Witnessing Shame in Thor

In the film Thor, there is a very clear and great shame event that Thor experiences. This shame event is when Thor decides to attack another planet, and he gets banished by the King, who is also his father. This is a major shame event because there are witnesses to this event, and this causes other emotions in Thor, such as anger and sadness. As I can remember, I believe Thor uses the avoidance script of the script theory while experiencing shame. He avoids his admission of shame, since he doesn’t have to tell the people of Earth where he’s from until towards the end of the film. I will have to watch the film and do a further analysis to fully understand how he copes with shame. 

Shame Theory

The critical model I have chosen for my film analysis is shame theory. Shame, as I understand it, is one of the most powerful emotions a person can experience. Shame seems to affect all other emotions, and in a case of serious shame and humiliation, there are usually witnesses to the shame event. I understand that there are four parts to the script theory of shame theory. People take part in the script theory when they experience a shame event because they are trying to regain their pride back. The four scripts are: attack other, attack self, withdrawal, and avoidance. 

Thor's shame.

I have chosen to do a film analysis of the film Thor. I will be analyzing Thor’s character by using the critical model of shame theory. I want to focus on how a prideful character’s banishment from his home planet has caused him shame and how this shame event has changed his character throughout the film. I also want to analyze how the people who witnessed his shame event treat him before and after, and how the people he meets on Earth treat him. I believe as the King’s son, Thor has a great sense of pride and honor, and I would like to see how  his character reacts to such a humiliating event.