Mark Chapman Psychoanalysis Project

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Psychoanalysis Project John Kim In the case of murder of John Lennon by Mark Chapman, a former Beatles fan that worshipped Lennon, his behavior of shooting Lennon could be explained by the psychoanalysis theory in several different ways. After the Chapman was arrested by the police and was examined, it was found that he used to be quite a worshipper of John Lennon, but was infuriated at the several statements later on by him. Such ones were about denunciation of God, Heaven and Beatles made by the John Lennon, simply stating that he didn’t “believe” in it. And later when he was reviewed by the psychiatrist, he had said he thought that the murder of John Lennon would turn him to some kind of Guardian Angel or Savior that was to protect children from falling. This behavior now could be explained in part with the psychoanalysis theory because Sigmund Freud, the founder of the psychoanalysis theory, argues that the conscious beliefs and thoughts can be understood in channeling of unacceptable impulses via the defense mechanisms. This means that in Mark Chapman’s head, according to psychoanalysis theory, the unacceptable impulses (extreme infuriation by John Lennon’s denunciation of Jesus and the Beatles, to kill Lennon) was channeled through the defensive mechanism of him of protecting others as he thought he would become some kind of guardian angel if he killed Lennon. So In his mind, this train of thought soon turned in to firm belief that Killing John Lennon was the right thing to do. Another Significant part of the psychoanalysis theory that could be used to explain Chapman’s behavior is the personality structure. That Id, Ego and Superego constantly battle for the right way to behave and live life. And in this case it can certainly be argued that Chapman, having suffered depression and had mentally unstable life, the Id part of his personality, the
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