Sling Blade: A Theoretical Developmental Approach

Molly E. Tuttle

The University of North Carolina at Pembroke

SWK 3450-003-F21: Human Behavior & Social Environment

Dr. Jody Thomas

November 17, 2021

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 Introduction

Sling Blade is a mid-1990s film about a man named Karl, recently released from a

psychiatric hospital where he has lived for much of his life after killing his mother and her lover.

Karl is mentally disabled which explains many of his life actions such as murdering his mother

after growing up with little affection and the struggle to have basic needs met, as well as why he

befriends a child when released from the psychiatric hospital. Given the advancement in mental

health practices of the 21st century, one could conclude that Karl could greatly benefit from

ecological systems theory practices, psychosocial theory practices, or both, both of which will be

explored and discussed throughout this paper.

Ecological Systems Theory

Ecological Systems Theory formulated by American psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner

recognized the various influences on children through their ecosystems and created a model

broken down into five systems – microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and

chronosystem (Psychology, 2013). The microsystem for example would be a child’s immediate

environment such as family, school, and peers. The mesosystem lies outside of the microsystem

and is a connection between the microsystem and exosystem. The exosystem is the indirect

environment, specifically extended family and neighbors, also social services, health care, and

the school board. The macrosystem includes the attitudes and ideologies of the culture and is the

connection between the exosystem and the chronosystem. The chronosystem is environmental

changes that occur over one’s life. In the same way that a child is affected by the five recognized

ecological systems, there should be multi-systemic intervention strategies at the level of

caregiver, agency, and environment (Edwards et al., 2012).

Ecological Systems Theory Strengths and Weaknesses

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 The strength that is also the weakness of the ecological systems theory is that because

there are multiple systems that can affect the outcome of the child, those systems are not always

filled with the best people and are not a one-size-fits-all type of setting. Foster children may have

a harder time in the microsystem where family and friends are supposed to be if they do not

regularly see their biological parent(s) and are bouncing around from home to home frequently

and are therefore unable to maintain friendships. This imposes a strain on therapists for various

reasons, one being the lack of details in a child’s life such as who exists or how regularly do they

exist or details about their trauma. Another strain would be children whose environment is

constantly changing and can therefore not depend on the stability outlined in the five systems of

the ecological systems theory. For some children who suffer from traumatic experiences but still

have some sense of stability in their lives, the ecological systems theory could be beneficial in

treatment because of the ability to depend on the various systems for support.

Psychosocial Theory

Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory identified eight stages of life development from birth

to death and deeply explained how failure on a caregiver’s part to meet the needs of the child as

each stage could set the stage for additional problems later in life, including mistrust and anxiety

(Mcleod, 2018). In an article titled Explosive anger in post-conflict Timor Leste: Interaction of

socio-economic disadvantage and past human rights-related trauma, scientific research suggested

in adulthood, internal representation formed in childhood through attachment to the caregiver

made it possible to construct one’s identity and regulate emotions and to trust or distrust

accordingly. This meant adults with insecure attachments have a lower capacity for emotional

regulation, lack of trust in themselves and others, a tendency to isolate socially, a negative view

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on past, present, and future life, and increased anxiety and depression symptoms (Brooks et al.,

2011).

In another study conducted on Mexican Adults seeking to find if there was a correlation

between attachment type and the frequency and intensity of anxiety and depression symptoms,

the results of the study found that a secure attachment created during the early years of a child’s

life by that of the mother responding appropriately to the child’s needs, specifically in

infanthood, had a protective-like shield against high levels of anxiety and depression symptoms

in adulthood (Rosas et al., 2020). Both articles shared a common theme which was focusing

importance of a healthy childhood including stability and secure attachment development in

order to prepare children to grow into healthy functioning adults.

Psychosocial Theory Strengths and Weaknesses

The psychosocial theory itself is a strength because of how detailed it is in breaking down

what is expected at each stage of psychosocial development and presents the possible negative

outcomes if the needs of an individual are not met at each “assigned” stage. The weakness of the

system is, like the ecological systems theory, it is not a one-size-fits-all type of solution or 100%

guaranteed treatment because the outcomes are also up to the child in question. Foster children

for instance are incredibly resilient. Just because they may have once been considered “damaged

goods” doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of meeting new goals, going to therapy to work on a

young childhood life they had no control over, and creating a positive path to move forward.

