

script is rarely an autonomous literary product. Therefore, a literary analysis

also can be applied to movie analysis.

This study is adopts on the movie 500 Days of Summer. A story which was

experienced by Scott Neustadter. Screenwriter of the Movie, Scott Neustadter

spills on the DVD commentary that 500 Days of Summer is “75 percent”

based on a relationship he went through. 500 days of Summer is a comedy-

romantic story about a woman named Summer Finn played by Zooey

Deschanel, who does not believe true love exists and a young man named

Tom Hansen played by Joseph Gordon Levitt, who falls for her and believe in

fate and fate that will lead him to her.

There are several reasons why the writer is interested in studying this

movie. Firstly, because this movie reflects human’s problem for instance

defense mechanisms which the problem is very much related to society and is

still happening now. Secondly, this movie has a lot of portrayal of defense

mechanism and the writer can elaborate the issue clearly about defense

mechanisms from this movie. Because of that reasons, the writer believes the

readers can acknowledge and have a better understanding about defense

mechanisms and all of the types of them. The writer assured that the defense

mechanism is very important to discuss in this thesis. People sometimes do

not realize that defense mechanism occurs in their daily life, every day. There
 3

are so many problems that can happen eventually to people in their life, for

instance, a relationship problem. When people experiencing relationship

problems, being denial is one of a natural way of humans acknowledging

hurtful truth in their relationship. Most people start to deny the problem such

as lacking of intimacy, having bad communication and arguing with their

couple constantly. Denial is one of the types of defense mechanism that occurs

in our daily life. The writer believes that most people do not realize that

defense mechanism can happen consciously and unconsciously. Suppression

is the types of defense mechanisms where humans consciously realize it, while

Regression is the types of defense mechanisms, which humans unconsciously

realize that they did that defense mechanism.

Defense mechanism is a method, reaction or a way how people response

when they feel threatened by a concern or worry with unknown danger or

situation. Sometimes, these defense mechanisms appear unconsciously, even

people do not realize doing it. People usually show some common defense

mechanisms, but most of them does not aware what they behave and act is

called defense mechanism. Conflict is one of the triggers of a defense

mechanism and one of the important parts of the movie are the conflict, the

basic element is the plot, the story's plot or conflict in movie can be a lesson

for humans on life and living.

There are a number of theories discussion defense mechanism, and this

time the writer uses psychoanalysis theory to explain the main character of the
 4

movie and his defense mechanism in the face of various events.

Psychoanalysis

established by Sigmund Freud in 1856. It is a common phase for

approaches to psychoanalysis, whose aims to provide a conceptual framework

more or less independent of clinical practice rather than based on empirical

analysis of clinical cases. Freud stated, supported by Ziegler, that there are

numerous models of human ego derived from this psychoanalytic theory and

practice Ziegler (2012). These models are known as the topographical model

of personality cooperation that consists of three levels, first is conscious,

preconscious, and unconscious.

Psychoanalysis is a theory about the entanglement of the human mind,

which has a considerable effect on human's act. It refers by Tyson (2006)

stated that psychoanalysis contained of individual human beings, each with a

psychological history that begins in childhood experiences in the family and

each with the pattern of teenager and adult behavior that are the direct result of

that prompt experience. In psychoanalytic theory, a defense mechanism is a

group of mental processes that enables the mind to reach agreements solutions

to conflicts that it is unable to resolve. The process is usually unconscious, and

the terms generally involve obscure from oneself internal drives or feelings

that threaten to lower self-esteem or cause anxiety.

Defense mechanism has an incredible function that human had, defense

mechanism can preserve each of the individuals from these bad feelings
 5

including anxiety, guilt, disgust, concern and shame. If this defense

mechanisms attempt fails to arise on protecting the individuals, negative

emotions may overwhelm the people’s mind and causing loss of self-esteem,

panic, and, in the extreme, feelings of extinction. Significantly, defense

mechanisms cannot be set apart from the existence of anxiety and how the

individual’s psyche works.

Based upon the understanding of literary work in a movie, main character

is the most important aspect. Main character often referred as a hero or a

protagonist of a movie. Main character usually is the most important character

in the story or in a movie. In this thesis, the writer tried to analyze the main

character from the movie. When analyzing the movie, the writer automatically

also should analyze the main character that included in the movie. For this

thesis, the writer applying the method called characterization to analyze the

main character. The simple explanation of characterization, stated by Holman,

characterization is the author show the character of the imaginary person.

Characterization is a crucial element in writing a good fiction story because

characterization can characterize the people’s imagination successfully and it

is a main attribute of a good novelist, dramatist, or short-story writer Holman

(2009). There are two types of characterization; direct and indirect

characterization. Direct characterization is when the author of the story creates

statements about a character’s attitude, nature and personality and tell to all

the reader of the story or viewer of the movie what the character is like. To

sum up, Direct characterization is a way to tells the reader of a story or viewer
 6

of a movie. Indirect characterization is a way of author of the story revealing

the character’s personality, attitude, nature throughout their dialogues, actions,

appearances, and their interactions with other characters. Because of that, this

study will analyze and focuse on describing the main character and their

characterization in the movie. The writer believes that the relationship

conflicts in this story takes the biggest part which determines the

characterization of the main character in the movie.

By the explanation above, defense mechanism was chosen to be applied in

this study. So the writer conducted this thesis entitled: “Defense Mechanism in

500 Days of Summer movie.”

1.2 Statements of Problem

This study analyzes these following problems:

1. How is the main character described in 500 Days of Summer?

2. How the main character’s defense mechanisms are undergone in 500

Days of Summer movie?

1.3 Scope and Limitation of Study

To prevent non-relevant problems, the study will be limited only in the

movie 500 Days of Summer. The writer tried to have an only focal point on the

main character and the purpose of the main character’s defense mechanism in

the movie. This study focusing on defense mechanism as revealed through the

conflict, especially relationship conflict that was experienced through the main

character Tom Hansen in Scott Neustadter’s movie, 500 Days of Summer.

