Complex family relationships resonate because they explore the concept of How much can you forgive? Where do you draw the line between loyalty and self-preservation? When we watch a family implode on screen or read about it in a novel, we are navigating our own boundaries and definitions of belonging.
Think Logan Roy’s ex-wife Caroline, or Meryl Streep’s Violet Weston in August: Osage County . The complex matriarch is often the emotional weather system of the family. She uses guilt as a weapon and affection as a reward. Her storylines usually involve losing control—of her children, her estate, or her mind.
However, the best storylines subvert this. The Scapegoat isn't always the hero; sometimes they are just as toxic as the parents. The Golden Child isn't always arrogant; sometimes they are a terrified people-pleaser on the verge of a breakdown.
Complex family relationships resonate because they explore the concept of How much can you forgive? Where do you draw the line between loyalty and self-preservation? When we watch a family implode on screen or read about it in a novel, we are navigating our own boundaries and definitions of belonging.
Think Logan Roy’s ex-wife Caroline, or Meryl Streep’s Violet Weston in August: Osage County . The complex matriarch is often the emotional weather system of the family. She uses guilt as a weapon and affection as a reward. Her storylines usually involve losing control—of her children, her estate, or her mind.
However, the best storylines subvert this. The Scapegoat isn't always the hero; sometimes they are just as toxic as the parents. The Golden Child isn't always arrogant; sometimes they are a terrified people-pleaser on the verge of a breakdown.