Flowers In The Attic
by V.C. Andrews
Andrews, V. C. Flowers in the Attic. New York: Pocket, 1979. Print.
Summary:
Flowers In The Attic is a novel that captures the horror of vanity and greed, and how it can lead to the demoralization of man in the form of captivity, incest and loss of innocence. However, it also pleads for placement in the world and for love.
With the access to a large, yet lone attic, four children live out three years of their lives hiding from a grandfather until his imminent death. It is believed that the grandfather will leave his miraculous estate to his daughter, mother of the children. However, the children must be kept secret for they were born of sin and if the grandfather found out she had children with his half-brother, her half-uncle, he would banish her, as he did when she married him.
After three years, the children question their mother's love and devotion to keep them safe, and they plot escape. In the midst, the children learn that the grandfather had died several months prior to their escape and the mother was keeping the children captive to preserve the grandfather's codicil in his will that would never allow the mother to have children. They also recognize that they were fed rat poison to ensure the will would not be voided. One sibling was killed in this act, so the children decide to seek revenge another day.
Character through the Mimetic:
Corrine, the mother of the children, made promises that she would visit her loving family every weekend and she'd provide decadent foods and expensive toys to play with. She kept her promise for some time, but she returned less and less frequent.
by V.C. Andrews
Andrews, V. C. Flowers in the Attic. New York: Pocket, 1979. Print.
Summary:
Flowers In The Attic is a novel that captures the horror of vanity and greed, and how it can lead to the demoralization of man in the form of captivity, incest and loss of innocence. However, it also pleads for placement in the world and for love.
With the access to a large, yet lone attic, four children live out three years of their lives hiding from a grandfather until his imminent death. It is believed that the grandfather will leave his miraculous estate to his daughter, mother of the children. However, the children must be kept secret for they were born of sin and if the grandfather found out she had children with his half-brother, her half-uncle, he would banish her, as he did when she married him.
After three years, the children question their mother's love and devotion to keep them safe, and they plot escape. In the midst, the children learn that the grandfather had died several months prior to their escape and the mother was keeping the children captive to preserve the grandfather's codicil in his will that would never allow the mother to have children. They also recognize that they were fed rat poison to ensure the will would not be voided. One sibling was killed in this act, so the children decide to seek revenge another day.
Character through the Mimetic:
Corrine, the mother of the children, made promises that she would visit her loving family every weekend and she'd provide decadent foods and expensive toys to play with. She kept her promise for some time, but she returned less and less frequent.
"Momma came into our room this first night, tight-limbered and stiff-jointed, as if every movement she made hurt" (80).
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"'I'll be back tomorrow morning, before I leave for that school. Really, Cathy ... I'll try to do the best I can. I want you out of this place just as much as you want to be out of this place'"(101).
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The mother's gradually decreasing appearance struck doubtful thoughts in the mind's of her children. Over time, they began to distrust her all together. This gradual effect utilizing qualitative and progressive forms.
Thematic:
Viewing the progression of the Mother's absence and the correlation of trust and love of the children, it may be concluded that people who do not show up and do not provide support are undeserving of love. I believe when the mother realizes the love her children have for her has faded, she decides to rid of them. The climax is driven by this realization which leads to the mother's plan to poison and kill her children. She only accomplishes killing one, the child who was most fond of her, most protective, In his dying words he cried, "'Momma, I don't feel so good' (343); although, his mother was long gone, off to Europe or Vermont or the Isles. He still blindly clung on to false love, false hope.
Controlling value 1
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Controlling value 2
Purpose: Being cautious when trusting others will provide safety from betrayal. Context: Devoting yourself blindly will cause death. |
Reflection of Controlling Values
In a blog post, I discussed the character of Corinne, the mother. I explained that I believed she was greedy, but at some points she recognized that she was greedy and deemed herself unworthy of being a parent. I found this to be her solace, the good side of her. Now that I proposed a new set of controlling values, I have looked at this distinction differently. I now can also believe that Corinne simply told herself this information to justify her murdering her child. In her head, she may have said to herself, "I am an unworthy mother. I don't deserve children; ad plus, if I don't have children I get to keep this house of luxury and all my father's money will be mine. Clearly if I don't deserve to be a mother, I should stop being one. I must kill my children as punishment for my unworthiness." The actual drive is greed, but her justification is penance.
Reflection of My Life
I am surprised that it took me so long to pinpoint this particular set of values. I believe I rejected it earlier because I have dealt with it in the past. In The Writer's Mind course, students had to ask friends and family what their traits or strengths were. My family all said how creative and determined I am and when I asked them to provide a narrative of a time I was creative, they all used scenarios of performances they never should up to, never saw. I was angry that they called me creative because they had never witnessed a single one f my creations.
There was a portion of high school where I stopped telling my parents I was doing good things because I didn't trust that they would care, that they would support me. I was being cautious when trusting others because it would provide safety from betrayal. I thought my parents betrayed me by not showing up to my shows.
Today, I am very supportive to my friends, even they aren't to me. I fear that the moment I become unsupportive, I will lose all of my friends. When I give support and I am appreciated for it, it feels wonderful. However, I also fear that being supportive to the wrong person, such as when asked to drive a bunch of drunk friends home, will end badly.
There is a constant loop that seems to drive my decisions very often. It controls my life.