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Facing the Shadow Self
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Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
Persona 4 is a role-playing game released in 2008 that draws upon concepts from Jungian psychology – particularly the ideas of personas and shadows – and places them at the very core of the game's themes of interpersonal relationships and truth-seeking. While investigating a series of bizarre murders and kidnappings, a group of high school students learn to accept themselves, support one another, and set things right in a town clouded with comfortable lies and false assumptions.
Facing the Shadow Self
Yukiko Amagi
The daughter of the owner of the local inn, Yukiko feels trapped into being next to manage the family business. She secretly wishes a prince would arrive to whisk her away.
Repression and Denial
file:../images/p4-shadow-kanji.png
The Battle (You Can't Do It Alone)
When denied by the character ("You're not me!"), the manifested shadow self becomes enraged, taking on a new, more powerful form symbolic of the character's inner struggle.
file:../images/p4-shadow-yukiko.jpg
It's interesting to note that, at this point, the character is ill-equipped and powerless to do anything, and must rely on their friends to weather the assault and attack their out-of-control shadow.
Acceptance
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji's rough appearance and tough-guy attitude are at odds with his hobbies, which include sewing and painting. Having endured insults, rejection, and accusations of homosexuality, he's come to hate and fear girls, and question his own masculinity.
Following the battle, the shadow reverts to its doppelganger form. This time around, the character truly faces their shadow by admitting their true feelings to themselves, in front of their friends. This marks their first step towards growth and recovery, having accepted the side of themselves they've been struggling with alone thus far.
Acceptance is the key thing here. At no point do their friends judge or attack them for having those feelings. Instead, they listen and support the character as they realize that having those thoughts are ok. They learn that their feelings exist for a reason, and through understanding them, they can find compassion for themselves and move past the pain.
It's okay… Let the kid spill the whole thing. If not, Naoto's just gonna keep hurting…
— Kanji
Finally, their shadow transforms once more, this time into the new persona they've acquired to face themselves and others. Exhausted from the ordeal, the character is carried out of the TV world back to their home, where they then rest and recuperate for several days.
Personal Growth
Naoto Shirogane
A child prodigy, Naoto is a young, highly skilled detective, and is remarkably mature for her age. In order to fit in with her peers, and to emulate the fictitious detectives she admires, she dresses and acts male, even speaking in a lowered voice. The members of the police force still regard her as a child, however, and she struggles with her gender, seeing it as a impediment she cannot overcome.
Only after a main character has faced and accepted their shadow selves can the player form a bond with them, referred to in the game as a "social link". From that point onward, the player will have opportunities to spend some of their free time with that character.