Examples Of Existentialism In I Heart Huckabees

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“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom,” said Aristotle, a famous Greek philosopher. This reasoning comes from the idea that the more a person understands about themself, the more they can learn about humanity and the world around them. Discovering one’s true identity not only means getting in touch with one’s conscious self, but also knowing everything that is repressed and denied. I Heart Huckabees, an American comedy film, explores the idea of existentialism and the process of searching for one’s identity. Albert, Dawn, and Tom are (three characters from the movie that are) successful in dismantling and getting down to their essential true selves by accepting their shadow, taking responsibility for their own life, and polarizing…show more content…
Initially, he seeks the existential detectives Bernard and Vivian Jaffe when he encounters coincidental incidents with an African man. As the Jaffes help Albert dismantle himself, signs of his shadow begin to reveal. (According to Dr. Carl G. Jung, the shadow is everything in a person’s mind that is unconscious or underdeveloped. Most people deny and cast their shadow onto others in order to avoid confronting it in themself. However, once a person accepts their shadow, they can discover their true self.) Unsatisfied with the Jaffe’s results, Albert follows Tom and meets Caterine. Caterine is a former student of the Jaffes, and she makes Albert realize that her theory and the Jaffe’s philosophy are connecting ideas. Through these ideas, Albert eventually realizes that Brad, an executive at Huckabees, is his shadow. Albert chooses to confront his shadow by asking Brad “ Who is that? You or me? ” (I Heart Huckabees) as he is holding a picture of Brad crying. Albert has finally reached self actualization by accepting Brad as his shadow. Other than Albert, Dawn is another character in this movie who is successful in finding her true
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  • Examples Of Existentialism In I Heart Huckabees

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    more they can learn about humanity and the world around them. Discovering one’s true identity not only means getting in touch with one’s conscious self, but also knowing everything that is repressed and denied. I Heart Huckabees, an American comedy film, explores the idea of existentialism and the process of searching for one’s identity. Albert, Dawn, and Tommy are successful in dismantling and getting down to their essential true selves by accepting their shadow, taking responsibility for their own

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