Existential Angst through Character of Sadness in Inside Out Movie

Abstract

This article investigates a character called Sadness of the movie Inside Out in the sense of existential angst. Inside Out represents a fictional movie that reflects the primary emotions of an 11-year-old girl with the help of five characters in her mind, who tries to deal with significant changes in her life. Through qualitative method, this study analyzes Sadness to show rising tensions between freedom and search for meaning. Building upon the existential notions as proffered by Jean-Paul Sartre, this analysis explores how Sadness captures Riley’s dread of the future, and the psychological upset occasioned by the idea of facing the future. When Sadness takes more space in Riley’s life, the protagonist starts to comprehend the meaning of embracing rather than rejecting negative feelings. Moreover, this study highlights how Sadness, often perceived as a negative emotion, serves as a catalyst for personal growth, especially through fostering resilience, deepening self-awareness, and rediscovering emotional balance. In conclusion Sadness in Inside Out presents a powerful existential message that explicit recognition of anxiety and sadness is helpful to discover the purpose of life and develop higher levels of emotional regulation.