Psychological Analysis on Blue Jasmine

Lydia Cassada

HDPS 201

05/26/16

Character Analysis of Jasmine from Blue Jasmine

        In 2013 Woody Allen wrote and directed Blue Jasmine, a thought-provoking film that explored mental illness through the lens of a wealthy socialite’s fall from grace.  Jasmine Francis, played my Cate Blanchett, is a wealthy, social, cosmopolitan New York housewife that fell into her late husband’s trap of fraud and money laundering. Her life as a put-together and sophisticated woman abruptly changed when her husband was found guilty of multiple felonies and later killed himself in jail out of guilt. Jasmine was now left without a penny in her tarnished name. She then was forced to fly out to San Francisco to live with her sister Ginger. This major change in life sent Jasmine into a downward spiral and eventually caused her to go mentally ill.  

        Jasmine exemplifies many of the diagnostic criteria and symptoms of borderline personality disorder. In accordance with the DSM she exudes:

1. Fear of abandonment
2. Multiple shallow and unstable relationships
3. Impulsive and risky behavior
4. Issues with self-image
5. Loss of contact with reality

        Jasmine has an irrational fear of abandonment and it can most likely be linked to her adoption at a young age. She was abandoned early in her life and it seemed to have made a lasting impression. Her and her sister were both adopted. Jasmine stayed with the adopted parents while her sister Ginger left and ran away. Ginger said, “They liked Aunt Jasmine better then me. She had better genes.” Jasmine also claims she can’t be left alone because she tends to have “bad thoughts” alluding to suicide.

        She also has a number of shallow and unstable relationships. Hal, her husband, was cheating on her with multiple women. She has her suspicions but shut them out as a coping mechanism.  She also, regardless of his lack of character or morals, defended Hal when anyone brought him up. She would also talk about him in hindsight in high regard. Hal’s prison sentence and suicide leads Jasmine to an imminent and anticipated nervous breakdown.

        Jasmine is often engaging in impulsive and risky behavior. She unwarily spends money she does not have in order to validate her self-image as a sophisticated and wealthy socialite. For example, she tipped her cab driver excessively and flew first class on her way to San Francisco. When her sister confronts her about the spending, Jasmine responds she simply “splurges from habit.” She also engages in risky behavior as she is constantly accompanied by some sort of alcoholic beverage and then mixes it with her Xanax.