Series «Severance»: Detailed Psychological Analysis of the First Season

“Severance” is an American science fiction drama with thriller elements, released by the Apple TV+ streaming service in 2022. Created by Dan Erickson, the series has garnered critical and audience acclaim for its unique storytelling approach, unconventional concept, and deep philosophical themes.

The story is set in the fictional corporation Lumon Industries, which offers its employees a voluntary “severance” procedure. This technology splits a person’s consciousness into two independent states: their “work self” and their “personal self.” These two identities have no knowledge of each other and do not share memories, allowing employees to completely separate their work from their personal lives.

The protagonist, Mark Scout (played by Adam Scott), accepts Lumon’s offer to cope with a deep personal loss. However, while working in the Macrodata Refinement Department, he begins to question the company’s intentions and uncovers dark secrets tied to the severance procedure.

Creators and Success of the Series

• Showrunner: Dan Erickson
• Directors: Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle
• Main Cast: Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, Britt Lower, John Turturro, Tramell Tillman, Christopher Walken, and Patricia Arquette

The series has received numerous awards and nominations, including an Emmy for Best Directing. Critics praise its original script, stunning visual aesthetics, and stellar performances.

The series captivates audiences not only with its gripping storyline but also with its profound exploration of the human psyche. It raises questions relevant to everyone:

• What makes us whole as individuals?
• How do work and personal life influence each other?
• How far are people willing to go to avoid pain, stress, or conflict?

Core Concept of Severance

“Severance” presents a unique concept that combines elements of science fiction and philosophy, addressing significant questions about the nature of identity, memory, and free will. At the heart of the story lies a procedure known as “severance” — a technology that artificially splits a person’s consciousness into two independent parts: the work self (inner “self”) and the personal self (outer “self”). These two identities do not share memories, emotions, or experiences, existing as entirely separate individuals within one body.

The idea of “severance” appears to be a solution to the modern challenge of balancing work and personal life. Lumon Industries promotes it as a way to eliminate the stress of work responsibilities and protect employees’ personal time. However, as the plot unfolds, it becomes evident that the procedure has profound psychological, ethical, and philosophical consequences that touch on fundamental aspects of human identity.

Definition and Idea of Severance in the Context of the Series

The “severance” is a surgical procedure in which a special chip is implanted into a person’s brain, dividing their consciousness into two parts:

• • The work self exists only in the office and is solely focused on professional tasks. This self knows nothing about life outside of work, has no memories of the external world, and lacks emotional ties to it.
  • The personal self is activated as soon as the person leaves the office. This self, in turn, knows nothing about work activities, including colleagues, tasks, and events at work.

Ideological Basis
Lumon Corporation markets the procedure as an innovative way to achieve harmony. According to them, severance prevents burnout and allows employees to focus on their personal lives without the stress of work. However, the series gradually reveals that this “harmony” is merely a façade concealing corporate control and manipulation.

Practical Consequences

For the work self, life becomes an endless chain of workdays — it exists only within the office, moving from one shift to the next without any breaks. For the personal self, life is free from work-related challenges but loses one-third of its existence.

Psychological Perspective: Links to Dissociation, Amnesia, and Cognitive Dissonance

1. Dissociation. The severance procedure draws clear parallels to dissociation, described in psychology as a disconnection between thoughts, memories, feelings and identity.
   • In the series, the work and personal selves function as two independent individuals, resembling dissociative identity disorder, where one personality is unaware of the actions or thoughts of another.
   • The lack of shared memories creates an illusion of safety but leads to serious emotional consequences, such as anxiety, isolation, and loss of control.
2. Amnesia. The work and personal selves experience artificially induced amnesia. Each lives in a world where half of their life experiences are inaccessible.
   • The work self doesn’t know why the person agreed to the procedure, leading to existential questions like, “Why am I here?” and “What is the purpose of my existence?”
   • The personal self is unaware of how their work affects others and the corporation itself, raising questions about responsibility.
3. Cognitive Dissonance. The series also explores how severance creates internal conflict between a person’s work identity and their sense of self outside work.
   • Characters like Mark experience a growing need to reconcile these two parts of themselves, resulting in intense psychological tension.
   • Cognitive dissonance intensifies when the work self begins to recognize the injustice of its situation, while the personal self suspects the corporation’s hidden motives.