 7

1.4 Goals of Study

The goals of this study are:

1. To describe the main character in 500 Days of Summer movie.

2. To explain types of defense mechanism is undergone and explain main

character’s purposes in doing defense mechanism in 500 Days of

Summer.

1.5 Function of Study

The function of this arranged research is:

1. To enhance and deepen the knowledge of the writer about the defense

mechanisms.

2. To give better and deeper understanding about defense mechanism in

the literary work.

3. To be a reference for other students doing a study about defense

mechanims or similar issue.

1.6 Systematical Presentation

This study is divided into five chapters, and the first chapter is

introduction. The introduction contains the background of the study,

statements of the problem, limitation of the study, goals of the study, function

of study, and systematical presentation. The second chapter of this study is

related studies and theoretical framework. This research consists of related

studies and theoretical frameworks. This chapter contains the studies related to

the research and explains the similarities and differences found between the
 8

studies. Theories and methods from the experts are added into this chapter in

the form of quotations to support the analysis in the research and the main

theory by the experts used to analyze the data in this study is also stated and

explained in this chapter. The third chapter of this study is Research

Methodology. This chapter of this study contains the approach of study, data

source, data collection, and data analysis. This chapter talks about how the

data collected is applied in data collection then described and analyzed in

finding and analysis. The fourth chapter of this study is the main point of this

thesis. It explains the data finding and data analysis which refer to the object

of this study. In this chapter, the writer will discuss the detail of the data

analysis collected from the source. The fifth chapter of this study concerns

with conclusion and suggestion. The conclusion contains a summary of the

discussion from chapter 4 and suggestions for the writer regarding this thesis
 CHAPTER 2

RELATED STUDIES AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

2.1 Related Studies

In this era, literature is quite often discussed by all the experts. Hence, this

study will be analyzing the defense mechanisms. This study focuses on Tom

Hansen, the main character who is almost involved in the key of the story 500

Days of Summer by Scott Neustadter.

After searching the internet or even in the university library, the writer

does not find previous research or preceding thesis about a similar object or

the same theory that has been conducted in the thesis. The writer just finds the

previous studies about the thesis that used defense mechanisms as a theory.

That is conducted by Phebe Cramer, Noerliz Isnaini, and Daniel Segal.

The first related of study is written by Cramer (2017) from Williams

College, Department of Psychology under the title Defense Mechanism Card

Pull in TAT Stories. Cramer from Williams College discuss about the theory

of defense mechanism in his study. The writer and Cramer uses different

theory to discuss defense mechanisms, the only similarity between The writer

and Cramer when the writer and Cramer quote some of Anne Freud theory

about defense mechanism. Cramer’s study helps the writer to find more new
 10

theory about defense mechanism and help the writer to applied that theory in

this study.

Isnaini (2016) from University of Islamic Studies Sunan Ampel, entitled in

the Defense Mechanism of Andy Dufresne in Stephen King’s Rita Hayworth

Shawshank Redemption by Noerliz Isnaini, Isnaini from University of Islamic

Studies Sunan Ampel discussed the theory of defense mechanism experienced

by Andy Dufresne in the novel Stephen King. Moreover, this thesis analyzed

the main character by using technique new criticism. Even though, there is a

little bit similarity in the theory that used in analyze the novel, but it is totally

different with the writer’s thesis. Noerliz used six types of defense

mechanism, there are; Rationalization, Regression, Repression, Reaction

Formation, Projection and Intellectualization. It is different with the writer that

used eight types of defense mechanism, there are; Substitution, repression,

suppression, denial, projection, sublimation, displacement and rationalization.

Besides, in this thesis the writer tried to analyze the main character in a

different way. The steps and data used by the writer and the Isnaini is

different.

Segal (2007) from University of Colorado, Department of Psychology

under the title Defense Mechanism differences between younger and older

adult: A cross-sectional investigaion discuss about defense mechanism

differences between younger and older adult. Segal, in his thesis also

described the relationship between defense mechanism and stress in order to

provide his evidence. The writer learn more from Segal’s study about history
 11

and differences between defense mechanism and stress, Segal’s study also

help the writer to easily elaborate the defense mechanism in this study.

The similarity between Cramer, Isnaini, Segal and the writer’s thesis that

they discuss about defense mechanism. (tambah similarity) There are so many

differences between the writer’s thesis with Cramer, Isnaini and Segal’s study.

The main differences are when the writer describe 8 types of defense

mechanisms from the movie, while Cramer discuss about differential defense

mechanism uses in predicts standing on various personality. Isnaini in his

study describe 6 types of defense mechanisms while the writer describe 8

types of defense mechanisms. Segal in his study discuss about the defense

mechanism differences between younger and older adult while the writer

discuss the defense mechanism that undergone by the main character in the

movie.

2.2 Review of Literature

In Review of Literature the writer presents some theories that are related to

the topic. The review of literature divided into four aspects, they are character,

characterization, and defense mechanism and movie. This is intended so that

readers can understand the explanation of character and characterization

before understanding what is defense mechanism. For that reason, this study is

aimed to help the readers know what is defense mechanism that the main

character undergone in 500 Days of Summer.

 12

2.2.1 Character

Character is a role played by people, animals, and inanimate objects

told in the story. Character is an intrinsic element in the narrative story that

builds the plot of the story into a more alive. The purpose of creating

characters is to make the story more interesting and believable because the

character is a key element in a story. This statement is supported by

Abram (1957) who emphasized that characters are the persons represented

in a dramatic or narrative work, who is interpreted by the reader as being

endowed with particular moral, intellectual, and emotional qualities by

inferences from what the persons say and their distinctive ways of saying

it the dialogue and from what they do the action.

Klarer (2004) defines that a typified character in literature is

dominated by one specific trait and is referred to as a flat character. The

term round character usually denotes a persona with more complex and

differentiated features. Characters are distinguished by several types,

including protagonists, antagonists, flat characters, character rounds,

dynamic characters, and static characters, which are explained as follows:

a) Protagonist

According to the writer, the protagonist is the main character in a

story. The protagonist is one of the important roles that make

readers or movie viewers feel empathy for the character. The

protagonist is also usually very complex and very influential on the

course of the story.

