What does this research mean for the field?

Daniel Plainview's pursuit of wealth and dominance in There Will Be Blood is driven by a psychological economy of narcissism, unresolved desire, and the will to power, which paradoxically intensifies his isolation and dissatisfaction. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

Examine the psychological and philosophical drivers behind Daniel Plainview's pursuit of wealth and dominance in There Will Be Blood through the theories of Freud, Lacan, and Nietzsche.

September 2, 2026Open Access

I Have a Competition in Me: Desire, Narcissism, and the Will to Power in Daniel Plainview

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Examine the psychological and philosophical drivers behind Daniel Plainview's pursuit of wealth and dominance in There Will Be Blood through the theories of Freud, Lacan, and Nietzsche.
Applied an integrated conceptual framework combining Freud's narcissism, Lacan's theories of desire and lack, and Nietzsche's will to power and self-overcoming.
Conducted a qualitative descriptive-interpretive analysis of Daniel Plainview's dialogue, interpersonal relationships, behavior, and narrative arc.
Demonstrates that Plainview's accumulation of power functions as a psychological economy where narcissistic self-investment continually reproduces an enduring internal lack.
Shows that increasing material and competitive success paradoxically intensifies his emotional isolation and psychological dissatisfaction.

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Implication

Qualitative descriptive-interpretive analysis reveals how narcissistic drive and the will to power fuel isolation in Daniel Plainview, highlighting the self-defeating nature of unresolved desire.

Cite This Study

Salman Farisi (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a97e318c562ede874ec7b5f https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22198633

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Implication

Qualitative descriptive-interpretive analysis reveals how narcissistic drive and the will to power fuel isolation in Daniel Plainview, highlighting the self-defeating nature of unresolved desire.

I Have a Competition in Me: Desire, Narcissism, and the Will to Power in Daniel Plainview

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Implication

Cite This Study

I Have a Competition in Me: Desire, Narcissism, and the Will to Power in Daniel Plainview

Key Points

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

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