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Aja Two Crows

Prof. Adrian Daub
Master Thinkers
27 Jul. 2016
Merging Dreams and Reality: Sigmund Freuds Dream Theory and Satoshi Kons Paprika
The psyche is an unknown frontier that Sigmund Freud sought to conquer. Freud
attempted to do this by using psychoanalysis to delve into the confusing dreams of his patient.
Though many of his theories are now outdated, Freud himself stands the of time. Freud's work
on dreams, in particular, continue to fascinate the general population. In the 2006 film Paprika

by renowned filmmaker Satoshi Kon, applications of Freuds theories show his lasting impact.
Paprika is a Japanese animated film that explores the dream world. Many of Freuds ideas assist
in interpreting the psychedelic dream sequences in Kons movie.
The film Paprika shows the
relevance of Sigmund Freuds theory about dreams, while also illuminating the flaws in his
ideas.
Freuds theories regarding dreams tend to lead back to three things that make up the
psyche1 : the id, superego, and ego. Freud describes the id as the dark, inaccessible part of our
personality . . . We approach the id with analogies: we call it a chaos, a cauldron full of seething
excitations . . . It is filled with energy reaching it from the instincts, but it has no organization,
produces no collective will, but only a striving to bring about the satisfaction of the instinctual
needs, (Freud, New 106). This part of the psyche is purely instinctual and represents a more
wild part of the human being. It houses the libido, the life instinct, and the death drive. The libido

The human mind including the unconscious and subconscious.

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being those instincts which have to do with all that may be comprised under the word 'love,
(Freud, Group 29), some call libido the sex drive. The death drive is an urge in organic life to
restore an earlier state of things, (Freud, Freud 612). The death drive is a part of Freuds later
work during the rise of fascism in modern Europe. It is one of his dark ideas because it posits
that a subconscious part of humans wants to die. This functions with the life instinct which
strive[s] towards gaining pleasure, (Freud, Freud 302). Similarly to the libido, the pleasure
principle aims to make the organism happy. The ego attempts to mediate between id and reality,
it is often obliged to cloak the [unconscious] commands of the id . . . to be taking notice of
reality even when the id has remained rigid and unyielding, (Freud, New 110). The quote
means that the ego is the reason in a person that defies the desires of the id if they are
unreasonable or impractical. The superego can be described as a successful instance of
identification with the parental agency, (Freud, New 95), this means that the superego is the
morals instilled in the child by their parents. All of these function together to create a human
being. They are a system of checks and balances for the mind and understanding them allow
incite into the way dreams work.
One of the key elements of dream interpretation is the understanding that dreams fulfill
wishes. Freud called dreams the guardian of sleep, (Freud, Freud 167). He said the content
of a dream is the representation of is a fulfilled wish and that its obscurity is due to alterations in
in repressed material, (Freud, Freud 167). This means that dreams fulfill wishes that are, in
some instance, inappropriate. For example, in Freuds interpretation of a dream he had, he is
upset because he struggles to cure a patient named Irma (Freud, Freud 140). The wish
fulfillment comes in the form of Freuds happiness in finding that he is not responsible for her

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continuing sickness and, in fact, that it is Otto, his colleague and friends, fault because he did
not clean the syringe used on Irma (Freud, Freud 140). Through dream analysis like this, Freud
describes the idea of dream work. The dream work is created by the transformation of the latent
content into the manifest content (Freud, Freud 148). This dream work is extremely crucial to
the mind, but the subconscious hides it from the dreamer. This is but one important aspect of
Freuds extensive work.
Another part of Freuds theory on dreams in condensation. Condensation is when
multiple things that have something in common come together as one object or entity (Freud,
Freud 148). In Freuds dream in The Interpretation of Dreams, he condenses a patient who did
not take his advice with a patient who did (Freud, Freud 136). He notes that he would have
liked the patient who took his advice to take the place of the one who did not. Condensation is a
defense mechanism (Berger), and Freud saw his own use of condensation to protect him from his
worries. When a subject or psychoanalyst understands the objects of condensation, it helps reveal
the many layers in a dream and the many issues a person may face in their life. In Freuds dream,
the fusion of two people allowed him to understand what he wants.
Displacement is another function of dreams. Displacement is a defense mechanism where
the subject diverts their aggression from one object to another (Freud, Freud 155). This
appears in one of Freuds patients. This patient did not like his sister-in-law and called her a dog
(McLeod). The patient then dreamt of killing a dog. The patient displaced the actual object of his
anger with a dog. Displacements can also become so ingrained that they become symbols to
the dreamer (Felluga). This shows a negativity to displacement when it becomes recurring
because the subject does not deal with the real issues.

