2. We See The Doppelganger
The doppelganger is a mythical figure that reminds us of the two sides of peoplethe authentic, genuine side and the more duplicituous one. One of the most startling aspects of Homeland's plot and character development is its reliance on the figure of the doppelganger. The entirety of season 1 and 2 of the show use this figure to great success in the character of Nicholas Brody. Brody is an apt doppelganger as he has all of the credentials of a true heroa war hero and prisoner of war who refuses to break under pressure; a dedicated family man who cares deeply about his wife, two children, and friend Mike; and a valuable asset to the intelligence community who can help the U.S. take down Abu Nazir. Of course, all of these previous qualities of Brody are false, and this points to the duplicity of the doppelganger. The shifting emotional attachments that we feel to Brody reveal the difficulty of coming to terms with his character. The same can be said of Carrie. With Carrie we have a complex inward-looking doppelganger as we are shown the contradictions of her efforts to do good, catch Brody, and produce intelligence successes and her own inner failings in being unable to trust even those close to her, her shifting allegiances to Brody, and her constant psychological breakdowns. The psychological aspects of Carrie's character illustrate our own multiple selves and our own desires to do good in the world. As hard as it is to come to terms with, the image of the doppelganger forces us to see that we are the enemy.
Scott A. Lukas
Contributor
Scott A. Lukas has taught anthropology and sociology Lake Tahoe Community College for sixteen years and in 2013 was Visiting Professor of American Studies at the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Germany. He has been recognized with the McGraw-Hill Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching of Anthropology by the American Anthropological Association (2005), the California Hayward Award for Excellence in Education (2003), and a Sierra Arts Foundation Artist Grant Program Award in Literary–Professional (2009). In 2006, he was a nominee to the California Community College Board of Governors. He is the author/editor of The Immersive Worlds Handbook (2012), Theme Park (2008), The Themed Space: Locating Culture, Nature, and Self (2007), Fear, Cultural Anxiety, and Transformation: Horror, Science Fiction, and Fantasy Films Remade, (co-edited with John Marmysz, 2009), Recent Developments in Criminological Theory (co-edited with Stuart Henry, 2009), and Strategies in Teaching Anthropology (2010). His book Theme Park was recently translated into Arabic. He appeared in the documentary The Nature of Existence and has provided interviews for To the Best of Our Knowledge, The Huffington Post UK, The Daily Beast, The Washington Post, and Caravan (India).
See more from
Scott