Ethical and Philosophical Questions

1. Can a person truly be themselves if their identity is split?

• Philosophical Inquiry: If a person is divided into two identities, which one is their true self?
• Free Will: The work self is forced to follow the corporation’s rules but lacks the freedom to choose its fate.

2. Manipulation and Exploitation

Lumon Corporation uses severance as a tool for control, manipulating employees and limiting their autonomy.

• The work self is essentially a hostage, unable to leave the office.
• The personal self ignores the ethical aspect, justifying their decision by its benefits and convenience.

3. Responsibility and Moral Choice

• If the personal self never faces the consequences of work, can it be morally responsible for the actions of the work self?
• The series raises the question: Is it acceptable to abandon one’s duties and pain for the sake of comfort?

The core concept of “severance” in the series is not just an intriguing plot device but also a profound exploration of human psychology, morality, and society. It prompts reflection on what makes us who we are and how far we are willing to go to avoid challenges and suffering.

Characters and Psychological Portraits of the Main Heroes

The series Severance revolves around complex, multi-dimensional characters, each reflecting specific aspects of human psychology. The main characters grapple with the consequences of the severance procedure, which not only splits their consciousness but also intensifies their internal conflicts. Each character serves as a unique lens through which the audience explores how different people respond to isolation, control, and the search for identity.

Characters like Mark Scout, Helly R., Irving Bailiff, and Dylan George embody various ways of resisting the system, while the leadership of Lumon Industries symbolizes the suppression of individuality and manipulation. These characters help reveal the depth of the show’s themes, demonstrating how the severance technology impacts personality and moral values.

Mark Scout: Trauma of Loss and Escaping into Work

Mark’s Personal Self

• Mark voluntarily undergoes the severance procedure after the death of his wife, seeking to escape pain and grief. For him, working at Lumon becomes a refuge where he can disconnect from reality.
• However, despite this, Mark’s personal self finds no true peace. Outside of work, he remains depressed, lonely, and desperate to cope with his loss.

Mark’s Work Self

• Mark’s work self is entirely disconnected from his pain, attempting to carry out his job without asking too many questions. However, over time, he begins questioning his role and Lumon’s true intentions.
• His internal self becomes the main driver of the plot as he decides to challenge the system and start an investigation.

Psychological Portrait

• Mark exemplifies a person using severance as a means to avoid trauma, yet ultimately confronted with the need to process it.
• His struggle between the two aspects of his personality symbolizes the internal conflict many face: the desire to forget versus the necessity of confronting reality.

Helly R: Defiance as a Manifestation of Identity

Helly’s Work Self

• Helly is one of the most active opponents of the system. Her work self categorically rejects the idea of severance, trying in every possible way to escape Lumon.
• She repeatedly attempts to sabotage the system, including self-harm and even an attempted suicide, highlighting her unyielding nature.

Helly’s Personal Self

• Helly’s personal self, on the other hand, fully supports severance. It is revealed to be a key plot element, as she belongs to a family closely connected with Lumon’s leadership.
• The stark contrast between her two selves underscores how the system manipulates personality, suppressing individuality.

Psychological Portrait

• Helly represents resistance to oppression and manipulation. Her story highlights the importance of freedom of choice and the fight for one’s identity.

Irving Bailiff: The Role of Memories and Emotional Connection

Irving’s Work Self

• Irving comes across as a pedantic and rule-abiding employee, fully devoted to Lumon’s regulations. While his behavior appears emotionless and mechanical, a deep emotional connection to others, such as Burt, lies beneath the surface.

Irving’s Personal Self

• Irving’s personal self is revealed as a lonely veteran, struggling to cope with echoes of his past. His efforts to reconcile the two aspects of his personality through symbolism of light and darkness form a central theme in his arc.