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One of the subject matters that makes Freud seem antiquated and misogynistic is his
views on women and love. According to Psychology Today writer Michael Bruce, Freud writes
that a "virtuous and reputable" woman is never charming enough to be the object of love,
(Bruce). The quote shows Freud at his most pass. The only way to make Freuds claim true is to
argue his definition of love and whether Freud speaks of real, unsullied love or just love in
general; despite that, his views are still ridiculous. There are certainly people who love others
despite the fact that they are not virtuous or reputable, like criminals who love each other. Freud
says that to be loved is a stronger motive for [women] than to love, (Freud, New 132). The
statement yet another misogynistic view of women because of the assertion that women are so
immoral that they do not love others, they seek to be loved first. The evidence of Freuds old
view on women show why Freud is not infallible and why his views do not have the power they
once did. Like many other philosophers, the views that transcend Freuds time2 are the ones that
last because past social norms do not taint them.
The dreaming world and the waking world, day and night, light and dark: there is a
duality to human lives between being awake and asleep. The dreams and the humans who
possess them are one in the same: the dream makes the person while the person makes the
dream. Freuds theories about the dreaming show the importance of separation and coexistence
of the two states. Dreaming is essential for working out problems, and it allows the dreamer
relief in the form of wish fulfillment. Freud experiences this in his dream in The Interpretation of
Dreams with his current patient at the time when he discovers that he is not the cause of her

Freud was born in 1856 and lived most of his life in the cosmopolitan capital of Austria, Vienna. This means that
he lived most of his life in the Victorian Era which lasted from 1837-1901. This was a time when women became
more feminist, but many people still believed that a womans place was in the kitchen and they were generally
thought of as less than men.
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continuing suffering (Freud, Freud 140). But what if dreams and reality were not separate? Of
course, this could never possibly happen today but, in examining the question, a deeper
understanding of the function of dreams can develop. Satoshi Kons Paprika explores what
occurs when the dreaming and waking world collide.
Paprika is Satoshi Kons examination of dreams and lives of the people who dream them.
It combines Kons masterful editing, screenwriting, and design to show a wondrous world where
a team of scientists created a device called the DC Mini that allows people to view other peoples
dreams. Thieves steal Two DC Minis from the overweight genius, Tokita, who invented them
(Kon). This is incredibly dangerous because he did not add access restrictions before it was
stolen. The whole project faced opposition from the Chairman of the Board of Directors at the
hospital where Tokita created the DC Mini, but the Chairman, along with Doctor Morio Osanai,
is the one who stole the devices to achieve his desires (Kon). The Chairman and Osanai begin to
use the devices to invade and manipulate the dreams of others. This causes many of the victims
to go insane and, sometimes, try to commit suicide. The climax of the film occurs when dreams
and reality merge (Kon). The main characters, Doctor Atsuko Chiba, Detective Toshimi
Konakawa, Doctor Toratar Shima, and Chibas alter ego Paprika work against the Chairman
and Doctor Morio Osanai to save the world from the reckless use of the DC Mini (Kon). The
film also features a subplot that deals with Konakawas attempts to understand his dreams with
the aid of Paprika. Though the movies presentation is breathtaking and a bit bizarre, Freuds
principles can help make sense of many of the dreams and the characters themselves.
In Paprika, wish fulfillment is crucial to the character development of the
wheelchair-bound Doctor Seijir The Chairman Inui (the antagonist). At first, the character

