Obsession and Crime:Coelho’s The Winner Stands Alone

Abstract

This research studies the theme of obsession leading a person towards crime in Paulo Coelho’s The Winner Stands Alone(2009).The activities of the central character, Igor have been explored through the perspective of psychoanalysis.Due to the obsession, Igor tries to return back to his own ex-wife for which he commits a series of murder that is mysterious in nature. There is a kind of mania or mental disorder due to his obsession.Igor goes to Cannes Films Festivals in order to gain back his ex-wife by demonstrating the extreme brutality towards the innocent women.Feeling of being betrayed or hatred brings the devastating effect in the psychology of Igor. He has extremely fallen in love with his wife though he is so brutal and full of evil nature. To kill someone without any major cause is nothing for him. Ewa knows the actual brutal nature of Igor who without any reason kills a beggar in the name of elimination of poverty.She cannot tolerate and runs away with an emerging fashion designer. Igor,on the one hand, takesheraction as the betrayal on his family life and, on the other,he feels humiliated. He feels himself as a loser.The only goal in his life is to bring her back by demonstrating his brutality. He is psychologically distracted and much more guided by emotional love toward his wife that even makes him kill his ex-wife and her new husband.This research concludes that extreme obsession of love towards his ex-wife leads Igor to abnormal criminal activities.