Since it can be difficult to recognize the film
character’s deficiency in yourself, you again might
want to use a couple of tricks.
- Remember a time in your life when a
well-meaning person told you that he noticed
the same negative attitude or trait as that
displayed by the movie character. - Perhaps you briefly regretted having behaved
like that movie character but did not think
about it afterwards. Reconsider this initial
thought again. - Ignore shortcomings in this movie character
that seem absolutely foreign to your own.
Take some slow deep breaths and listen
inwardly. Describe how the movie character’s
deficiencies remind you of yourself, even if you have
experienced such shortcomings only in exceptional
situations. Note the moments you remember when
you were most in touch with these normally
unconscious parts. Do this for every shortcoming
in the film character that you identified.
Did you dislike a film character that seemed
absolutely different from you and with whom you
believe you shared no common traits? Are you
certain you are not projecting previously disowned
shortcomings on them? What do you believe is the
reason for your emotional response? Have you, or
somebody you care about, been emotionally hurt or
disappointed by someone of whom this character
reminds you? Contemplate how you could find
emotional healing.
Ta ke the most important points of your exploration
about your projected shortcomings and write them
into Quadrant IV of your Self Matrix on page 138.
Self-Discovery Through Film Characters — The Self Matrix 153