An Ecopsychological Study of Darren Arnofosky’s Film The Fountain | ||
| TANWĪR: A Journal of Arts & Humanities | ||
| Volume 2, Issue 3, November 2025, Pages 26-43 PDF (651.25 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/tanwir.2025.464393 | ||
| Author | ||
| Nehal Ahmed Ibrahim Arisha | ||
| Faculty of Languages, MSA University | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Eco-psychology is a relatively new field of research that studies the relationship between humans and nature. The growing discipline stands at the intersection of different areas of research, namely: psychology and ecology to offer a wider perspective on the effects of reconnecting with nature on human psyche because of urban advancement. This paper aims to study the representation of natural elements in Darren Aronofsky’s film The Fountain (2006) as a means of immortality to resolve existential issues. The present study will also analyze the motifs used in Mayan mythology and religious beliefs, used as coping mechanisms by the characters during their journey to accept their mortality. Mayans believed in a multi-layered universe, which inspired the unconventional structure of the film, consisting of three parallel plots. The Tree of Life is the main natural element discussed in the film that grants immortality holding the three plots of the film together. The tree metaphor is discussed through the image of the tree in the Book of Genesis and the Mayan Tree of life. The way the plot unfolds aids in the understanding of the inner psyche of the characters and how they grapple with their existential anxieties. The characters of the film go through different journeys, trying to find an answer to their existential crises that surface upon facing the mere notion of a possible death. Thus, the study will follow an eco-psychological framework in analyzing the natural elements and their relationships with the characters. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Eco-psychology; Immortality; The Fountain; Tree of Life; Death anxiety; Darren Aronofosky; Psychology; Ecology | ||
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