Next to her, shifting uncomfortably in the velvet seat, was her son, Elias.
François Truffaut’s semi-autobiographical masterpiece offers the flip side of Psycho . Here, the mother is not a possessive monster but a neglectful, impatient, and sometimes cruel one. Young Antoine Doinel’s mother is a young woman trapped by an unwanted pregnancy. She slaps him, mocks him, and sends him to fetch supplies while she conducts an affair.
: Directed by Vittorio De Sica, the film depicts a father's (Antonio Ricci) relationship with his son, Bruno. While focusing on the father-son dynamic, it indirectly sheds light on the mother's role and the family unit's struggle.
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This trope is updated in modern horror films like Ari Aster’s Hereditary (2018). The film explores how grief and ancestral trauma are passed down from a mother to her son. The relationship between Annie (Toni Collette) and her son Peter (Alex Wolff) is fractured by resentment, sleepwalking episodes, and unspoken blame, demonstrating how maternal guilt can manifest as a literal, supernatural nightmare. The Complicated Bonds of Realism
Stories About Mother-Son Relationships - Electric Literature
Cusk’s novel is narrated by a middle-aged woman, M, who invites a provocative artist (a clear stand-in for D.H. Lawrence) to stay on her property. The book is ostensibly about art and power, but its emotional core is M’s relationship with her adult son, Tony. Tony is kind, unremarkable, and utterly opaque to his mother. He does not hate her; he is simply elsewhere. Next to her, shifting uncomfortably in the velvet
Cinema has frequently leaned into the dark, psychological horror of maternal codependency. Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) forever altered the landscape of cinema by introducing Norman Bates and his unseen, deeply abusive mother, Norma. Though Norma is dead, Norman's internalized version of her completely controls his psyche. Hitchcock uses mirrors, shadows, and cross-dressing to visually represent how a mother’s toxic personality can completely swallow a son's identity.
In Native Son , the relationship between Bigger Thomas and his mother, Hannah, is shaped by systemic oppression and poverty. Hannah constantly prods Bigger to get a job and take responsibility for the family, utilizing guilt as a primary motivator. Her nagging, born out of desperation and fear for her son's survival in a racist society, inadvertently deepens Bigger’s feelings of helplessness and rage. Wright uses their strained dynamic to show how socioeconomic pressures distort natural familial bonds. Graphic Novels: Art Spiegelman’s Maus (1980–1991)
The first clip rolled. It was from The Glass Menagerie . Amanda Wingfield, desperate and overbearing, clinging to her children as a shield against a terrifying world. Elias watched the screen, his pen hovering over his notebook. He saw the archetype: the Mother as Devourer. The woman who, lacking a life of her own, cannibalizes the potential of her son. Young Antoine Doinel’s mother is a young woman
Both mediums tackle the ultimate maternal taboo: a mother who struggles to love her son, and a son who seems born with a malicious disposition. The novel relies on the epistolary format—letters written by the mother, Eva, to her estranged husband—which highlights her internal guilt, doubts, and unreliable narration.
Similarly, Xavier Dolan’s Mommy (2014) explores a volatile, deeply loving, yet toxic relationship between a widowed mother and her ADHD-afflicted teenage son. The film uses a shifting aspect ratio to visually represent the brief moments of freedom and overwhelming claustrophobia inherent in their bond. Cultural Variations and Nuances
The mother-son relationship has been a profound and enduring theme in both cinema and literature, often explored for its complexity, depth, and emotional resonance. This relationship can be a source of love, conflict, and transformation, offering a rich tapestry for storytelling. Here are some notable examples and analyses of how the mother-son relationship has been portrayed: