Felicia’s Journey: An Object-Relational Study of Psychopathy

This paper examines Atom Egoyan’s film, Felicia’s Journey, based on the novel of the same name by William Trevor, from an object-relational viewpoint. The protagonist’s characteristic defense mechanisms of splitting, projection, and denial, which are characteristic of the schizoid position, are explored in depth, as are the antecedents of this behavior, as seen in his early relationship with his mother. Finally, the relationship between his psychopathy and his functioning in the schizoid position is considered.