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.