Psychological Portrait

• Irving symbolizes the link between consciousness and the subconscious. His storyline shows how suppressed emotions and memories can find ways to surface, even under systemic control.

Dylan George: Control, Freedom, and Personal Responsibility

Dylan’s Work Self

• Dylan is one of Lumon’s most loyal employees, relishing the system’s perks and even competing for “rewards.”
• However, his perspective shifts dramatically when he learns he has a son, about whom his work self knew nothing.

Dylan’s Personal Self

• Dylan’s personal self remains in the shadows, yet its influence profoundly impacts his work self. Upon learning about his child, his work self begins to understand the value of freedom and responsibility.

Psychological Portrait

• Dylan embodies the conflict between the comfort of control and the desire for freedom. His development symbolizes awakening from illusions and recognizing one’s true values.

Lumon Leadership: The Corporation as a Metaphor for the Suppression of Identity

The Corporation as a Character

• Lumon’s leadership is portrayed as a monolithic force embodying the idea of suppression and control. It operates through strict rules, manipulation, and ideological indoctrination.
• Characters representing the corporation, such as Ms. Cobel and Seth Milchick, act with duality: they show care for their subordinates while ruthlessly controlling them.

Psychological Perspective

• Lumon is a metaphor for modern society, where individuality is suppressed for collective goals. The corporation symbolizes how systems can strip people of autonomy, reducing them to mere tools.

Psychological Portrait

• Lumon’s leadership personifies concepts of collective identity and suppression of free will. It raises questions about the fine line between caring for employees and manipulating them.

These characters and their conflicts emphasize the central psychological and philosophical themes of the series, allowing viewers to see how different personalities respond to stress, oppression, and the struggle to maintain individuality.

Work and Personality: The Psychological Consequences of Severance

In the series Severance, the procedure that separates personality into work and personal selves creates an artificial divide between two aspects of human existence. The work self and personal self function independently, sharing no memories, emotions, or experiences. At first glance, this may seem like a convenient solution to professional stress. However, such a division leads to serious psychological consequences, affecting emotional well-being, internal conflicts, and perceptions of identity.

The work self faces isolation, as its world is confined within office walls, while the personal self lives without awareness of how its work affects others. This artificial barrier creates tension, exacerbated by Lumon’s corporate culture, which manipulates employees and suppresses their individuality.

Impact on Employees’ Emotional Well-Being: Isolation, Anxiety, and Emptiness

1. Isolation of the Work Self. The work self exists only in the office, with no access to life outside of it.
   • Emotional Isolation. The work self is deprived of social support beyond the workplace, intensifying feelings of loneliness.
   • Monotony and Limitation. Since the work self knows nothing of the outside world, its life becomes an endless cycle of repetitive workdays with no opportunity for growth or rest.
2. Anxiety and Stress. The work self experiences constant pressure due to strict corporate rules and fear of punishment for mistakes.
   • For example, Helly experiences profound anxiety and despair over her inability to escape the system.
   • Fear of the unknown (e.g., what their work truly entails) heightens internal tension.
3. Sense of Emptiness in the Personal Self. The personal self lives in a state of incompleteness, losing a significant portion of its time.
   • It doesn’t understand what happens at work, leading to a sense of lost control over its own life.
   • A psychological void arises from the lack of information about a third of its existence, resulting in inner discomfort and suspicion.

Conflict Between the “Inner” and “Outer” Selves

1. Contradictions in Perception of Self

The work and personal selves form different images of identity, creating psychological conflict.

• The work self doesn’t understand why the personal self chose the severance procedure, while the personal self may underestimate the challenges faced by the work self.
• This conflict is especially evident in Mark, who tries to reconcile his two sides, realizing that his work self is being manipulated.

2. Emotional Tension

• Helly’s work self categorically rejects the system, leading to her attempts to sabotage her own existence. This conflict between her two identities raises questions about freedom of choice.
• For Irving, tension manifests as subconscious resistance (e.g., his paintings), reflecting a struggle between suppression and the desire for self-expression.

