“The Lighthouse” (2019): A Film About Coping?
A brief synopsis of the film:
Winslow (Robert Pattinson) is working at an isolated lighthouse during an intense storm under Wake’s supervision (William Dafoe, Wikipedia describes him as an “irritable elderly man.”)
My personal reaction when I walked out of the theater:
“Wow. Also, that was one huge metaphor for coping.”
THIS SOUNDS LIKE A HUGE LEAP—HEAR ME OUT.
A BRIEF explanation of Internal Family Systems (IFS) (this is one of my favorite therapeutic models. Shout out to Richard Shwartz for coming up with it):
An underlying premise of IFS is that, as humans, we are embedded in systems, and we are also functioning as a system.
As systems, we are made up of MANY parts (see image for a detailed description of our parts), and we strive to maintain homeostasis.
(Image retrieved from: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/260786634659005141/)
This is important to notice because as systems trying to maintain homeostasis, we can be resistant to change.
When we are resistant to change, one of our exiled parts might be activated, and we are suffering from some discomfort/distress. Our managerial and firefighter parts are hard at work trying to avoid/soothe/distract us from these feelings. This shows up differently for everyone.
“The Lighthouse” captures this idea beautifully.
What I value from this model:
Parts are not inherently “bad.” Behaviors, thoughts, and emotions are all connected and functioning for a reason.
Instead of pathologizing a part, we try to understand what is happening in the system that is leading a part to show up the way that it does. We try to understand and welcome the parts instead of shame them.
How this all ties together:
—WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD—
Okay we have made it through the explanation, now it’s time for the connection.
Before I saw the film, Twitter was blowing up about how the film is all about Winslow’s alcoholism. However, I think it is deeper than this. Addiction is deeper than this. Addiction is systemic.
Exiled parts:
As viewers, we are never directly informed what his exiled parts might be. These are harder to identify because they are buried within Winslow, and frankly, he has some strong managers and firefighters that are protecting them. Winslow is suffering throughout this film. Let’s do a quick Google search for a plot description:
“Maintain their sanity” is telling of where Winslow was at throughout this film.
Maybe he’s trying to soothe (and protect from) loneliness. Or guilt. Maybe fear of being helpless. How about not feeling like he’s enough?
Managers:
Throughout the film, Wake was in charge of Winslow; Wake was supposed to guide and literally manage Winslow. Wake was critical of Winslow, at times demeaning. I’m thinking that Wake’s words were reflective of Winslow’s internal experience.
As the film progressed (and Winslow continued to struggle), Wake got louder. He got more difficult for Winslow to deal with. In my opinion, Wake served as Winslow’s inner critic throughout the film.
At first, Winslow was silent. He engaged with this part in different ways. He eventually was aggressive with Wake, and this only made Wake louder.
Another manager kept Winslow from consuming alcohol for the first half of the film.
Firefighters:
Alcohol consumption can be seen as one of Winslow’s firefighters. In the lens of IFS, what is this part trying to protect Winslow from? On a better day, alcohol consumption might be moderated and used for pleasure as opposed to soothing.
Masturbation could have been firefighters soothing Winslow’s exiled parts. On one of Winslow’s better days, this part might be accessing pleasure rather than soothing.
As the movie progressed (along with Winslow’s exiled parts becoming more and more activated), he had sex with a mermaid who I perceived as being defenseless and vulnerable, and she also did not consent. Did this make Winslow feel powerful? Is this protecting him from feeling powerless (exiled part)? Sex might be more about connection, intimacy, or pleasure if Winslow is not struggling.
What did Winslow do?
He decided to rid of all his protective parts after he hit a certain point; he literally killed his manager! REMEMBER: no parts are “bad.” They all have a function. They just might be polarized/extreme due to distress.
Right before the movie ended, Winslow is washed up, unable to move, and being eaten by birds. Was this depicting his exiled part? Helplessness? No power?
These protective parts have been important for Winslow to survive. He stripped himself from his protective parts, thinking he would be better off without them.
Winslow’s exiled parts were exposed. He was vulnerable and unprepared with how to cope with his exiles. He spent the film with his managers and firefighters out, continuously functioning as protectors over his vulnerable parts.
How would he have known what those exiled parts really needed? Exploration around his exiled parts would have been helpful in finding this out. But Winslow did not seem like he was in a safe space to do so.
Take-aways:
We have to work on understanding and accepting our parts! Rejecting and shaming them is not productive.
Trying to dispose of parts that we might struggle to appreciate in ourselves is not beneficial. It makes these parts louder and polarized. We have to make an effort to be nonjudgmental and caring towards all of our parts.
Parts that we struggle most with (e.g. inner critic, addiction, deep shame) are embedded in a system but can seem all consuming/polarized when facing distress.
When our parts are understood, there is potential to free the self from over functioning parts. This is where transformation happens.