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seems only to disapprove of the DC Mini; however, Chiba uncovers that he is the thefts
perpetrator (Kon). He rationalizes the crime by saying that the DC Mini destroys the refuge that
is the dreaming world (Kon). When dreams and reality merge, a black hole begins to devour the
city and, from the black hole, the Chairman emerges as a giant version of himself on two strong
legs. He says, I can control the dreams and even deaths . . . I shall heal all deficiencies, (Kon).
According to Freud, this is a realization of his wish. Though he makes himself out to be a savior
of humanity, the dream shows that he wanted to be strong again and, more so, that he intends to
be in control which is the reason for his emergence. He is a gigantic, black, and transparent
version of himself (Kon). The Chairmans wish is realized in his dream the way Freud posits
dreams are supposed to function. However, the wish has very negative consequences because it
occurs in reality and in dreaming.
Doctor Atsuko Chiba is a strong, smart woman, and part of the DC Mini team, and, for
most of the film, she is the viewer of the dream. On the side of working with the DC Mini team,
Chiba uses the devices to help cure peoples illnesses with her alter ego Paprika. She helped Dr.
Shima cure his depression before the start of the film, and she helps Konakawa when the film
begins, all while she poses as Paprika (Kon). In the end of the movie, when dreams and reality
merge, Chiba, a large transparent version of herself, hugs Tokita--who, at this point in the bizarre
dream/reality, is a gigantic childs robot--and nuzzles herself into him (Kon). This is a shock to
the audience because even though it was evident she cared for him, it was was not clear that she
loved him, especially because she made harsh comments about his weight and maturity. This is
her wish fulfilled. She wants to be with Tokita. The audience also understands that this is an
ongoing wish when a flashback shows Tokita and Chiba in the same position as mentioned

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above, but in an elevator where they tease each other. Chibas dream shows a part of her that was
unclear to the audience. The beginning of the film makes her appear sharp and sometimes coarse,
but the image of her cuddling with Tokita softens her and makes her character more realistic.
Paprika--the character--also develops Chibas character because the audience understands
Chiba more because she created Paprika. Paprika and Chiba do not look the same. This is to
conceal Paprikas true identity because what Chiba does is a crime as the DC Mini is in
development (Kon). While Chiba is striking and sharp with black hair and blue eyes, Paprika is
cute and sweet with red hair and brown doe eyes (Kon). This is a possible dream wish. Though it
is not touched on in the film, it is interesting the Chibas alternate ego is nothing like her.
Paprika's appearance could indicate that Chiba wishes to be more fun and playful like Paprika, or
it could show her desire to look a different way. Chiba is in control of Paprika so, Paprika fulfills
Chibas wishes.
Paprika opens with the dreams of Detective Toshimi Konakawa. The viewer learns that
Konakawa hired Paprika to help him understand his dreams. All of the dreams show Konakawa
begin attacked by an unknown figure that Konakawa then pursues with the aid of Paprika. The
dream culminates in the image of a man being shot while the murderer figure flees. (Kon)
Konakawa tries to catch him, but he is unable to because the floor slips away (Kon). The dreams
are all connected with match cuts3 to show the intertwined nature of all of them. Throughout the
story, the dreams nature is revealed. The unknown figure is Konakawa himself, and the
murderer is his dead best friend. Konakawa confesses that, in high school, his best friend and he

Match Cuts are shots connected by a graphic match. In Paprika, Konakawas dreams are connected by match
cuts. One, in which he is being strangled, ends with Paprika hitting the man over the head with a briefcase. The next
scene opens with Paprika hitting someone over the head with a guitar. The two graphically match so they are a
match cut.
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planned to go to film school and even produced a short film together about a police officer
chasing a criminal who was once his best friend. Thus the dream shows Konakawas shame in
the fact that he did not go to film school with his friend, opting to become a detective instead.
The fact that Konakawa is also the unknown figure who tries to kill him in the intertwined
dreams means that Konakawa may feel that in his decision to become a detective, he killed his
spirit or passion. The murder victim is not only Konakawa in his dream, but it is a real murder
victim in the case Konakawa is working on. This is a condensation of worries in his life: the dead
man and himself. His inability to catch the masked figure shows his remorse that he is--at that
point--unable to find the culprit. Freuds theory of condensation helps unveil the mysterious
dreams and their hidden meanings. Konakawas dreams are excellent examples of how Satoshi
Kon uses dreams to develop the characters and give the audience a deeper sense of who they are.
Konakawa dreams are painful which is why he displaces certain aspects of his dream. In
the dreams presented at the beginning of the film, Konakawa displaces himself for the murder
victim whose case he is investigating. He does this because of the pain of his decisions. Not only
because he did not go to film school with his friend, but, because of the jealousy that he felt
towards his friend, the friendship dissolved (Kon). When his best friend got sick and died, he did
not tell Konakawa (Kon), signifying the complete close of their friendship. The weight of his
decisions is too much for him to deal with so he displaces his concerns for his life with the
concern of finding a dead man's murderer. Konakawa struggles with the weight of his actions,
and when the pressure is too high, the image in his dream is displaced with another.
The Chairman want to be powerful and strong and he is driven by the death drive and the
life instinct. In his rationalizations about stealing the DC Mini, his thought process appears to be

