The horrors of childhood trauma in M. Night Shyamalan's Split (2016)

Abstract

This dissertation presents an analysis of M. Night Shyamalan’s horror psychological thriller movie Split (2016), aiming to provide cinematographic evidence of the accurate depiction of childhood trauma's consequences on adult life. Besides examining the disapproval of medical opinions regarding Kevin's violent tendencies and Dr. Fletcher’s approach to his behavior, the analysis also discusses Casey’s character, a victim of one of Kevin’s personalities and her uncle’s abuse. The study applies psychoanalysis to introduce trauma theory and Dissociative Identity Disorder, and includes an introduction to the director’s biography and a synopsis of the film. Selected scenes are analyzed to demonstrate how the combination of mise-en-scène and cinematographic techniques enhances the understanding of the connection between Attachment Theory, childhood trauma, and Dissociative Identity Disorder