White Oleander was a very remarkable movie that contained various psychological principles. It is about Astrid's journey through her difficult life while on the side, her manipulative mother, Ingrid, was controlling her life. From the beginning, Astrid explains that she lived in her mother's "shadows." Astrid lived this way because her Ingrid played her like a puppet. After Ingrid was sent to prison, Astrid had to live a life no one would ask for. In each of these socially different environments Astrid, had to conform. Two psychological principles I identified were Ingrid's narcissism and Ingrid's conformity.Ingrid's narcissism put many characters including her daughter in a choke hold. Ingrid was as Claire described her: "so powerful, so strong." However, it was her strong sense of self and thirst for power and control that made her Ingrid. She manipulated those around her, even behind bars, and did not take criticism well, as that was what put her behind bars. Ingrid killed her boyfriend because he cheated on her, and she showed no remorse as she told Astrid: "F**k my redemption. I don't want to be redeemed. I regret nothing" (White Oleander). Her manipulation hurt many of her interpersonal relationships, including her daughter. According to the University of Georgia Study of the N, they describe a narcissist as a person that "may at first seem charming and interested in a relationship, they soon look for dominance rather than delight." The scene that best explains Ingrid's manner is when she first starts writing letters to Claire and they then meet. By the end of that meeting Ingrid's charm wears off as her poison leads Claire to a more burdened relationship and suicide. Ingrid lets her power known to Astrid at the end of the scene as she tells her: "My advice to you is to keep your bags packed" (White Oleander). Ingrid knew what she had done as she needed to have her "fun." With her constant presence over Astrid, Astrid was unable to find who she was. Unable to quite find her place, she conformed to each of her social situations. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPt9lSaTHZo (here is the link for Part 8).
It is amazing how Astrid comes out stronger than anyone in the movie, despite all that she went through. Living life with on the go was not easy, going to three or so foster homes in three years is not easy. In each household she conformed to the social norms. Conformity is described as "changing in a person's behavior to coincide more closely with a groups standards" (King, 2008). It started with Starr, she dressed in her "sadly hopeful pink dress" (White Oleander), and took up religion as she "bathed in the blood of the lamb" (White Oleander). When she lived with Claire she started taking jogs on the beach, and went shopping. With the Russian lady, she took up trade, as money was a bigger asset. One situation of conformity that stood out to me was the scene when she noticed that her stuff was being sold. She was visibly upset because the clothes meant to her. But the lady told her that selling things like that was the reason she loved America, as "this country loved money like I love money" (White Oleander). She took her advice later on as her mother offered to give her anything if she testified. As she told Astrid to get what she wanted and she did. She got the truth from her mother for lies from the stand.
In the end, through Astrid's conformity in each situation, she still was not Astrid. It wasn't until she found the truth from her mother, and her mother's releasing of her Astrid found out who she was. She was meant to be with that boy and she was meant to be an artist. Through these social environments Astrid found identity and kept a mutual bond with her mother as at the end she said: "I will always love her" (White Oleander). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KG0IZIRMkU&feature=related (link to part 9, start around six fifty something).
Resources
King, Laura. The Science of Psychology An Appreciative View. 2008.
University of Georgia Study of N. (2002).
White Oleander. (2002).
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