Eupsychian Mythopoesis: Cultural Narratives of Flourishing in Kantara and Harry Potter

Abstract

The​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ paper develops a multi-stage interpretive inquiry into the question how Eupsychia, that is Abraham Maslow’s ideal of a self-actualizing and mentally healthy society, is shown through mythopoesis in the Kannada films Kantara (2022) and Kantara: Chapter 1 (2025), and the seven Harry Potter novels (1997–2007). Eupsychia is a society that encourages self-actualization through psychological development, and mythopoesis is the process of intentionally creating new myths from archetypes to give expression to human experiences. By means of a detailed comparative reading, the article traces similar motifs of loyalty, power, rivalry, conflict, ecological reverence, and shadow integration, and it sees these art pieces as “eupsychian myth-engines” that work through a marked difference in culture, language, time, and audience. The piece sets forth a valid academic argument on the power of such stories to shape psychology, education, cultural studies, and media practice, especially at a time when society is facing fragmentation and mental health ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌problems.