EXHIBITS

Lily coloring on the wall

Luke, Annabelle, Victoria, Lily

Lily choosing Mama, Victoria choosing Annabelle

Mama right after she kills the nun and takes her baby

Throughout the film, each character is growing in their own way.

Lily- The youngest girl has a very hard time throughout the film. Because she was not raised under normal circumstances, and has a difficult time adapting to the real world. Lily does not progress as much as she needs to, and does not end up making it through the movie. She cannot handle the pressures of the real world, and ends up sticking to Mama- causing her death.

Victoria-  A primary character of the film, learns and grows. When people find her in the cabin, she has become creature-like, similar to Mama. She quickly remembers her family from before, and starts to adapt to the new world. Victoria eventually becomes attached to Annabelle, and loves her as if she were her mother. She is able to stay a family with her uncle and Annabelle, and is able to grow up. 

Annabelle- Even though Annabelle is not growing up, she is able to mature all the way through the movie. She does not want the girls at the beginning, but is forced to take care of them when her boyfriend is placed in the hospital. She becomes determined to keep the girls, and does not want their biological great aunt to take them away. Annabelle works hard, and learns to become a nurturing mother.

Mama- Mama is not physically alive in the film, therefore she does not grow. She fights for the girls, and won’t give them up. She loves them, despite in a way that is unhealthy, and does not necessarily care about what they need or want. Mama thinks they are hers, and wants no one else to have access to them. As the movie progresses, she watches Victoria become more and more distant. This breaks her heart, and Mama starts to act with violence. At the very end, Victoria chooses to stay with her uncle and Annabelle. This does not make Mama happy either, so she tries to force Victoria to come with her. In the end, Instead of fighting her, she lets Victoria stay. Mama learns what true love is, and is able to find peace.

Even though each of the characters struggle with mental issues, we watch each character develop and change. A mental illness does not stop you from progressing in life, it dampers the way you think. Mama shows this message throughout the film. Mental illnesses can be very dangerous, and are hard to work with, however; life can still go on.

Works Cited:

Mama, Directed by Andres Muschietti, performances by Jessica Chastain, and Megan Charpenteir, 2013