 13

b) Antagonist

Then, there is the antagonist. The writer defines that the antagonist

is the opposite of the protagonist. The antagonist is usually the bad

guy or bad girl in a story or movie. The role of this antagonist is

very important to build a conflict in the story so that the story is not

monotonous.

On the contrary, Sutton (1971:9) divides fiction characters into four

types. (a) Flat character is distinguished by some traits; (b) Round

character is complex and realistic; (c) Static character is a character who

remains stable from the opening of the story until the climax of a story,

while; (d) dynamic character show some kind of change of personality,

motivation of the character, and nature as the story progresses.

a) Flat characters

Flat characters are very simple characters, flat characters can be

classified as two-dimension characters because this character is too

simple and the role is easily guessed by readers and movie viewers.

Usually, flat characters are not important for example, relatives,

friends, or companion, although not all minor characters are

necessarily flat (Sutton, 1971). Flat characters do not develop, they

remain the same from the beginning of the story until the end.
 14

b) Round characters

It can be classified as three-dimensional characters, because they

are very realistic and complex. Round characters will show

development that makes readers or movie viewers feel astound.

c) Dynamic character

It is a kind of character whose nature is always changing at any

given time, place or situation. Dynamic characters are usually played

by characters who have roles that may be similar to human’s reality in

general because they usually have complex personalities.

d) Static character

Unlike dynamic character, static characters remain have the same

essence throughout the story. The actions of static characters have no

important effect on themselves or even to other characters.

2.2.2 Characterization

According to the writer, characterization is how the author of the

story makes the character unique. To put it another way, characterization is

a technique while a character is a product of the technique. Aquino (1976)

states that characterization was brief but concise. Characterization is also

an attempt to show the nature of the character played in the story. The

purpose of characterization is so that readers or movie viewers can feel

how the character thinks, says something or acts.

 15

Characterization is known as the operation of authors used to

create characters, develop them and create images of the characters for the

readers and movie viewers. Alternately, characterization it’s a way of the

author exposed their character in a work of fiction or in other words

characterization method of character portrayal Bennett & Royle (2004).

Besides, it is very helpful to analyze the main character’s development.

There are two types of characterization that the writer wants to discussed:

a) Direct Characterization

Direct characterization is the way of author tells you in precise what

the character’s personality, attitude, or nature look like. Direct

characterization is the easiest way of the author tells the reader or the

movie viewer what the personality of the character is. Direct

characterization mostly used in literary work such as novel and short story.

Charters (1983) states that it can also involve other external details, such

as names or other overt commentary.

For example,

“The confident guy stomp in to the bar and took the usually shy girl

bartender by surprise.”

From that sentence, we can easily conclude that the guy is confident

when he strode in to the bar and we can easily know right away about the

personality of the girl bartender is, which is shy.

 16

Another example of direct characterization in literature,

“Mr. Thompson was good-looking and gentlemanlike; he had a

pleasant countenance, and easy, unaffected manners.”

From that sentence we can easily know right away that Mr.

Thompson’s character look like and what the personality of Mr.

Thompson is.

b) Indirect Characterization

Indirect characterization is another way of the author tells the readers

or movie viewer what the character’s personality is. Indirect

characterization is more exquisite. Indirect characterization often happens

over the course of a longer fiction rather than in a simple paragraph. There

are five ways the author might show character’s personality indirectly:

1. Actions

Actions is one of the methods that author used to revealed

character’s personality. Actions in this case defined how does the

character behave, how does the character nature, is he or she reckless

and spontaneous or, is he or she calm, reserved, and slow to react.

2. Effects

It is another method that author used to revealed character’s

personality. Effects in this case defined how is the character received

 17

by other characters. Is the other character gravitating toward him or

her? Or is the other character separate from them when they know

they're making their way into them

3. Looks

Looks in indirect characterization is a way of author used to reveal

the character’s personality. Looks can describe how is the character

looks like, is he or she good looking, well-polished, wearing the finest

suits, or are they more look like a grease and punk rocker in the street

and taking on the mood of hippies.

4. Speech

The next method of indirect characterization is speech. Speech is

the most common method used by the author to reveal the personality,

attitude, and nature of the character. Speech can show what type of

dialogue is created for the character, did the character stumble when

they speak, did they speak in a foolish tone, or did they speak with a

modest tone. The speech also can show how the characters influence

the story or movie, are they commanding the attention to other

characters or are the character just passive to others.

5. Thoughts
 18

The last type of indirect characterization is thoughts. Thoughts is

an exceptional way to indirect characterization. If an author of the

story has an omniscient point of view or can relay every character’s

thought then thoughts can be applied to be one of method indirect

characterization. Thoughts can be useful for the readers or movie

viewer to learn a lot about the character through their thoughts. The

readers or movie viewers can easily know right away if the character

go to work with anger in his mind, do they worry and thinking about

their family or do they feel sad with the situation on the scene without

saying anything.

2.2.3 Defense Mechanism

A defense mechanism is a response or behavior that people used

unconsciously to protect themselves from feelings of anxiety. Usually, this

anxiety occurs because of thoughts or feelings that we cannot accept. The

main purpose of the defense mechanism is to protect ourselves from

anxiety, social sanctions or become a place to turn away from situations

we cannot control. In 1926, Freud enhances his first idea about defense

mechanisms. Thereafter, his daughter, Anna Freud continue to advances

and rearranging the concept of defense mechanism Freud (1936). Those

are explained as bellows:

(a) Substitution
 19

Substitution is a defense mechanism that humans do when

humans feel unpleasant about something, unpleasant with their

feeling or thoughts, feel unable to achieve something, and then

change those feelings to be more acceptable and available.

According to Strickland (2001), substitution is one of defense

mechanism where an unacceptable, unattainable, or frightening

thought or thing is replaced by something that is more acceptable

and available. For example, when people had a frustrating day at

the office and they start to do emotional eating. That is an example

of a negative way of handling substitution of defense mechanism.

