BLACK SWAN: Persecution & Guilt Mean You Can’t Have a Self

Psychotic delusion takes Nina over in Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan. The culprit is guilt. Terrible guilt about having a self. A separate self. Her very own. To Nina, this means going against her mother’s sacrifice and wishes. So, if she even wants that, if she feels desire, if she has the slightest inkling to try to be her own person, the most horrible persecutory feelings possess her …