Ghost of Old Feminism vs Modern Feminism in Mama Movie 2013

Annabelle and Mama are having the same desire of the woman but they do the different things. Annabelle lives in the era of modern feminism and lives in the era where woman is now regarded as equal as man and woman has career also woman nowadays not prefer to have children. In the contrary, Mama lived in the era of conventional feminism era where woman are meant to only raised and born children.

            In the beginning of the film, there was a father with his two daughters named Victoria and Lily. The Father killed his wife and got away his two little daughters from the house. In the way of escaping, there happened a self street accident that caused them to stay in the wood. They found an old house in the wood. The father tried to kill his daughter in that house but it was failed by a spirit called Mama. Later, those two children had been raised by Mama for five years but finally they were found by two men and came back to their uncle to take care of them. In this part, the feminist analysis would determine about maternal and woman role between Mama and Annabelle using second wave feminist theory and monstrous feminine by Barbara Creed.

            A figure of the woman spirit called Mama has a possessive character and everlasting maternal desire yet scary and harmful. Edith Brennan who was her real name escaped from the mental asylum, killed a bunch of people and took her own baby. After she took her baby, she jumped from the cliff. Mama in this film is categorized as an antagonist. The second figure of woman is Annabelle. She is an uncle’s girlfriend and a band girl. Annabelle’s appearance tells that she is a riot girl but later she is not as fool as her appearance. Annabelle takes care of the children Victoria and Lily alone since their uncle attacked by Mama. However, in the beginning, Annabelle says that she doesn’t do mom thing but then she does a good care to the children because she loves their uncle and so the children in the end of the film. Both Mama and Annabelle are the hero for the children but the difference is that Mama caused harms for sake of her possessiveness and Annabelle did not do any harm. Annabelle is categorized as a protagonist.

            The second wave feminist theory is appropriate to be applied in the Annabelle’s character. Annabelle who is the uncle’s girlfriend and is not married is a portrayal of a second wave feminist. She was a band girl, drunk, unmarried woman, and she doesn’t like to do mom thing. In the beginning of the film she was happy of not getting pregnant when she came up with her pregnancy test. She once refused to take care of the children because she thought that it was not her job until the situation forces her to take care of the children. The second wave feminist is woman liberation. In the Annabelle’s character, woman is free to express herself, not following patriarchal culture and having reproductive rights. Aunt Jane was not really like to Annabelle because she disbelieved to Annabelle would take a good care for the children. So, Annabelle has no credibility to take care of the children yet later she proves that she loves the children, does the households and teaches Lily how to puff the cold hands.

            The monstrous theory is appropriate to be applied in the Mama’s character. Mama was a figure of the maternal. She raised the Lily and Victoria for five years, yet she really loves Lily and Victoria and she is protective. She was a ghost of Edith Brennan, she is terrifying everyone. She could kill everyone who makes her jealous but toward Annabelle she had already made a promise to Victoria not to kill Annabelle. She has an everlasting maternal desire toward the children, so she always seeks the child that she could share her affections. Her everlasting maternal desire leads her to be like a monster and giving no space for others to take a part of a good care. She plays a role of the maternal yet it was so horrific, terrifying, and shocking. The ghost Mama in the film taught the children Victoria and Lily to behave not like the normal people such as in the first time they were found, they walk just like a dog. Lily also likes to eat moths. Mama taught the children monstrous behavior. They are taught how to defend themselves toward people. It is true when Victorian and Lily first found, they did like an animal defends himself. Monstrous feminine in Mama is her over possessive, everlasting maternal desire, and jealousy.

            Both characters of Mama and Annabelle are the hero for the children yet in the end Annabelle won Victoria and Mama won Lily. Both have the maternal desire and also protective. The difference is that Annabelle doesn’t do any harm to people and teaches children normal behaves even just like free thinking women. Monstrous character in Mama is shown in form of the way she nurtures Victoria and Lily and over her appearance of mama and her possessiveness.