Exploring Guilt, Trauma, and Redemption: A Psychoanalytic Study of Silent Hill 2’s Dialogue and Monologue

Zulfan Rafly Baihaqi; Bunyamin Faisal Syarifudin; Yuyun Nurulaen

doi:10.24853/elif.7.2.%p

Exploring Guilt, Trauma, and Redemption: A Psychoanalytic Study of Silent Hill 2’s Dialogue and Monologue

Zulfan Rafly Baihaqi, Bunyamin Faisal Syarifudin, Yuyun Nurulaen

Abstract

This study examines Silent Hill 2 through Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, analyzing how James Sunderland’s dialogues and monologues reflect guilt, trauma, and redemption. The findings reveal that denial, projection, and repression manifest in his interactions, shaping his psychological struggle. The game’s symbolic environment externalizes his unconscious conflicts, reinforcing its narrative depth. This research underscores the potential of video games as a medium for exploring complex psychological themes and contributes to interdisciplinary discussions in psychoanalysis, literary studies, and media studies.

Keywords

psychoanalysis; video games; psychological conflict; interactive narrative

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.24853/elif.7.2.%25p