A Crooked Road To Perfection

   Black Swan and Privacy

By Ece Öğütcen and Ceren Yıldız

Black Swan (2010) is a psychological horror movie directed by Darren Aronofsky. In the movie, the protagonist’s lack of privacy carries a significant role in her storyline. Her privacy is being violated in many ways. The movie revolves around a ballerina called Nina, portrayed by Natalie Portman, being chosen to play the Swan Queen in the popular ballet of Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake”. The performance she needs to perform, being both the white and black swan, requires a lot; which creates the pressure on her, and eventually prepares her end. Because of her mother Erica’s oppressive behavior, Nina was never an independent character that pushed her limits by taking risks. Nina’s mother is the foremost character that violates her privacy, by limiting her not only in a manipulative way, but also physically, she prevents Nina’s character development as a woman and as a person. Erica has the need to control Nina; therefore her actions violate her rights and even harm her. Because of the restriction, Nina lacks life experience which is why she struggles to become the black swan and reach perfection. Nina never has the chance to explore herself and go through her limits to get to know herself better due to her mother’s abuse of her privacy. The controlling and manipulative actions of the mother takes away Nina’s free will and does not let her make decisions about her own life, violating her privacy. The movie depicts Nina and her mother’s relationship as a very toxic, manipulative one; which has a significant impact on Nina’s journey that is being told. In order to reach the perfection, she needs to become the black swan; and in order to become the black swan, she needs to push her limits and rediscover her sensual, darker side because she lacks experience. The lack of experience is connected to her relationship with her mother. For instance, Erica, as a controlling figure of the movie, treats Nina as if she were a child because she wants her to be dependent on her. Even Nina’s bedroom decorations are very childish, even though she is a grown woman; Erica still cuts Nina’s nails, undresses her, does not let her go out with her friends, constantly manipulates her into doing what she wants as if she were a puppet. Furthermore, the mother figure does not keep locks on doors, which would help her have a partial privacy, even takes the doorknobs out at one point, locking her inside.She wants Nina to live under her conditions, her rules and her watch. Nina does not have a private space or time to herself. Even when Erica is not around, she calls frequently and bothers her. This lack of privacy leading to her lack of experience plays a significant role on Nina’s obsession of perfection and her driving crazy. The movie portrays the effects of the lack of privacy on the protagonist, which leads to her inevitable ending; as such, it makes us reflect on our right to establish and live our private life.