Women in Astrid's Life: Defense and Depression

In the movie, White Oleander, the main character, Astrid, is deeply influenced by those around her. Amongst constantly shuffling between homes, two women have the deepest influence on her. These women are her mother, Ingrid, and Claire, her second foster mother. While some of Astrid's time with each of the women she might view in a positive light, psychologically they have had an negative impact on her. Each women demonstrates psychological principles throughout the movie. Two principles I will be focusing on include Ingrid's use of the defense mechanism projection, and Claire's depression.

Ingrid and Projection
As a part of his psychoanalytic theory, Sigmund Freud, described three parts of the mind: the id, ego, and super ego (King 2008). Specifically, the ego resolves conflicts between the id and super ego through the use of defense mechanisms (King 2008). He defines eight mechanisms, among which is projection. Projection involves taking one's own seemingly unacceptable attributes and pinning them on others (Van Wagner 2009). This is attributed to the ego putting problems onto others. In the film, Ingrid is a highly troubled individual, however does not admit that to herself or to others. Rather, the only way she expresses her feelings of insufficiency are through violence (like killing her boyfriend, but that is a whole different issue) or through projection onto those around her, especially her daughter. The following video shows a scene in which Ingrid's projection onto Astrid is more than apparent.
Watch from 5.32-6.45

In this scene, Astrid is excited to share her boyfriends drawings with her mother. Ingrid is quick to cut down his work, and precedes to give Astrid "advice." She tells her to not to attach herself to anyone who shows her affection simply because she is lonely. Ingrid continues to explain that loneliness is "the human condition" and "no one will ever be able to fill that space." This bit of "advice" is a clear example of projection. Ingrid's ego is struggling between the wishes of her id, to be able to admit that she desires a male companion in her life, and the reality and constraints of her superego which believe that dependence on another individual is unacceptable. Ingrid claims to be an independent women who is above male companionship. However, her relationship with Barry, the man she eventually kills, is completely contradictory to this. She allows him to spend the night at the beginning of the movie, which is something Astrid was always instructed against. She also became so emotionally attached that when he began dating another women, her jealousy lead her to seek revenge in malicious and violent ways. Currently, as Ingrid resides in jail, he feelings of loneliness cause her to dwell on the past. Obviously ashamed and regretful of her unacceptable actions, she attacks her daughter for having the same faults, while in fact, Astrid's relationship with her boyfriend is completely healthy and quite the opposite.

While this scene is crucial in the embodiment of Ingrid's projection onto Astrid, it is also important as it marks a change is Astrid's character. Throughout the movie until this point, Astrid quietly endures all of her mother's complaints, advice, and instructions. However, in this scene, Astrid actually accuses her mother of committing projection. She acknowledges that Ingrid is actually talking about herself, and even accuses her mother of not wanting her to be happy. This scene is one of the first that shows Astrid's separation from her mother's influence, and ignorance of the negative projection being thrust upon her.

Claire and Depression:

Astrid lives in various foster homes throughout the movie. The best environment she lived in was when she moved in with Claire. She quickly cared about Claire, and Claire cared about her as well. Unfortunately, Claire was dealing with her own issues and feelings of insecurity that adversely would affect Astrid. Claire suffers from a mood disorder, depression. Specifically, she probably suffers from major depressive disorder, or MDD. Unfortunately in her case, her disorder lead her to commit suicide. The following clip shows Astrid's discovery of Claire's death after she exhibited many characteristics of her mood disorder.

Watch the first 40 seconds

In the scenes prior to this one, Claire exhibits some of the nine symptoms of MDD.

• Depressed mood most of the day.
• Trouble seeping or sleeping too much
• Fatigue or loss of energy
• Feeling worthless or guilty in an excessive manner
• Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide (King p. 540 2008)

It seems as though her depressive episodes are brought about by her relationship with her husband. He husband who is constantly traveling, and may possibly be having an affair, makes her feel worthless and not important. We see examples of him degrading her and her acting abilities when they have a fight. References to past fights between her and her husband are made, and it is clear that Claire has suffered through depressive episodes in the past because of her relationship with her husband. The impact of her relationship with her husband offers an behavioral explanation for her depression. Claire practices learned helplessness in the relationship, and feels like her only self worth is within the relationship without even considering the potential of leaving the relationship. When her husband leaves her, she feels as though her life has no future. Claire's depression may also be impacted by heredity, neurobiological abnormalities, or hormones (King 2008).

Her depression led her to commit suicide by overdosing on pills. Again, suicide can sometimes stem from biological factors. Claire also was affected by depression, and as the most common disorders that cause individuals to commit suicide include depression that is the most likely cause of why Claire chose to end her life (King 2008). Up to fifteen percent of people who commit suicide have MDD and it can occur in men and women of all ages, however it is most common in women (Ballas 2009). A link between suicide and family in stability and unhappiness exists as well (King 2008). Claire and her husband definitely have formed a family based on instability and unhappiness, and those factors lead to depression and suicide for Claire.

While the time Claire and Astrid spent together was undoubtedly one of the best periods of Astrid's life, because of Claire's instability she should not have been raising Astrid. The pain and issues Astrid has to deal with following Claire's death are immense as evident in her reaction. Both Claire and Ingrid have positive and negative impacts on Astrid, however i do believe the negative influences they have as demonstrated through the principles expressed here far outweigh the positive.

References:

King, Laura A. (2008). Psychology: An Appreciative View. (pp 239-240). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Ballas, P. (2009). Major Depression. Retrieved 10 May 2009 from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000945.htm

Van Wagner, K. Defense Mechanisms: Projection and Intellectualization. Retrieved 10 May 2009 from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000945.htm

By: Grace Foster