The Poison Trickles Down: Maternal Trauma in Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects
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Authors
Wynn, Georgia
Issue Date
2025-06-19
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Academic theses , Electronic records , English literature , Family violence , Mother and child , Psychoanalysis in literature
Alternative Title
Abstract
This thesis explores the way maternal abuse cycles form and evolve in Gillian Flynn’s contemporary thriller, Sharp Objects. I refer to mother-daughter relationships as matrafemafilial relationships. Building off Carl Jung’s archetypes, I discuss how assumptions are powerful in the way they shape communal perspectives surrounding women and motherhood. When societies present strict views of motherhood, they may unknowingly contribute to the perpetuation of hidden abuse cycles. Maternal abuse is dangerous, often appearing under the guise of maternal care. In Sharp Objects, Camille Preaker’s mother, Adora Crellin, has Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, and the text suggests that her mother, Joya, may have also had the disorder. Adora passes on her abusive tendencies to her daughters, and the cycle of abuse remains in the family for a while. Eventually, the trauma spreads out, negatively affecting others in the community.
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This dissertation is protected by the Copyright Laws of the United States (Public Law 94-553, revised in 1976). Consistent with fair use as defined in the Copyright Laws, brief quotations from this material are allowed with proper acknowledgement. Use of the materials for financial gain with the author's expressed written permissions is not allowed.