However, there is an example of a positive way of handling

substitution when parents can’t have children of their own and they

tried to adopt kids to have children in their family.

(b) Denial

Denial is a defense mechanism that humans do when they

reject or ignore the reality that happened to them. They deliberately

reject stimulus that is considered unpleasant by fantasizing or

hallucinating. Denial is also one-way humans are reluctant to admit

to experiencing bad relationships or bad illnesses. Denial is a

technique of defense by neglecting the reality in order to protect

the self from threatening impulses or events that can cause

psychological and emotional problems (Strickland, 2001). For

example, after people experience the death of a loved one, they

 20

tend to refuse to accept reality and tried to deny anything had

happened. Another example of denial is when people are diagnosed

with chronic illness, they might refuse to believe that their health

condition is seriously bad. They might instead think they can get

over it and think that illness can’t be that bad.

Denial is not always a bad or a negative thing, when people

face with something painful, shocking or difficult. People tend to

being denial, being denial in this stage can give you a little time to

relax and clearly aware with your emotions.

(c) Displacement

Displacement is a way for human to divert negative emotions

that happens to them and divert them into a less threatening

recipient. This statement also supports by Jess Feist in his book.

Displacement is a defense mechanism that is applied by people to

threatened or give dangerous motive toward other powerless

people (Feist et al, 2008). For example, when people feel they are

treated unfairly at their job and are afraid to complain or express

their anger to their boss, they may express their anger to their

family members. This defense mechanism has a negative effect on

the person that experienced it.

Another example is when people lost their job and they have a

hard time to find a new job, they started to think that they will not
 21

be able to pay for their bills, and taking care of their families.

Sometimes people start taking their frustration to the immigrants

and blaming them for taking their job, blaming them for their own

inability to find a new job that matches with their skills.

(d) Reaction Formation

Reaction Formation is a way of people contradicts

unacceptable or anxious thoughts or feelings. Reaction Formation

is a way of protecting the human mind from unpleasant thoughts or

feelings. Reaction Formation is also a way of people expressing the

opposite of their true feelings, sometimes to an exaggerated extent.

Reaction result of impulse anxiety that is often followed by the

opposite trend is contrary to the tendency pressed. Reaction

formation is able to prevent an individual behaves that produce

anxiety and often can prevent antisocial (Fadillah, 2018). For

example, A person sometimes experiences sadness or

disappointment after their relationship breaks down. If that person

feels that these emotions are unacceptable on unpleasant for them,

they may act as if they are doesn’t have a problem and be happy in

public.

Another example is when people express their opposite of their

true feelings, for example when a man’s ego is threatened by

someone and being told that he is not masculine enough so this

 22

man tried to overreact by acting manly, aggressive and macho in

public.

(e) Repression

Repression is a way of people avoiding thinking about

something painful or unpleasant feelings and emotions. People do

this repression in an unconscious process, they are unaware that

they are doing it. A Person may be repressed or try to forget the

painful or unpleasant feelings that happen to them, but the pain or

difficult memory remains. Repression is an unconscious process

which shameful thoughts or painful experiences are removed from

awareness or forced below the level of consciousness, and the user

will not feel that the undesirable feelings interrupt his life.

However, the unpleasant feelings are still stored in the users’

subconscious. (Feist, 2008). For example, when people had

traumatic because when children got abused by their parents, A

child who got abused by their parents, later had no memory of the

events but in the future, they may have trouble forming

relationships.

Another example when adult people phobia with spider, they

may have not remembered when they kid, they got a nasty spider

bit because their memory is being repressed, they may not

understand where the phobia came from.

 23

(f) Rationalization

Rationalization is a way of human dealt with unacceptable

behavior, feeling or thought in a logical way and avoiding the true

reasons for the behavior. Rationalization also a defense mechanism

where people tend to do wrong action even though they know that

the action is wrong.

Rationalization is a device that a person provides himself and

others with plausible reasons for behavior rather than admit the

actual reasons which are too painful for him to acknowledge. It can

happen when the user has a conflict and has to make a decision

(Schultz, 2018). For example, when the student blaming the

teacher for having a bad score, rather than admit it that the student

not really study enough or the student lack of preparation. Another

example is when people got turned down or rejected in a first date,

people might rationalize the condition by stating that they were not

attracted to their date couple anyway.

Another example is when people doesn’t want or evading

paying taxes. People sometimes evading paying taxes and then

they rationalize it by blaming to their government that their

government are wasting their money and they believe that it is

better for them to keep their money without paying taxes.

(g) Suppression
 24

Suppression is a way human dealt with hurtful memories.

Suppression is a conscious defense mechanism where humans tried

to hide their truthful emotions in the public and tend to set aside

their painful memories. Suppression is a little bit similar to

repression, but when humans do a suppression, they do it in

conscious.

Suppression is a conscious control of one hazardous and

undesirable thoughts or impulses. It serves the same purposes as

repression, but it involves the conscious intent to put things out of

mind for a certain period of time. (Feist, 2008). For example, when

people had traumatic childhood experience, they tried to hide and

pushes these bad thoughts or feelings out of their mind. Another

example is when people just got broke up and ended their long love

relationship, they got broken hearted. Some people tried to hide

these feelings when they meet up with their friends in public and

tried to showed their positive manner and tried not to think about

painful or unwanted thoughts.

(h) Sublimation

Sublimation is a way human deal with problem or bad feeling

and revert it into something useful. When people had problems,

they had a lot of things to do, sometimes people did a defense

mechanism called sublimation. People tried to change their bad

 25

problem into something useful, precisely sublimation is a positive

defense mechanism for humans.

Sublimation is the control from the genital eros plan and revert

it into the positive things that can be received, almost the social

and culture (Feist, 2008). The goal of sublimation is showed by

clearly with creative arts such as art, music, and also literature and

in all of the relation of human activity. Out of all defense

mechanism has motivated that for helping, saving the self-esteem

from feeling worry or concern and one of a defense mechanism

which has good results and obviously can be accepted by society is

sublimation. For example. When people had a tempered emotion,

they tend to vent it into positive way, so they tried to think before

they speak, get some exercises, and express the anger in a positive

way like playing sports or cut some grasses.

