Control and Violence in Room
Ma
Ma is being held against her will and is subjected to physical sexual and psychological abuse at the hands of old nick
Ma as the mother of jack controls what jack knows she occupies his time with activities and is his main source of information about the world in which they live
Ma and Jack clash sometimes and ma says “I decide for us both”
Ma slowly begins to loosen her control over jack when his safety is threatened because he is getting older and will become a threat to old nick she tells him about the outside world
When ma and jack escape she struggles with accepting the idea that she was responsible for keeping jack in room she also finds it difficult to deal with the loss of control that she had in room
Key Moments
- Old nick entering room each night to rape ma
- Old nick straggling ma when he thinks she is trying to escape when jeep falls on his head
- Ma having to ask for Sunday treat to get products like medicine that her and jack need
- Ma struggles to loosen her control over Jack, she refuses to let Dr. Clay carry out counselling sessions, she also refuses to allow Jack to be physically examined to check for physical and sexual abuse
- Ma overdoses when she is confronted with the idea that she is responsible for keeping Jack prisoner in Room
Jack
Jack passively controls Ma, he needs her to provide for him, he is still breastfeeding and often tries to feed when she doesn’t want to, she usually gives in, while they are in Room, when they escape she refuses more often. Ma sometimes cannot keep up to with Jack’s demands and trying to entertain him along with the circumstances they are in and so she has “off days”
Key Moments
- Jacks asks to feed and even tries to lift Ma’s top, she has to push his hand away. At the police station Jack wants to feed, Ma tells him no but when he tries again she allows Jack to feed