4. Freudian Tron
Another way of looking at Tron is to view it from a psychoanalytic perspective. To do this we can look at the theories of Sigmund Freud. Leaving aside Freuds obsessive theories on sex, we can look at Tron as a presentation of the human psyche, by using Freuds Id & Ego theory. The Id & Ego theory essentially states that there is a divide in the psyche between the Id, the Ego and the Super Ego. The Id is the set of uncoordinated instinctual trends, our wishes; the Super Ego plays the critical and moralizing role, our set of learned strategies and experience; and the Ego is the organized, realistic part that mediates between the desires of the Id and the Super Ego (according to Ruth Snowden, like I said Im no scientician). If we put this in the context of Tron, it becomes clearer. If the Id is Kevin Flynn, then his program inside the mainframe is the Super Ego. Effectively, where Flynn in the real world represents the wish (the Id) to destroy the Master Control Program; then inside the mainframe, his character uses strategies and experience (Super Ego) to reach this goal. The mediator between the real world and the mainframe, the Ego is somewhat still existent in Flynns mind. Despite being a bizarre world (thanks to the magical laser beam/proverbial rabbit hole), Flynn still accepts there is a risk of death, a danger exists; this is the realistic part that is the Ego. Okay, that was a little difficult to get across. But heres an easier psychoanalytic perspective. The events inside the mainframe can be seen as merely a dream. Upon appearing inside the mainframe during the film, Flynn even asks can you tell me what this dream is about so I can tell my friends? Freuds The Interpretation of Dreams reveals that dreams are a way of fulfilling the wishes of the dreamer. If we apply this to Tron, then the wish of Kevin Flynn is to take the credit he deserves by revealing Dillinger as the cheat he is. Inside the mainframe, Dillingers character appears as the antagonist Sark, and if the mainframe exists as a dream, then Flynns wish is fulfilled as he kills Sark. Using Freuds theory, Flynns wish is to kill Dillinger for stealing his ideas in the real world, and this is fulfilled in the dream of the mainframe.