Another example of sublimation is when people got reminded

by their manager, they stressed and fearful of losing their job.

Sometimes people decide to relax a bit, release their frustrations.

People tried to take a break from their job, going for walk,

exercising or even playing video games. This activity not only give

people time to relax it is also benefitting their physical health.

 26

2.2.4 Movie

After the writer discuss about character, characterization, and

defense mechanism, now for the last subchapters in this chapter the writer

going to discuss about movie. In this study, the writer decided to discuss

defense mechanism in a form of a movie. There are so many forms of

literary works, such as drama, poems, novels, or short stories. In this era,

it’s quite often that a literary work is adapted into a movie, and a movie is

still considered to be a form of literary works. What makes movie really

close to literature is that a movie must have a script because a script is

supposed to be written form just like a literary work as a poem, prose,

novel, and drama. As Giannetti (1987) states that a movie script is rarely

an autonomous literary product. Therefore, a literary analysis also can be

applied to movie analysis.

The writer designates to choose 500 Days of Summer as the object of

this study. This movie is presented in a format of random sequence, every

scene is showed by which of the 500 days it is. Tom Hansen works as a

card writer at a company that runs a greeting card business. Tom Hansen

lives happily with his job, and he has a few friends that care about him.

One day at a meeting in his office, Tom Hansen’s boss introduces his new

assistant, Summer Finn. Immediately after that, Tom Hansen was taken by

Summer’s beauty.

Tom shares his feelings about Summer to his friends about how

much he loves Summer. Fortunately for Tom, they met each other with
 27

Summer by accident in an elevator, Tom convinced himself that Summer

is the one for him after they exchange over their mutual love of the rock

band, The Smiths. To summarize, Tom finally gets to hang out together

with Summer, they met at the bar and having fun together. Tom sees

Summer singing while he drinks with his friends, Summer then gets Tom

drunks and made him sing karaoke. After all that, they talk about love and

relationship, they both arguing whether or not love is real. Tom said that

love is real while Summer said that love is not real.

Weeks and months pass, they both go out and sees a movie. Summer

start crying at the scene of the movie, Summer tells Tom that she is tired

and wanted to sleep, but Tom doesn’t want that, Tom wants to go get a

cake for them. While they are waiting for the cake, Summer suddenly

wants to go and tell Tom that they should stop seeing each other. Summer

tells Tom not to leave her because Summer wants Tom to be her best

friend.

Tom Hansen does not want to have a relationship without a status, he

is very sad by Summer decision but in other hand he is happy that he can

still close with Summer Finn even though there is not a legal status in their

relationship. Weeks and months pass, in the end Summer Finn got married

with another man and leaving Tom Hansen alone, Tom Hansen still in

disbelieve that Summer Finn can married another man while they are

already spent 500 days together.

 28

2.3 Theoretical Framework

The writer also uses the theory of psychoanalysis by Sigmund Freud in

this study which is defense mechanism. The defense mechanism is a kind of

psychological point of view created by Sigmund Freud. In this thesis, the

writer uses a psychological approach by using 8 types of defense mechanism

theory to answer the statement of the problem in this research. Therefore, all

of 8 types of defense mechanisms will help the writer make an analysis from

the object 500 Days of Summer and achieve the goals of this study.

There are so many theories in psychology, but for this thesis the writer will

use theory of defense mechanism, such as denial, suppression, substitution,

reaction formation, displacement, rationalization, repression and sublimation.

By using these 8 types of defense mechanism theory, the writer uses it to

explain what kinds of defense mechanisms that the main character uses in

order to survive from his problems and what reason and the purpose that make

that character use it.

 CHAPTER 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Approach of Study

The writer decides to used qualitative approach to support data-collecting

and analyzing the object analysis since the data will be formed in dialog. By

using this approach, the writer intends to examine the data of defense

mechanism occur in 500 Days of Summer. The writer arranges the data in the

form of descriptive essay and pictures. Qualitative research includes words

and pictures rather than numbers and statistics, as stated by (Jacob &

Sorensen, 2002).

The qualitative method is the most effective method for conducting this

study because this method will make the writer easy to examine and analyze

the dialog from the movie. Qualitative research as an iterative process in

which improved understanding to the scientific community is achieved by

making new significant distinctions resulting from getting closer to the

phenomenon studied (Aspers & Corte, 2019). As mentioned on the theory

above, comprehending the different kinds of defense mechanisms is highly

influential to the society. Hence, the qualitative method is the most effective

method for conducting this study.

 30

3.2 Data Source

The Primary source in this study is the movie 500 Days of Summer

(Neustader & Weber, 2006). The main character Tom Hansen which played

by Joseph Gordon-Levitt also will be the main source to be analyze in this

thesis. The other sources for this study are theory of character and

characterization and theory defense mechanism which are collected from

internet to help the writer identify the defense mechanism of the main

character.

3.3 Data Collection

The writer will take the data of this study from a movie 500 Days of

Summer. The procedures of data collecting will be investigated in a few steps:

1. Watching the whole movie entitle 500 Days of Summer

2. Carefully identify the character and characterization and the defense

mechanism of the main character from the movie

3. Sorting the data that has been collected into each category of defense

mechanisms

4. Analyzing the data based on each category of defense mechanisms.

3.4 Data Analysis

After all the data are collected, they are examined and divided according to

problem formulation. The writer tries to collect more theories, these theories

are to answer the problem formulation. The writer also analyzing character

and characterization of the main character in the story which is Tom Hansen,
 31

what kind of person Tom is described in the story. Finally, the writer tries to

conclude the defense mechanism Tom Hansen is undergone in the movie and

sorted it based on each defense mechanism’s Tom Hansen do in the movie.

 CHAPTER 4

DATA FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS

In this chapter, the writer presents the discussion of the research as the

result of the data analysis. This chapter also focuses to answer all the

statements problem in chapter one. This chapter is divided into two

subchapters. First, analyzing the main character in 500 Days of Summer.