Film and Character Summary

Sling Blade is a mid-1990s film about a man named Karl, recently released from a

psychiatric hospital where he has lived for much of his life after killing his mother and her lover.

The film opens with a man named Charles talking to Karl about cars and women and Karl being

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interviewed by two student reporters about his upcoming release from the asylum and the

murders he committed nearly 20 years prior. Karl describes his childhood to the students like

being picked on by neighborhood kids and isolated from his own family. Karl explained his

justification for killing his mother’s “lover” as he thought she was being raped and when his

mother objected to Karl murdering the rapist, he killed her too. Upon those two murders, Karl

felt he had no reason to ever kill again.

Once released to his small, original hometown, Karl is basically left to navigate the world

on his own as an adult for the first time as well as navigate a world different than when he last

saw it. As he is touring the town, Karl sees a young boy Frank struggling to carry his laundry

home and helps him. They quickly become friends although Frank is of similar age to Karl was

when he murdered his mother. Karl is also set up with a job at a small repair shop. Despite all of

this, Karl is weary and apprehensive of his freedom and would rather return to the asylum.

Karl begins spending day after day with young Frank and Frank confides in Karl that his

mother Linda’s boyfriend Doyle is mean to her, but she is also lonely ever since Frank’s father

committed suicide. A few days later Karl confides in Frank about burying his baby brother which

drives Karl to return to his childhood home to confront his father about his baby brother but his

father refuses to recognize Karl as his son. Leading up to Karl, murdering again, he approaches

Frank’s mother Linda while she was in bed stating he wanted to get baptized, so, the following

day, Karl is baptized in the river. Once they return, Doyle orders Frank to get rid of Karl. Doyle

goes to hit Frank, but Karl stops him. At this point, Karl feels he must protect Frank and Linda

from Doyle, similarly to how he felt he had to protect his own mother. Karl finds Frank hiding in

the woods, so he leaves him with his books, finds Vaughn, Linda’s friend, and asks him to watch

out for Frank and leaves all the money he made working at the repair shop for Frank, and sets out

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to kill Doyle. The film ends with Karl back in the facility he was just released from, just as the

movie started, with Charles talking Karl’s ear off until Karl tells him he doesn’t want to listen

anymore, and the film ends.

Film Character Theory Analysis

The most beneficial treatment path for Karl would be using the psychosocial theory

because it helps identify at what point in Karl’s life he became “stuck” mentally (stage three) and

where a psychologist or therapist could focus their attention to rehabilitation for that point in

Karl’s life or even going as far back to the beginning where the abuse and neglect ultimately

started. Because Karl doesn’t have a family, the ecological systems theory is basically no good

from the start as Karl cannot receive any help from the most immediate system other than the

new friend he makes.

Ecological Systems Theory in the characters life

Given the information known about ecological systems theory and how it works, many

psychotherapists use ecological systems theory to work with and treat children who have

experienced abuse and/or trauma (Edwards, 2012). In the case of Karl Childers, Karl had little to

no ecosystem of support due to the time, nature, and location that the film was set. Even if Karl

did have the resources and knowledge of today, it is likely he would still be in the same place

today due to inadequate resources by way of underfunding and being in a rural setting. If Karl or

his mother had the resources of doctors, social services, and a less rural setting, would Karl still

be performing below average mentally? Would he have killed his mother if he had more of an

education and a better understanding of different types of love? If Karl had received better love

and emotional support as a child through his various systems, would he continue to sit in a

mental hospital?

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 In an article titled How, where, and for whom do neighborhoods matter? a study found

that healthy neighborhoods which promoted children playing together and going to school

together affected their development combined with their socioeconomic status (Minh et al.,

2017). Karl had both odds stacked against him when it came to healthy child development as he

lived in a rural area with seemingly no one his age (the movie did not explore much of his

childhood), nor did he grow up “well off”.

