EXHIBITS

Mama as a real person

The background and origin of Mama plays a significant role in the film. When Dr. Dreyfuss performs a hypnotherapy session with Victoria, some of Mama’s story is revealed.

In 1887, a mental hospital is shut down; St. Gertrude’s asylum (00:30:10-00:30:40). The hospital was approximately five miles away from the cabin where the girls were found; Mama’s home. Sometime in the 1800’s, Edith Brennan was admitted to a hospital for “sad people” (00:25:10). Mama’s backstory plays a significant part in this film because her story shows that a mentally ill patient is not the best fit for a parent. Instead of facing the people chasing her, she kills herself, and essentially her baby too. Mama (Edith) was going through some mental disorders, and cannot even take care of herself, therefore; she is staying in an asylum.

In the spanish folklore, La Llorona- the tale Mama is based on, a husband leaves his wife ("La Llorona" literacynet.org). The couple has two children together, and the wife becomes very angry with the husband for leaving her. In her anger, the wife throws both her children in a river. She soon realizes what she has done, and she jumps in hoping to save them. The wife ends up dying, but her spirit cannot rest until she finds her missing children.

In the movie, Mama’s spirit also cannot rest. She cannot find her baby, and searches until she finds Lily and Victoria. When the girls are found, Mama becomes very jealous and protective. She attacks everyone who tries to take her children. Mama struggles with mental health, and becomes dangerous to those around her. Mama is a movie that portrays the importance of mental health.

 Works Cited:

"la Llorona" literacy net, 28 Apr. 2017 http://www.literacynet.org/lp/hperspectives/llorona.html

Mama, Directed by Andres Muschietti, porformances by Jessica Chastain, and Megan Cherpentier, 2013