Exploring Teacher Identity and Psychological Dynamics through Freudian Analysis: A Case Study of The Teacher’s Diary (2014)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59024/ijellacush.v4i1.1603Keywords:
Defense Mechanisms, Emotional Intelligence, Id Ego Superego, Moral Purpose, Psychoanalytic TheoryAbstract
This study examines the psychological dynamics of teachers as portrayed in the Thai film “The Teacher’s Diary” (2014) using Freud’s psychoanalytic theory of id, ego, and superego, alongside defense mechanisms. The research employs qualitative content analysis, focusing on key scenes that reveal the emotional, moral, and reflective behaviors of the main characters, Song and Ann. Results indicate that both teachers manage internal conflicts and external challenges through rationalization, sublimation, intellectualization, and moral commitment, demonstrating resilience, reflective practice, and ethical awareness. The discussion connects these findings with contemporary theories of effective teaching, emphasizing emotional intelligence, moral purpose, and reflective practice as core competencies for teacher development. The study highlights how cinematic narratives can provide valuable insights into teacher identity, professional growth, and the integration of personal and professional competencies in education.
References
Ahn, C., & Leggo, C. (2019). Teachers in film: Always in process. Canadian Journal of Education, 42(1).
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Prentice-Hall.
Chen, M. R. A., Hwang, G. J., & Chang, Y. Y. (2019). A reflective thinking-promoting approach to enhancing graduate students’ flipped learning engagement, participation behaviors, reflective thinking and project learning outcomes. British Journal of Educational Technology, 50(5). https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12823
Day, C., & Gu, Q. (2010). The new lives of teachers. Routledge.
Fatwassani, R., Fitriati, S. W., & Bharati, D. A. L. (2019). Students' perceptions of reflective practices (RP) implementation to learn critical thinking (CT) in class discussions (CD). English Education Journal, 9(2). https://doi.org/10.15294/eej.v9i1.27748
Ghufron, M. A., & Jayatri, Y. (2022). Analisis karakter tokoh utama dalam film animasi Soul karya Pete Docter tahun 2020 (Kajian psikologi sastra). SINASTRA: Prosiding Seminar Nasional Bahasa, Seni, Dan Sastra, 1.
Goleman, D. (2020). Emotional intelligence. Bantam Books.
Heri Isnaini, Sifa Khaerunnisa, & Kalyska Khusnul Khotimah. (2023). Analisis kepribadian Kim Ji Young dalam budaya patriarki: Analisis teori Sigmund Freud dalam film Kim Ji Young, Born 1982. Morfologi: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, Bahasa, Sastra Dan Budaya, 1(6). https://doi.org/10.61132/morfologi.v1i6.82
Jasmail, J. (2022). The personality structure and defense mechanism of the main character in Tully film (2018). English Language, Linguistics, Literature, And Education Journal, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.30631/ellture.v4i2.43
Lee, J.-H. (2018). The unconscious meaning of the zombie in Train to Busan and Seoul Station: Centering on the psychoanalytic theories of Freud and Klein. The Journal of Contemporary Psychoanalysis, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.18873/jlcp.2018.02.20.1.76
Nguyễn, B. T. T., Trần, N. T. T., & Hoàng, N. T. L. (2020). Vietnamese EFL students’ critical thinking via reflective journals in EFL literature classes. Hue University Journal of Science: Social Sciences and Humanities, 129(6B). https://doi.org/10.26459/hueuni-jssh.v129i6b.5786
Noddings, N. (2005). The challenge to care in schools: An alternative approach to education. Teachers College Press.
Novika, R., Candraningrum, D., & Setyabudi, T. (2014). Pursuing happiness in Eat Pray Love movie (2010) directed by Ryan Murphy: A psychoanalytic approach. JoLLIET, 1(1).
Procter, L. (2020). Fostering critically reflective thinking with first-year university students: Early thoughts on implementing a reflective assessment task. Reflective Practice, 21(4). https://doi.org/10.1080/14623943.2020.1773421
Rafaila, E. (2015). The competent teacher for teaching emotional intelligence. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.02.253
Rogers, C. R. (1969). Freedom to learn: A view of what education might become. C.E. Merrill Pub. Co.
Schön, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Basic Books.
Schwarz-Franco, O. (2016). Teachers in film: Inspiration for autonomous and transformative teaching or a warning against it? Universal Journal of Educational Research, 4(5). https://doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2016.040509
Sockett, H. (1993). The moral base for teacher professionalism. Teachers College Press.
Suntiah, R. (2021). Students’ critical thinking skills in the reflective class of Islamic cultural history. Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.15575/jpi.v7i2.15060
Tharatorn, N. (Director). (2014). The teacher’s diary [Video recording]. GMM Thai Hub.
Zarezadeh, T. (2013). The effect of emotional intelligence in English language learning. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.06.745
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal of Education, Language, Literature, Arts, Culture, and Social Humanities

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.





