Essays on Black Swan

There are a few different ways to interpret the film Black Swan in terms of mental illness. One could argue that the film represents the mental illness of perfectionism, as the main character Nina is driven to the brink of insanity by her need to be perfect. Alternatively, one could interpret the film as representing the mental illness of dissociative identity disorder, as Nina begins to lose touch with reality and starts to believe that she is the black swan.

Nina (Natalie Portman) is a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her retired ballerina mother Erica (Barbara Hershey) who zealously controls her every move, pushing her to achieve perfection in her craft. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Mila Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents eroticism and sensuality. Leroy pushes Nina to reach her potential, but as the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina's dark side begins to emerge. As the pressure to be perfect builds, Nina begins to lose touch with reality, and her grip on sanity slowly begins to unravel.Nina has a number of mental disorders that are evident throughout the film. She is diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, and also suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, and psychosis. Nina is a perfectionist who is driven to be the best dancer in the company. She is extremely self-critical and has a fear of failure. These qualities lead to her developing an eating disorder, as she restricts her food intake in order to stay thin and maintain her ballet body. She also develops obsessive-compulsive behaviors, such as repeatedly washing her hands and obsessively checking her appearance in the mirror.As Nina becomes more and more obsessed with becoming the perfect Swan Queen, she starts to lose touch with reality. She has hallucinations and starts to believe that she is the Black Swan. She becomes paranoid and suspicious of those around her, and she starts to act out in violent and erratic ways. Ultimately, Nina's mental disorders lead to her downfall, as she is unable to cope with the pressure of being perfect and she spirals into a psychotic break.