Girl Interrupted Symbols, Allegory and Motifs

Girl Interrupted Symbols, Allegory and Motifs

Cigarette Burning

Susanna is talking to Dr. Crumble in the beginning of the film and her mind begins to wander off. We see that she is holding a cigarette in her hand when she comes back from the day dream. The cigarette is nearly all ash and it is a symbol that she lets her mind drift from reality and by doing so she loses time.

Sock Puppet

Lisa has a sock puppet that she uses to talk to people. It symbolizes her need for control over a situation. It also symbolizes how she puts the blame for her actions on something/someone else. That she doesn't accept responsibility for her actions.

Music

Polly is put into confinement for the night and Susanna and Lisa bring a guitar and tamborine and play music for her. The music represents hope, happiness, that there is a chance for life outside of this place. That Polly is not alone, that she matters and the music is the connection to this meaning.

Daisy's Home

Daisy has been released and lives in her own home that her dad pays for. When Susanna and Lisa are at the front door we hear the multiple locks that Daisy has on her door. What we find is that Daisy continues to be in prison. It's not the mental hospital, her perfectly put together home and appearance are the prison she now lives in. A prison that she has locked around her heart and her past.

Leaky Faucet

At Daisy's home we see Susanna lay down in the bathroom, her head next to a leaky faucet. This image symbolizes how Susanna's mind is the same way. It's leaky and needs to be tightened, but it can be fixed. It is not beyond repair. And as she stares in its direction we know that Susanna recognizes what is wrong with herself, but has yet to do anything about it.

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