Second, analyzing kinds of defense mechanisms that undergone by the main

character of 500 Days of Summer movie.

4.1 The Description of Tom Hansen and Summer Finn in 500 Days of

Summer Movie

This part of analysis discusses how the characters, Tom Hansen and

Summer Finn in 500 Days of Summer Movie are described. This analysis

enhanced the understanding on how the characters are portrayed. The first part

of analysis focuses on how Tom Hansen’s character in general, and then the

writer explains Summer Finn in the next subchapters.

4.1.1 Tom Hansen

Tom Hansen is the main character of this movie that held some

various values in creating his characterization. Tom Hansen childhood has

a massive impact on creating his own value about love because of an

exposure of sad British pop music. Tom Hansen profession is a writer at

greeting card company, he is very good at writing greeting cards, but he

always wants to do something more. Tom Hansen grew up with his

 33

younger sister, Rachel, who always appear to be wiser than Tom himself.

Tom relies on Rachel when he needs relationship counseling.

In the movie, Tom believes that his happiness depends on true

love. Therefore, this concept creates his emotional quality as a determined

and romantic person in the movie. Tom Hansen does a lot of defense

mechanism in this movie because of his relationship problem with

Summer Finn. Tom is also characterized as a denial person who tends to

build his own concept or his own approach in perceiving the reality

especially when it comes to his relationship with Summer Finn. The

evidence proves at 41:55 in the movie when his sister said to Tom,

“Obviously, you are afraid to receive the answer you want.” This

quotation proves the denial of Tom to hear an answer from Summer about

their relationship.

4.1.2 Summer Finn

Summer Finn grows up in Michigan, United States. She is the most

beautiful girl in school. She does not believe in true love because of her

parents divorced. This proved when the narrator described her in the

movie, “Since the disintegration of her parents’ marriage she’d only love

two things. The first was her long dark hair. The second was how easily

she could cut it off and not feel a thing.” Her job is an assistant at a

greeting card company. She is quite good and professional at her job, most

of her friends at work described herself as very neat and organized person.
 34

She likes British pop music, same as Tom Hansen, but her favorite band

when she was in high school is Belle and Sebastian, even Summer Finn

used her favorite lyrics of theirs for her yearbook quote: “Color my life

with the chaos of trouble.”

Summer Finn is the types of person who catches onto song lyric

and makes the lyrics are part of her life, but she is not quick to romanticize

her experiences. She is fun, joyful and attentive. Summer Finn’s

relationship status with Tom Hansen is complicated, when Summer Finn

asks Tom Hansen if he actually believes in love, Tom Hansen responds,

“Well, it’s love. It’s not Santa Claus.” Clearly, their point of view of love

is very different, nonetheless that doesn’t mean they can’t still enjoy the

time they share together.

4.2 The Types of Defense Mechanism is Undergone by The Main Character

in 500 Days of Summer

This part of analysis elaborates the data which are found from the movie

500 Days of Summer by Scott Neutstadter. This research is conducted to find

the defense mechanism used by the main character Tom Hansen to overcome

his anxiety.

Tom Hansen is the main character who has a problem with his relationship

life. Tom believes that his happiness will never exist until Tom finds his true

love. So, that is the reason he creates his emotional quality as a determined

and romantic person in the movie.

 35

From the description above, the types of defense mechanism of Tom

Hansen can be revealed.

(a) Denial

Data 1

Picture 1

In 41:55 from the movie, Rachel said to Tom Hansen: “It’s obvious,

you’re just afraid you’ll get an answer you don’t want, which will shatter

all the illusions of how great these past few months have been.”

This quotation proves the defense mechanism which is denial of Tom

to hear an answer from Summer about their relationship. This denial

occurs during Tom’s heartbreak after being hit by the reality that Summer

resists to see Tom again.

Denial is a defense mechanism that humans do when they reject or

ignore the reality that happened to them. Denial is a technique of defense

by neglecting the reality in order to protect the self from threatening

impulses or events that can cause psychological and emotional problems

(Strickland, 2001)
 36

Data 2

Picture 2

In 46:47 from the movie, Summer said to Tom, “We’re just

friends.” And Tom replies with his defense mechanism, which is denial,

“No! Don’t pull that with me! Don’t even try to- This is not how you treat

a friend.” The quotation proves the denial of Tom to hear an answer from

Summer that they are just friends.

Denial is a defense mechanism that humans do when they reject or

ignore the reality that happened to them. They deliberately reject stimulus

that is considered unpleasant by fantasizing or hallucinating. Denial is also

one-way humans are reluctant to admit to experiencing bad relationships

or bad illnesses. In this context, Tom is experiencing bad relationship with

Summer Finn; that is why Tom Hansen is denying from dialogue above.
 37

Data 3

Picture 3

In 1:23:46 from the movie, in this timeline, Summer already got

married with a man who is not Tom. Tom said to Summer, “You never

wanted to be anyobody’s girlfriend and now you’re somebody’s wife. I

don’t think I’ll ever understand that.”

From that quotation Tom Hansen said, this proves the defense

mechanism, denial. Denial is a defense mechanism that humans do when

they reject or ignore the reality that happened to them. In this case, Tom

actually knows that Summer never wanted to be his’s girlfriend, but Tom

always ignores and denies everything because he loves her too much.

Data 4

Picture 4
 38

In 1:24:35 from the movie, Tom said to Summer, “You know what

sucks? Realizing that everything you believe in is complete and utter

bullshit.” From that quotation above, the context is, before meeting

Summer, Tom believes in destiny and soulmate but, after he is broken

hearted he starts to deny about it. Summer even tells him afterward that

Tom is right, destiny and soulmate is real.

Data 5

Picture 5

In 05:53 from the movie, after Summer said to Tom Hansen that they

should stop seeing each other again. Tom said, “I don’t know. I don’t

care. I’m happy. Aren’t you happy?”. Tom Hansen said this because of

defense mechanism, which is denial. Denial occurs by the way Tom

attributes negative impulses to protect his overwhelming insecurity in the

beginning of the movie where he tries to get close with Summer. This

denial is rooted from his great admiration of Summer. Denial is also one-

way humans are reluctant to admit to experiencing bad relationships which

Tom Hansen experinced in this context.