Psychosocial Theory in the characters life

The psychosocial theory is much more helpful than the ecological systems theory in the

case of Karl Childers because the psychosocial theory helps explain Karl’s different stages of life

and the film itself shows the effects of not meeting the needs of the child at a particular point in

the child’s life. Although the film does not cover Karl’s early childhood years, given his

behavior and reflection on his life, one could assume his neglect started in Erikson’s first stage,

trust versus mistrust, which created an insecure attachment with his mother. Insecure attachment

has been associated repeatedly in other studies with developing various mental illnesses across

the lifespan (Rosas, 2020). Karl’s mother failed him from the beginning at Erik Erikson’s first

psychosocial stage of development Trust vs. Mistrust where babies trust that others will meet

their basic needs including warmth, cleanliness, nourishment, and physical contact. This did not

happen as the movie portrayed when Karl was often sent outside to live and sleep in a shed

where he even dug a hole in the ground to rest. The movie also showed his mother inadequately

meeting Karl’s nutritional needs. This also ties into stage two, the autonomy versus shame and

doubt stage which helps explain how Karl taught himself to be independent to survive. Given the

situation with Karl’s parents, he had no other option but to figure out life on his own.

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 Stage three of Erikson’s psychosocial theory is initiative versus guilt. Comparing the

information about Erikson’s theory and Karl’s behavior, one could assume this is where Karl’s

life seemingly took a nosedive which ultimately led to him murdering his mother and his

mother’s lover. With Karl left to raise himself, he had no one telling him right versus wrong;

Karl was a simple man, he didn’t know much but he knew enough. In the journal article

Agreement on and Predictors of Long-Term Psychosocial Development 16 Years Post-

Childhood Traumatic Brain Injury, this journal gives helpful insight into how a traumatic brain

injury sustained as a child affects long-term psychosocial development (Rosema et al., 2014).

Again, not knowing Karl’s entire life history, one could assume he was subjected to many years

of emotional, mental, and physical abuse – from being forced to live in a shed outside of the

home, to not being served three healthy and sustaining meals each day, to having to bury his

baby brother in the backyard – all could contribute to a form of PTSD which could have

ultimately led to an ongoing pause in Karl’s psychological development. This is witnessed once

Karl is released from the mental hospital and befriends a young boy of similar age Karl was

when he murdered his mother.

Another factor to consider for Karl was growing up in a low socio-economic class and

having to deal with anger and frustration from adults in his life who were meant to love and care

for him resulting in being poor. Being poor also affected Karl’s living conditions. Coming from a

low socio-economic class, it was difficult to develop a secure sense of trust and to meet the basic

needs of a child. Also working negatively against Karl was the Intimacy vs. Isolation

psychosocial stage of development. Karl did not experience intimacy and was often isolated,

even from a young age. Because of this, Karl did not recognize how intimacy may look to other

people and combined with the lack of trust, developed into angry tendencies and a lack of ability

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to self-regulate emotionally. Karl showed very little emotion at all, but a bout of rage led to

murder, which one could consider to be not regulated.

Many could speculate Karl killed so he could wind back up in a familiar place as all the

changes of a new world and a free life were too hard on someone like him. Perhaps if Karl had

been rehabilitated more while serving time in the mental institution, he would not have murdered

someone else once he was released so many years later. Perhaps if Karl had been counseled

while serving time, he would not have been released from prison only to befriend a child much

younger than he is.

Self-Reflection Theory Analysis

Upon deep review of both the ecological systems theory as well as the psychosocial

theory, I feel as both theories are relative to my life, but the psychosocial theory is slightly more

relatable. My current life stage according to Erikson is Intimacy vs. Isolation. Erikson states this

stage is for ages 18-40 and I certainly partook in that stage at first chance as I met my now-

husband and began dating him two weeks after I turned 18, the rest is history. However, this

stage is not just about a partner or spousal love, it can also be about happy and loving

relationships with friends. Now that I am married, my focus aside from my marriage is to

maintain a healthy friendship with my best friend of seven years with the hopes I can still meet

new people and make new friends that will last. The single biopsychosocial factor that has

shaped me into the person I am today is the intense desire to do better and be better than where I

came from.

Ecological Systems Theory in your life

The ecological systems in my childhood did not extend beyond the exosystem of

extended family and neighbors. I grew up in a rural farming community and all my neighbors

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were seniors. I did not grow up playing with children of similar ages every day. I grew up in a

two-parent household with one older sibling and my paternal grandparents lived next door.

