Unveiling the Collective Unconscious: A Jungian Reading of Prophetic Vision in Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me

Abstract

This paper offers a Jungian psychoanalytic reading of Shatter Me, a young adult dystopian novel by Tahereh Mafi. It focuses on the psychological evolution of Juliette, the protagonist, who transitions from repression and isolation to empowerment and self-actualization. Based on the ideas of Carl Jung—collective unconscious, archetypes, the Shadow, and individuation—the analysis interprets the symbolic language and inner struggle of the novel. The repeated motifs, such as Juliette's visions of a bird, symbolize her unconscious desire for freedom and transformation. Her changing relationships, particularly with Warner and Adam, take Juliette's psyche through the integration of polarities within her. The paper also explores how Mafi’s stream-of-consciousness style and fragmented syntax mirror Juliette’s fractured mental state. Ultimately, this approach positions Shatter Me as more than a dystopian romance; it becomes a psychological allegory that reflects timeless struggles of identity, emotional trauma, and inner unity.