 39

Denial is also a defense mechanism that humans do when they reject

or ignore the reality that happened to them. From the context, Tom Hansen

ignores the reality that he does not want to be in a friendzone relationship

with Summer. However, because he does not want to ruin their friendzone

relationship, he gets along with it. Denial is a technique of defense by

neglecting the reality in order to protect themselves from threatening

impulses or events that can cause psychological and emotional problems

(Strickland, 2001)

Data 6

Picture 6

In 07:01 from the movie, Tom said “Well, they’re lying. I don’t want

to get over her.” From that dialogue above, Tom Hansen’s friends tell him

that he should forget Summer because there are many girls in this world.

However, Tom disagrees with all of his friends’ advice as a form of denial.
 40

Tom Hansen still does not want to forget her, and he still believes that

Summer is the one for him.

He rejects or ignore the reality that happened to him. He refuses the

reality that Summer Finn does not want to be in a serious relationship with

him. He fools himself about the reality of his relationship situation, and

from that context proves one of examples of defense mechanism which is

denial. Denial is one-way humans are reluctant to admit to experiencing

bad relationships which Tom Hansen experienced in this context.

Data 7

Picture 7

In 48:48 from the movie, Tom hansen said “Look, we don’t have to

put a label on ot. That is fine, I get it.”. From the context, Tom Hansen

said that he is fine to become friends with Summer which in reality He is

not okay with it. From that example above, Tom Hansen is doing a

defense mechanism which is denial.

 41

Data 8

Picture 8

In 25:52 from the movie, Tom Hansen’s friend said to him “The same

girl you have been obsessing over for weeks now?” and Tom Hansen

quickly replies with, “I have not been obsessing. This is clearly a prove of

denial from Tom Hansen, He said that he was not obsessed with Summer

Finn, but deep down from his heart he was very obsessed with Summer

Finn.

Data 9

Picture 9

In 40:45 from the movie, Tom hansen said “We don’t need to put

labels on it. I mean boyfriend girlfriend. All that stuff is reallyjuvenile.”

 42

The context from that dialogue, Tom Hansen said that he does not need to

be a boyfriend of Summer Finn as long as he is close with her. But, in

reality he really wants to be Summer’s boyfriend. Because of that, that

scene is the prove of Tom Hansen defense mechanism which is denial.

Denial is a defense mechanism that humans do when they reject or

ignore the reality that happened to them. Tom Hansen from that example

is really want to have a relationship status with Summer Finn but because

Summer does not want that status in their relationship, Tom Hansen doing

a defense mechanism which is denial. He is trying to accept and ignore the

reality with his relationship as long as he is close with Summer Fin

 43

Data 10

Picture 10

In 31:07 from the movie, Tom Hansen said “She wants to keep it

casual, which is why she’s in my bed right now.” The context from that

picture, Summer Finn is in his bed and she said she does not want a real

relationship with Tom Hansen, she wants to keep it casual. Tom Hansen

confuses and is sad at the same time in that moment, he was doing a

defense mechanism denial and ran into a bathroom in disbelieve about his

relationship condition.

Denial is a defense mechanism that humans do when they reject or

ignore the reality that happened to them, from that example Tom Hansen

is happy Summer Finn wants to sleep with him but in the other way he

does not like sleeping with her without a status in their relationship, so that

is the reason he is doing a defense mechanism denial.

 44

(b) Sublimation
Data 1

Picture 11

In 1:14:51 from the movie, Tom Hansen was doing a meeting

with his co-workers and his boss, Tom said, “Sorry, I’m Sorry. Uh, I quit,

there is enough bullshit in the world without my help.” The context is,

Tom is doing a defense mechanism which is sublimation, he decides to

create his new path life of pursuing his dream of becoming an architect, so

he quit his current job. Sublimation is a way human deal with problem or

bad feeling and revert it into something useful. When people had problem,

they had a lot of things to do, sometimes people did a defense mechanism

called sublimation. People tried to change their bad problem into

something useful, precisely sublimation is a positive defense mechanism

for humans. From that context above, Tom Hansen is doing defense

mechanism sublimation because of his sadness, he quit his job and pursue

his dream to become an architect.

 45

Data 2

In 1:00:04 from the movie,Picture

Tom 12 hansen was depressed and broken

heart because of Summer Finn. Tom decided to do defense mechanism

which is Sublimation, in 1:00:02 from the movie, Tom Hansen said, “I got

a great idea.” The context is, he wants try to forget about his problem

which is broken heart so he decided to do karaoke in the bar. This proves

the defense mechanism of Tom Hansen, Sublimation. Sublimation is a

way human deal with problem or bad feeling and revert it into something

useful. When people had problem they had a lot of things to do, sometimes

people did a defense mechanism. In this context, Tom Hansen is sad and

broken hearted so he is trying to entertain himself by singing in the bar.

From that action, there is a prove that Tom Hansen is doing a defense

mechanism which is sublimation. Sublimation is a positive defense

mechanism that people can experience.

 46

Data 3

Picture 13

In 1:26:47 from the movie, after Tom Hansen realizing that Summer

Finn is not the one. He decided to move on and said to Summer, “I really

do hope that you are happy.” After that, in the next scene shows Tom

Hansen’s defense mechanism which is sublimation where he tried to do

interview for his new job. Sublimation is when people tried to change their

bad problem into something useful, precisely sublimation is a positive

defense mechanism for humans. Because of his heart broken he decided to

find a new atmosphere for his life, so he does an interview for a new job.
 47

(c) Displacement

Data 1

Picture 14

In 04:36 from the movie, the defense mechanism which is

displacement happen to Tom Hansen. Displacement is depicted where

heartbroken Tom who is been told by Summer to stop seeing her again,

Tom is sad with Summer reaction and breaks some plates in his apartment

as his friends seek help from his sister to come over and stop him from

destroying other things in his apartment.