Although on paper it sounds black and white that I grew up in a two-parent household, I often

consider my childhood to be a one-parent household because that’s what it felt like. My

microsystem consisted of my school, my family, my church, and once I reached upper

elementary into middle school years, soccer, and softball teams. I didn’t understand the

macrosystem or chronosystem until I reached college and stepped outside of my home county to

see how backward my life really was. Because of my father’s closemindedness and his refusal to

accept that his life was no longer in the 1970s or 1980s, my macro system was his macrosystem

and I grew up in a setting where it was “okay” to degrade women, curse at women in a

demeaning fashion (verbal and emotional abuse), use the N-word, and for me personally and

worst of all, spank or backhand children for any little thing he deemed fit.

Psychosocial Theory in your life

Growing up, I could always count on my mom but not my dad. My father, as I now refer

to as “The Ward” because that’s what he made my home feel like, was a workaholic and when

he came home, he became a functioning alcoholic and was verbally, mentally, and physically

abusive towards me most of all. I think he failed me from the get-go in stage one of Erikson’s

psychosocial theory. Although these comparisons fall more under Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs,

my mom built trust early on by being available for me – helping me with homework, reading to

me, tucking me in at night, being sweet and sensitive, showing up for school events like award

shows, volunteering in my classroom, taking me to sports practices and games, cheering me on,

and most importantly that I learned recently, making sure I always had what I needed, even when

it meant sacrificing for herself. I never knew my mom struggled while I was growing up and I

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feel forever indebted to her for giving me a secure life essentially on her own. My father more or

less just existed physically as he helped very little financially, for reasons I still don’t understand

(and my parents are still married).

In Erikson’s Initiative vs. Guilt stage, children ask questions because they’re thirsty to

learn more. With my father, it was hit or miss. Sometimes I would be immediately shut down

and told to stop talking, other times he would go on and on like he was a walking Britannica

encyclopedia, always knowing it all and refusing to accept other viewpoints or change/updates in

his current knowledge. By the Industry vs. Inferiority stage when children feel the need to win

approval, I was doing that also. I tried to show interest in things my father was interested in so

we could try to have something in common, but it only seemed to work on his good days.

Looking back, I’m not entirely sure where I stopped trying; probably after I turned 18 and

realized I didn’t have to deal with the nonsense anymore and I had a backbone, and I could

verbally and physically stand up for myself. Even as a legal adult, my father still did not respect

me enough to not curse at me, raise his voice at me, or even not hit me. Those occurrences didn’t

end until I got married and moved out.

In my current stage of Intimacy vs. Isolation, I learned quickly that I wanted something

so much better than what my parents had shown me, specifically when it came to romantic

relationships. I wanted something genuine. I never once in my life have heard my parents

verbally tell each other they love one another. They might write it on a card for anniversaries or

birthdays but that’s it. It was a huge culture shock for me when I met my now in-laws who

vacation together, sit on the same piece of furniture together, sleep in the same bed together, and

genuinely show true love and affection for one another. Thankfully the example my in-laws set

sank into my husband who provides the life I didn’t have growing up. He is all the things my

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father is not and as I continue through this stage and the next one, I will continue striving for a

better life than the one I had and to give any future children a life better than the one I had.

Through the education I’ve received going through the BSW program combined with mental

awareness information received from the internet, I’ve learned it’s also okay to cut ties, create

boundaries, and distance yourself from people not healthy in your life and I’ve done just that

with my father. In the last year and a half being free of his chokehold, I’ve experienced a heavy

burden lifted off my shoulders, less anxiety, and hopelessness, and I’ve been more awakened to

what is acceptable in society today and what is not. Even if he isn’t willing to learn and change, I

am.

Conclusion

The conclusion that I drew from taking a theoretical approach to the movie Sling Blade

as well as comparing it with my own life, Karl and I had some similarities and I would agree that

both myself and Karl, a fictional character, could both benefit greatly from the use of the

psychosocial theory to heal past traumas. While Karl’s life actions were not ideal, they were

understandable and, in some ways, justifiable when examining the trauma and hardships he

endured in such a short amount of time. This research and comparison also sheds light on the

topic of mental health. Even though Karl Childers is a fictional character in a movie over twenty

years old, it reiterates the importance of providing children with a healthy home life and stable

upbringing to help ensure they can grow into healthy functioning adults.

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