Acı, Mutsuzluk ve Umutsuzluk Üzerine Bir İnsan Deneyimi: Manchester by the Sea (2016)
A Human Experience of Pain, Unhappiness and Despair: Manchester by the Sea (2016)

Summary/Abstract: The 2016 film Manchester by the Sea, directed by Kenneth Lonergan, focuses on the life of a father (Lee Chandler) who loses all his children in a fire caused by his negligence, exploring the tragic aftermath of this event. In this study, which adopts a character-focused analysis, emotions that may arise from the experience of loss are identified to better understand and interpret the character, and the analysis is structured around these emotions. The concepts used to interpret Lee’s state of mind and his life following his tragic past include pain, unhappiness, and despair. The character is approached through the thoughts of thinkers such as Søren Kierkegaard, Simone Weil, and Eugenio Borgna, in relation to these concepts. In this way, the character’s life after the tragic event and his the state of mind are examined in an effort to understand and explain them. Additionally, the study adopts a phenomenological approach by offering a descriptive account of the character’s experiences. Thus, the study aims to reveal the film’s perspective on how pain, unhappiness, and despair are experienced. As a result, it can be argued that the approaches of all three thinkers regarding these concepts are embodied in the character of Lee. At the same time, through other characters, the film also illustrates that pain can be experienced in various ways by different individuals. The film does not merely depict intense emotional states such as pain, unhappiness, and despair; it also develops a compelling discourse on how these states can be transformed through interpersonal relationships. While the devastating effects of individual trauma on the human psyche are portrayed through the character of Lee, the film also emphasizes—particularly through his relationship with his nephew—that this damage can be, at least partially, repaired. In this regard, the film suggests that escaping a state of existential suffering is only possible through forming meaningful connections with others.

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