Displacement is a way for human to divert negative emotions that

happens to them and divert them into a less threatening recipient. From

that context, Tom Hansen is doing a defense mechanism called

displacement because he diverts his negative emotions by breaking the

plates in his apartment.

 48

Data 2

Picture 15

In 45:11 from the movie, Tom Hansen angry and hit Summer’s friends

because he said he didn’t believe that Tom Hansen is Summer’s

girlfriends, Summer’s friend said “I can’t believe that is your boyfriend.”.

Summer’s friend said that to mock Tom Hansen in front of Summer Finn.

After Summer’s friend said that, Tom Hansen angry and hit him in the

face, that action of Tom Hansen called defense mechanism which is

displacement. This defense mechanism has a negative effect on the person

that experienced it.

Displacement is a way for human to divert negative emotions that

happens to them and divert them into a less threatening recipient. This

statement also supports by Jess Feist in his book. Displacement is a

defense mechanism that is applied by people to threatened or give

dangerous motive toward other powerless people (Feist et al, 2008).

 49

From the context above, Tom Hansen divert his negative emotions by

punching people because of that Tom Hansen is doing a defense

mechanism called displacement.

Data 3

Picture 16

In 58:02 from the movie, Tom Hansen wants to go home from his

work, he was already upset by Summer Finn and at work his boss is really

annoyed him so much until made Tom Hansen yelled “I hate this song”

while he is listening to the music in the bus and that made him got thrown

out of the bus by the bus driver.

The context from that picture Tom Hansen is really upset with

Summer Finn because Summer Finn rejects Tom Hansen’s love, the

reason Tom Hansen yelled “I hate this song” because he is doing a

defense mechanism which is displacement. Displacement is a way for

human to divert negative emotions that happens to them and Tom Hansen

is upset and divert his negative emotions by yelling at transportation

public.
 50

D. Reaction Formation

Data 1

Picture 17

In 1:22:21 from the movie, Tom Hansen said “I guess I should say

congratulations.” From the context above, Tom Hansen said

congratulations for Summer’s married with her new husband. Deep down

in his heart, Tom Hansen is still broken hearted and sad with Summer Finn

marrying other man. Because of that, this prove Tom Hansen defense

mechanism which is reaction formation.

Reaction Formation is a way of people contradicts unacceptable or

anxious thoughts or feelings. Reaction Formation is a way of protecting

the human mind from unpleasant thoughts or feelings. As Fadillah (2018)

stated, Reaction formation is able to prevent an individual behaves that

produce anxiety and often can prevent antisocial.

 51

Data 2

Picture 18

In 43:01 from the movie, Tom asked Summer Finn “What’s going

on here with us?” From that context, Tom Hansen asks about their

relationship status which Summer replies with, “I don’t know, who cares?

I’m happy, aren’t you happy?” and Tom Hansen just said, “Yeah good”.

From that dialog above, Tom Hansen is doing defense mechanism which is

reaction formation, Tom is hiding his unpleasent feelings by saying that he

is happy with his relationship status with Summer Finn.

Reaction Formation is a way of people contradicts unacceptable or

anxious thoughts or feelings. Reaction Formation is a way of protecting

the human mind from unpleasant thoughts or feelings. Reaction Formation

is also a way of people expressing the opposite of their true feelings. That

explanation proves Tom Hansen doing defense mechanism reaction

formation.
 52

Data 3

Picture 19

In 17:23, Tom Hansen said to his friend “I can’t go even if I

wanted”. From that dialogue, his friend invited Tom to attend to an office

party because Summer will be there, but Tom refuses his friend and said

he does not want to come. Deep down in his heart he really wants to meet

summer in the office party, from that context Tom Hansen is doing a

defense mechanism called reaction formation.

He does not want to meet Summer Finn because he is still broken

hearted and wanted to act tough in front of his friend. Reaction Formation

is a way of people contradicts unacceptable or anxious thoughts or feelings

and from that picture above, Tom Hansen is doing a reaction formation.
 CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

5.1 Conclusion

This movie illustrates several types of defense mechanisms regarding

Tom Hansen character such as denial, sublimation, displacement and

reaction formation. These types of defense mechanism operate differently

on how Tom Hansen deals with the triggering impulses coming from

Summer Finn. Hence, after the writer analyzing previous chapters, the

writer can conclude that there are 19 defense mechanisms that Tom

Hansen undergone in 500 Days of Summer Movie. There are 10 denials, 3

sublimations, 3 displacements and 3 reaction formations. However,

defense mechanisms such as substitution, repression, rationalization, and

suppression are not found in this movie.

In addition, the explanation above shows the flow of defense

mechanism. The strongest defense mechanism that Tom Hansen used in

the movie is denial. He did that defense mechanism to reject or ignore the

reality that happened to him. When Tom Hansen face a problem with

something painful or sad, he tends to be denial with his own situation

especially with his relationship with Summer Finn.

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Then, Tom Hansen performed sublimation when he dealt with problem

or bad feeling and revert it into something useful, this defense mechanism

is one of the positive defense mechanisms that can people experience.

Moreover, Tom Hansen also used displacement in the movie, when Tom

Hansen has negative feelings towards one person and he revert it into

another for example breaking plates in his kitchen when he is angry.

The last are reaction formation, Tom Hansen did a defense mechanism

which reaction formation to protect his mind from unpleasant thoughts or

feelings and expressing the opposite of his true feelings.

5.2 Suggestion

The focus of this study is on defense mechanism which is reflected in this

movie, 500 Days of Summer. Moreover, the results of this study show how

Tom Hansen using his defense mechanism to dealt with his relationship

problems. Students who are interested in the same field should take a deeper

look at the defense mechanism issue, because defense mechanism is very

related to our social life and we as humans will experience this defense

mechanism eventually. Moreover, the different views and theoretical

guidelines used on this subject will widen and deepen the analysis. The writer

hopes this study can help enrich the insights of other writers and readers

regarding defense mechanism and provide useful information for further

study in the same field.

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