Arthur Fleck's Narcissistic Personality Disorder In The Joker

Introduction What do you get when you cross a mentally ill loner with a society that abandons him and treats him like trash? You get a dysfunctional man with an amalgamation of abnormal symptoms. In the 2019 film, The Joker, the audience is introduced to Arthur Fleck; an aspiring stand-up comedian and clown who continuously descends into madness. Fleck is repeatedly subjected to brutal beatings and disparaging remarks- until he finally snaps and shoots three men on the train who were harassing and assaulting him. After killing his victims, Fleck shows no signs of empathy or remorse, instead, he displays grandiosity and begins to acknowledge that he is “really alive”. Arthur also exhibits a constant need for admiration, dysfunctional thought

The Joker, Arthur Fleck, meets the following criteria listed in the DSM-5;

Grandiosity and Exaggerated Self-Importance: Once Fleck observes the movement he created by murdering the men on the subway, he begins to exhibit a grandiose sense of importance. He hears roars of laughter during his stand-up although the audience is silent, he recklessly murders and hurts those that refuse to feed into his delusions (such as his mother after he found out about his background and his former coworker that would often provide “reality checks”), and he proudly admits to his crimes on the late-night talk show. He is steadfast in his idea that he is exceptional and plays God with the people in Gotham City- those that “wronged” and ridiculed him suffer while the others who riot are doing the world a

During stressful, life-altering events, he imagines his neighbor is by his side and providing comfort. Yet, when he breaks into her apartment, she is terrified (revealing the false narrative). Arthur becomes irrationally upset when his dark and witless jokes are not received well, believing that he deserves many accolades.

Feels Misunderstood: He imagines himself being picked from the audience of the late-night show and praised for his actions- although rather odd or mundane. Fleck is consumed by the fact that he is continuously overlooked, causing him to gain attention by ANY means necessary. During his interview, Joker expresses his abhorrence for those who “step over” him and those who are even slightly successful.

Lack of Empathy: Fleck openly acknowledges the fact that he has no remorse for his killings. He thrives off of the chaos he creates and enjoys the fear he invokes in people- the coworker that “was always kind to him” and the audience of the Murray Show after shooting the host. Fleck even smothers his own mother after uncovering the terrible truth of his