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Destiny Williams

Professor Cuddy

Written Communications II

February 4, 2019

Abuse Within The Room

Room(2015)​ is a genius film directed by Lenny Abrahamson that hosts so many

meaningful thought provoking tools. We witness a mother son duo who have been kidnapped

fight for their life and freedom. Cultural anxieties are presented to us in so many different shapes

and forms. This concept is one that the directors and producers for this movie used as an

underlying theme. The characters whose journey is being displayed are named Jack and Ma.

Abuse is the anxiety that these two as well as many others find themselves subjected to. This

film genuinely speaks to the idea that emotional abuse is harder to escape then that of physical

abuse. It is evident that this is the case through the subtle signs or even the lack thereof.

Educators are trained to recognize signs of abuse in their students. Most times victims are

spotted by their behavior more so than the actual words they speak. Even if it is challenging to

acknowledge for sure or put a name on it, usually it is easier just to know that something is off.

For example in the film when Jack gets out into the real world, he lies on the ground lifeless

because his body and mind are in shock. The innocent bystander that ends up calling for help

knew that something was off with Jack. (52:25-53:04) The viewer realizes that this is a moment

in which the directors affirm that this character has suffered some sort of abuse.
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Physical abuse is extremely surface level whereas emotional abuse has so much more

depth and complexity. Once the wounds heal, people are really unable to identify that this type of

harm was done even though the emotional scars still exist. Every individual heals at a different

rate and although this is true, some people remember and fight the battles that emotional abuse

has left them with for the rest of their life. This notion is carried out by the film-maker through

how they cause the movie to end. As far as we can see, Ma never fully recovers but she has made

great progress. (1:32:39 -1:57:37) This portion of the visual leaves the viewer left wondering

whether or not she really ever gets better. Many times victims of emotional abuse face a new

reality of life, simply meaning that never return to the state of mind they had before the abuse.

Another interesting display of abuse is how his mother tricks her son Jack into believing

that there is no world outside of the shed. There is a scene where she finally tells him that there is

more outside of where they are and the little boys thinks she's lying. (26:39-30:58) It is so

normal for him to feel that way because he was born into captivity so because that was all he

knew, his mind was unable to think outside of bondage. Anytime an individual is manipulated

into believing something for the benefit of another person, it can be considered emotional abuse

because it is slowly turning them further and further away from who they are. Although the

mother meant no harm and probably did not know what else to do, she still contributed to the

mental state of this little boy.

All in all, considering the idea that emotional abuse is more impactful than physical

abuse is important because this information will cause some individuals to be more empathetic

towards others. Through the lens of Jack and Ma we are able see the definite signs of abuse and
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its effects on their life after being in captivity. The film-makers were able to capture these

concepts in a way that was unique and effective.

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Work cited

Room.​ Directed by Lenny Abrahamson, Telefilm Canada., 2015. ​Kanopy.

“How To: Recognize The Warning Signs of Child Abuse.” ​Teachingcom : Where Teachers Meet

and Learn​,

teaching.monster.com/benefits/articles/2058-how-to-recognize-the-warning-signs-of-child-abuse