3. Psychological Fragmentation

• Gradual realization by the work self of its isolation intensifies internal conflict. When the work self begins to question its nature, it faces an existential crisis.
• The personal self also experiences discomfort from its detachment, especially upon learning about the struggles and suffering of the work self.

Corporate Culture’s Psychological Pressure: Manipulation, Loyalty Cultivation, and Suppression of Individuality

1. Manipulation and Control. Lumon actively manipulates employees’ consciousness to maintain their loyalty.
   • Ideological Pressure. Work selves are indoctrinated to believe that their work is critically important, even if its purpose remains unclear.
   • Punishments and Rewards. The system strictly controls employee behavior, using fear of punishment (e.g., the “break room”) and incentives like small office parties or minor gifts.
2. Suppression of Individuality. The corporation seeks to erase any displays of uniqueness among employees.
   • Workers are deprived of opportunities to express emotions, personal interests, or opinions, reducing them to functional components of the system.
   • Even their memories are restricted, making them entirely dependent on the corporation.
3. Cultivation of Loyalty. Lumon creates an environment in which employees feel compelled to develop an attachment to the corporation.
   • This is achieved through an obsessive corporate culture, including the worship of the founder and constant reminders of the company’s mission.
   • The resulting atmosphere resembles a cult, where submission is regarded as the ultimate virtue.

The psychological consequences of severance, as depicted in the series, reveal how attempts to artificially control consciousness can lead to identity destruction, internal conflicts, and emotional isolation. These themes resonate with modern society, where the balance between work and personal life remains one of the most pressing challenges.

Symbolism and Visual Language in Severance

The series Severance captivates viewers not only with its plot but also with its profound symbolism embedded in its visual language. Visual elements, such as office architecture, color palettes, and lighting, serve not just as a backdrop but as active participants in the narrative. They create an atmosphere of unease, highlight the emotional states of characters, and convey the show’s key themes, including isolation, loss of identity, and the struggle for freedom.

Particular attention is paid to the design of the Lumon Industries office, which resembles both a sterile laboratory and an endless maze. Color and light are used as tools to manipulate the audience’s perception: dark tones amplify feelings of oppression, while bright flashes of light symbolize moments of realization or emotional tension. Additionally, the series is filled with allegories and symbols that help explore the deeper psychological and philosophical aspects of the narrative.

Architecture and Design of the Lumon Office: Reflecting Isolation and Loss of Control

1. Sterility and Uniformity
   The Lumon office represents the ideal corporate environment, devoid of human warmth.
   • Narrow hallways, endless white walls, and identical cubicles create an atmosphere of isolation and disorientation.
   • Employees’ workstations resemble enclosed cages, where each character works completely detached from the outside world.
2. Labyrinthine Space
   • The design of the office spaces makes them appear infinite and intimidating, symbolizing a lack of escape and a loss of control.
   • Getting lost in Lumon’s hallways serves as a metaphor for the characters’ internal states, as they struggle to find their way back to their identities.
3. Architectural Symbolism
   • Closed doors and the absence of windows emphasize isolation and the severance of ties with the outside world.
   • The central zone, where characters intersect, symbolizes the collective unconscious — a place where their internal conflicts begin to converge.

Using Color and Light to Convey Characters’ Emotions

1. Color Palette
   Colors in the series are carefully selected to emphasize characters’ emotional states and the show’s key themes.
   • White. The dominant color of the office symbolizes sterility, emptiness, and the absence of individuality.
   • Green. Shades of green used in office décor are associated with control and submission.
   • Red. Red lighting appears in moments of danger or emotional tension, such as in the “break room.”
2. Play of Light and Shadow
   • Shadows are often used to create an atmosphere of uncertainty and threat, especially in scenes exploring the office’s hallways.
   • Bright flashes of light symbolize moments of realization or emotional breakthroughs, such as when characters begin to understand the nature of their work.
3. Emotional Color Associations
   • Characters’ personal selves are depicted in warmer, more natural tones, contrasting with the cold, mechanical atmosphere of the office. This contrast amplifies the drama of their internal conflict.

Allegories and Symbols in the Narrative: Severance, Identity, and Corporate Culture

1. Severance as Disconnection
   • The severance procedure itself serves as an allegory for the extreme separation of work and personal life.
   • The constant rupture of memory symbolizes the loss of control over one’s life and identity.
2. Symbolism of Searching
   • The office labyrinth and mysterious hallways are metaphors for the internal search to escape suppression and reconcile the work and personal selves.
   • Key objects, such as a map or an electronic key, symbolize the characters’ pursuit of understanding their essence.
3. Allegory of Corporate Culture
   • Lumon represents faceless oppression, where individuality is sacrificed for collective interests.
   • The idealization of the company’s founder, his cult, and opaque rituals reflect the dangers of totalitarian thinking.

The symbolism and visual language of Severance make it a unique work, where every element — from architecture to the color palette — contributes to the exploration of its central themes. This visual depth enhances the emotional impact on the viewer, turning the series into a powerful allegory of modern society, where technology, work, and personal life intertwine, presenting new challenges to human identity.

Psychological Themes in Season One

The first season of Severance delves into deeply personal and philosophical questions about the nature of the human psyche, free will, and the boundaries of identity. The psychological aspects of the series go beyond the individual stories of the characters, forming universal themes that resonate with viewers.

At the core of the plot lies the conflict between the work self and the personal self, which serves as a metaphor for modern societal issues: the loss of connection with oneself, the pressure of collective experience, and the manipulation of human freedom. Themes such as the loss of identity, collective trauma, and questions of free will not only affect the characters but also prompt the audience to reflect on their own choices and their true nature.

Loss of Identity and the Struggle for Autonomy

1. Severance as the Fragmentation of Personality
   The severance procedure creates two independent parts of a single personality: the work self and the personal self.
   • The work self exists solely within the office, without access to external memories or experiences, making it psychologically vulnerable.
   • The personal self loses a third of its life, leading to a sense of lost control over one’s existence.
2. The Quest for Autonomy
   Characters, particularly Helly and Mark, gradually realize that their existence within the system is devoid of freedom.
   • Helly actively fights for autonomy, expressing her resistance by attempting to leave the corporation, even at the cost of her own life.
   • For Mark, the struggle for autonomy involves reconciling his two selves to regain control over his existence.
3. Symbolism of the Struggle for Identity
   • The characters’ battle against the system reflects the universal human desire for wholeness and autonomy.
   • Their efforts to unite the work self and the personal self symbolize a longing to take control of their lives and understand themselves.

Collective Trauma and Its Consequences

1. Collective Trauma as Part of Corporate Culture
   The work environment at Lumon is filled with elements that foster traumatic experiences:
   • The forced severance of identity makes employees vulnerable to manipulation and oppression.
   • Fear of punishment, isolation, and disconnection from the outside world amplify stress and feelings of helplessness.
2. Manifestations of Trauma in the Characters
   • Mark. Uses work as a way to avoid the pain of losing his wife, yet his work self continues to feel the unconscious impact of this loss.
   • Irving. Encounters trauma through recurring visions and emotional isolation, highlighting the impossibility of fully suppressing the inner world.
3. Group Dynamics and Support
   • The office team becomes a kind of support system, where characters attempt to cope with trauma through interaction with one another.
   • However, this support cannot eliminate the root of the problem, as it is embedded in the very structure of the system.

The Question of Free Will: How Much of Our Choices Truly Belong to Us?

1. Distortion of Freedom Through Severance
   The severance procedure vividly demonstrates how a system can restrict human freedom:
   • The personal self voluntarily agrees to the procedure, while completely ignoring the needs of the work self.
   • The work self is deprived of choice and control over its destiny.
2. Manipulation of Decisions
   • Lumon Corporation actively manipulates the consciousness of its employees, creating an illusion of the importance of their work and the necessity of compliance.
   • Helly’s example shows how systemic pressure forces the work self to comply, even when it contradicts its desires.
3. Philosophical Question of Free Will
   • The series raises the question: Are people truly free in their decisions if those decisions are influenced by external circumstances?
   • Mark’s journey, as he begins to understand the scale of manipulation, prompts reflection on whether it is possible to reclaim freedom after it has been lost.

