Psychological Development and Redemption: Analyzing the Film Tsotsi

This essay offers a psychoanalytical examination of the film 'Tsotsi,' exploring the protagonist's transformation from a life of crime to redemption. The analysis delves into the impact of childhood experiences, the influence of external forces, and the protagonist's evolving psychological state. The paper discusses key scenes, such as the opening dice scene, and the significance of flashbacks, examining how these elements contribute to the character's moral and emotional development. The analysis incorporates insights from various sources, including Wedding, Wongpakaran, and Wongpakaran (2017), Lahera et al. (2017), Hesselink and Jordaan (2018), and Cooke (2016), to provide a comprehensive understanding of Tsotsi's psychological journey and ultimate sacrifice.

Running head: PSYCHOLOGY
PSYCHOLOGY
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1PSYCHOLOGY
Introduction
The film “Tsotsi” directed by Gavin Hood explicitly portrays the way a person’s
childhood and experiences tend to impact psychological development in the conflict for
redemption. The following paper will provide a psychoanalytical analysis of Tsotsi by focusing
on his shift from a life of crime to ultimate transformation.
Discussion
Wedding, Wongpakaran and Wongpakaran (2017) while analysing the context of the
movie has stated that the opening scene of the film has established a strong sense of direction of
the story by showing an individual rolling dice and has further drawn attention to the standard of
the dice representing prospect and further showing individual’s lack of control over his or her
future. Drawing relevance these contexts, Lahera et al. (2017) have shed light on the
determinants which exhibit the way Tsotsi’s life has been significantly leverage a several
external forces rather than his own free will. These external forces ranged from a critical impact
on Tsotsi’s character due to the absence of his parents during his childhood that led him to be
refrained from gaining ethics, morals and suitable behavioural patterns while approaching others.
The turbulent expression of Tsotsi revealed in the close shot of his face not only shows us an
implication that Tsotsi’s id chiefly had been liable to cause an incident but further distinctly
articulates the lack of contentment in himself similar towards Boston, one of the members of
Tsotsi’s gang. At this juncture, Hesselink and Jordaan (2018) have shed light on the Tsotsi’s
absence of morality which symbolically represents Boston as a dog. On the other hand, authors
have applied significant dismal fallacy in order to describe the perception which viewers are
likely to gather about Tsotsi’s character.

2PSYCHOLOGY
Meanwhile, the long shot tends to focus on the insignificant impact over the control of
external forces and further lighting enlightens the sky whereas Tsotsi has remained in utmost
darkness thus signifying his dark exterior. Moreover, Cooke (2016) in order to apply
psychological relations to Tsotsi’s subdued humanity have used certain sentimental flashbacks.
At this juncture, the critical involvement of Tsotsi with his father has been explained through
psychological association. However, Lahera et al. (2017) shed light on other external forces
whereby in order to seek queries Tsotsi must find the significance of God and to comprehend
God, it is imperative for him to visit church. These events have mutually influenced Tsotsi to
develop into David again, a human with a soul. These events will no longer led Tsotsi, to sustain
his evil characteristics and further develop as a highly compassionate and affectionate young
man. These newly developed values have essentially stimulated his psychological characteristics
to attempt to save the baby at the end (Wedding, Wongpakaran & Wongpakaran, 2017). The
high impulse of showing aggression has significantly shifted his intention of saving lives of
people without uncertainty.
Conclusion
Hence to conclude, these critical episodes in life have led Tsotsi to attain an ultimate
sacrifice in life and successfully accomplish full salvation from past sins, thus developing as
David who shows high admiration and affection towards others.

3PSYCHOLOGY
References
Cooke, P. (2016). Soft Power and South African Film: negotiating mutually incompatible
agendas?. New Cinemas: Journal of Contemporary Film, 14(1), 93-109.
Hesselink, A., & Jordaan, J. (2018). Coping with victimisation through crime: an explorative
view of youth sex offenders. Child Abuse Research in South Africa, 19(2), 49-61.
Lahera, G., Ruiz, A., Branas, A., Vicens, M., & Orozco, A. (2017). Reaction time, processing
speed and sustained attention in schizophrenia: impact on social functioning. Revista de
Psiquiatría y Salud Mental (English Edition), 10(4), 197-205.
Wedding, D., Wongpakaran, N., & Wongpakaran, T. (2017). The Use of Films to Enhance
Pedagogy in the Psychology Classroom. Internationalizing the Teaching of Psychology,
61.