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run by the life instinct. Nevertheless, like most of when the Chairman does, it is deceitful. In fact,
the Chairmans actual desires are driven by the death drive. This is true because many of the
action he takes are unsustainable. At the climax of the film when he becomes so large that he
does not fit in the frame, he is very destructive. Though he is large and in control of his body for
the first time, the city is being devoured and falling into darkness, which is his doing (Kon). So,
even if no one stopped him, he would still perish in the sinking city and have no one to worship
him. This is incredibly destructive and indicative of the Chairmans death drive.
Doctor Morio Osanai is tall, strong, smart and handsome, and, with an eye used to
watching American blockbusters, a viewer might assume that he will be Chibas love interest.
The viewer is not completely wrong. Though Chiba feels nothing for Osanai, he loves her. He
works with the Chairman, and the plan was to kill the DC Mini team, but he wants to save her
and even literally rips her body out of Paprikas form (Kon). This is an instance where Freuds
theory on women can not apply. Freud said a virtuous and reputable women is never charming
enough to be the object of love. Chiba is reputable in her field as a leader of the DC Mini project.
She is a virtuous person even though she has flaws. Despite this, Osanai loves her. She is a
woman who by Freuds standards should not be loved, but she is.
Like with dreams and reality, the movie has a duality that comes from the plot and the
cinematography. The cinematography in the film is some of Kon and the studio Madhouses best
work. Kon emphasizes the difference between the dream and the real world by using matching
scene transitions. These match cuts also connect the dreams to other dreams. Kons film also
demands attention. Kon sometimes skips the result of an action only to reveal it later. For
instance, when the thieves of the DC Mini invade Shimas mind he jumps out a window. Though

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the audience only sees the beginning of the jump, the aftermath is shown after his a scene in
between the jump and his hospitalization. Kon also enjoys using ellipses in the film. When
Paprika and Konakawa get a drink, the waiter appears, and the Kon uses the ellipses, and the
next shot is them clinking their drinks. The subject, of course, lends itself to the duality of the
waking and dreaming world. It shows a dangerous world where dreams and the waking world
collide. And, in this, Satoshi Kon proves the importance of the duality. Dreams are uninhibited
and wild. They can be a recreation of various movies like Konakawas were, or giant parades
made of singing refrigerators and dolls like Shimas was, or ever a dream where someone can fly
with fairy wings and fight of live tree branches like Paprikas. But, of course, these dreams are
not practical or possible in real life. When dreams and reality merged, anything was possible.
This led to the Chairman almost destroying the city. The plot and the cinematography show the
duality the human experience with their day and with their lives.
Humans were always fascinated by their dreams and neither Sigmund Freud nor Satoshi
Kon could resist an examination of the temporary state everyone visits in the night. Freud
developed his ideas on dreams in tandem with his ideas on the id, the superego, and the ego. The
elaborated on dreams as a wish by showing the defense mechanisms condensation and
displacement. Freud also explored the very nature of motivation with the pleasure principle, the
libido, and the death drive. He tried to explain heterosexual love but fail in that attempt to
discard his societal bias. Freuds work juxtaposed with Kons shows the importance of dreaming
itself. With the ideas in mind, the viewer can interpret the characters better in Satoshi Kons
2006 film Paprika. An examination of the movie with Freuds principles show his continued
relevance because his work allows different interpretations of unclear works. An interpretation of

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Paprika through a Freudian lens shows the parts of Freuds theory of dreams that endure and
those that do not.

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Works Cited
Bruce, Michael. "All Your Girlfriends Are the Same: Freud's Conditions for Love."Psychology
Today. Psychology Today, 8 Feb. 2011. Web. 23 July 2016.
Felluga, Dino. "Introduction to Sigmund Freud, Module on Repression."Introduction to Sigmund
Freud, Module on Repression. N.p., 17 July 2002. Web. 26 July 2016.
Freud, Sigmund. New Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis. New York: Norton, 1965. Print.
Freud, Sigmund. The Freud Reader. Ed. Peter Gay. New York: W.W. Norton, 1989. Print.
Kon, Satoshi, dir. Paprika. Madhouse, 2006. Film.
McLeod, Saul. "Sigmund Freud." Freud's Theories. Simply Psychology, 2013. Web. 24 July
2016.