As the camera pans out, a sleeping figure is revealed to be the ‘real’ Peter. The opening sequence shows a series of Annie’s masterpieces. Sadly, Annie cannot control the effect that these past traumas have had upon her and on her family, or the effect they will have on their future. In her intricate set pieces, each depicting a harrowing landmark in her life, Annie manipulates and diminishes the figures and their environment, attempting to distance herself from the pain associated with their memory. Her actions inevitably lead to the destruction of her family, because although Annie’s mother has made the bargain with Paimon, Annie pays the ultimate price.Īnnie’s vocation as a miniaturist is a possible attempt to control the impact of her past traumas. Annie's attempts to make sense of her past trauma, to break the cycle and to take control of her own life are futile. The fate of Annie's family is predetermined. Through this lens, Paimon represents the psychological demons, the inescapable legacy that Annie’s mother Ellen leaves to her daughter and inevitably, to her grandchildren. Seen in this context, this is the theory that in a dysfunctional family, it is impossible to avoid repeating the same harmful patterns learned from our parents. The theme of free will versus fate is clear in Hereditary. I examined the different roles played by the female and male members of the three generations in the Graham family in relation to the perpetuating recurrence of the wounds and damaging behaviours of the preceding generation. One of the many possible interpretations that resonates with me is the idea of determinism in the context of familial dysfunction particularly in relation to the female inter-generational dynamics.
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The wide array of articles, with an equally diverse range of theories about the meanings behind the story and its associated lore, is a reflection not only of this division, but also of the impact the film has continued to have since its release in 2018.Īs I processed my own extraordinary reaction, I appreciated the ambiguity of Ari Aster’s masterpiece. The global reception to Hereditary has been remarkably divided. I left the cinema reeling I felt as though I had shared the Graham family’s trauma, and although I had survived the ordeal, the shock stayed with me for weeks afterwards. My first experience of watching Hereditary had a profound effect upon me.
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*Warning, this editorial contains spoilers for Hereditary*