The first season of Severance challenges conventional notions of freedom, identity, and the human psyche. These themes are highly relevant in today’s world, where technology and work increasingly encroach upon personal life, creating new forms of pressure and manipulation. The series is not only an engaging thriller but also a powerful exploration of the psychological and philosophical dimensions of human existence.

Conclusion

The series Severance stands out as a brilliant example of how an artistic work can deeply explore psychological and philosophical questions. The severance procedure, which lies at the heart of the plot, reveals the fragility of human identity and how easily external forces can invade its structure. By analyzing the impact of severance on the individual, it becomes clear that such an artificial division generates not only internal conflict but also shatters the integrity of a person. The work self and the personal self become separate entities, each deprived of a full life, leading to trauma, alienation, and a struggle for freedom.

This conflict raises questions that go beyond the series’ narrative and address the viewer directly: To what extent do we, living in a world divided between work and personal life, preserve our identity? How do corporate culture and societal norms shape our decisions and freedom of will? These themes are especially relevant in today’s world, where the boundaries between the personal and professional are increasingly blurred, and technology heightens control over humanity. The series seems to ask viewers: Do we truly control our lives, or is our freedom merely an illusion shaped by external circumstances?

Furthermore, the series invites us to consider not only personal but also collective aspects of severance. Through the stories of characters like Mark, Helly, Irving, and Dylan, we see how collective trauma becomes embedded in a system where the destruction of individuality and the manipulations of corporate culture suppress any attempts at resistance. However, it is also essential to note that even under such conditions, people retain a drive for freedom and self-discovery, making the series not only unsettling but also inspiring.

The anticipation for the second season is high, as it will likely unveil new dimensions of the conflict between the individual and the system. Will Mark find the answers he seeks, and what will happen when the work and personal selves collide entirely? Will Helly and the other characters manage to break free from oppression, or will the Lumon system become even more powerful? The second season promises not only new plot twists but also a continuation of the philosophical exploration that resonates with all of us.

Severance is not just a story about corporate life or science fiction; it is a mirror in which we can see our own fears, aspirations, and contradictions. The series reminds us of the importance of understanding ourselves and our choices, as well as the fact that true freedom is more than just the absence of external control. It requires awareness, resistance, and a willingness to embrace one’s identity in all its complexity.

Psychological Theories Used in the Analysis of the Series

The analysis of the psychological themes in Severance is based on key concepts and theories of modern psychology, which help to deepen our understanding of the effects of personality fragmentation, collective trauma, and questions of free will.

1. Theory of Dissociation

• The concept of dissociation, developed by Pierre Janet and later expanded upon in clinical psychology, explains how a personality can split into separate “subjects” as a result of trauma or external interference.
• In the series, the severance procedure resembles an extreme form of dissociation, where memories and emotional states are intentionally isolated.
• This process demonstrates how such fragmentation can lead to the loss of personal integrity.

2. Cognitive Dissonance (Leon Festinger)

• Cognitive dissonance is the internal conflict that arises when a person’s beliefs or actions contradict each other.
• Characters like Helly and Mark experience this dissonance as they begin to recognize the divide between their work and personal selves.
• Their struggle with the system becomes an attempt to resolve this conflict.

3. Attachment Theory (John Bowlby)

• Attachment to people and memories plays a vital role in personal identity.
• For example, Irving seeks emotional connection with others, even in conditions of isolation, emphasizing the power of attachment as a foundation for overcoming trauma.

4. Collective Trauma (Kai Erikson)

• The concept of collective trauma explains how traumatic events affecting groups of people shape their shared experience and identity.
• Lumon Industries can be seen as a source of collective trauma, where corporate culture reinforces the suppression of individuality and the isolation of employees.

5. Free Will and the Illusion of Choice (Daniel Wegner)

• Wegner’s theory explores the extent to which our decisions truly belong to us or are the result of external factors.
• In the series, the work self is deprived of freedom of choice, while the personal self faces the illusion of control by consenting to the severance procedure.