MovieChat Forums > The Virgin Suicides (2000) Discussion > Why is Cecilia sad?

Why is Cecilia sad?

posted 10 years ago by Varla_Kicked_Ass
11 replies | jump to latest

So sad that she had to kill herself. But why is she sad? Is it because she feels alienated from her sisters? Or is it because she's just sad?

Live your life. Forget your age.

[–] teswan 10 years ago

Some people are just depressed. It's a chemical thing.

[–] Varla_Kicked_Ass 10 years ago

That's just... sad.

But this condition can be cured by having some support system. I guess.

Live your life. Forget your age.

[–] teswan 10 years ago

"This condition" meaning depression? It can't be cured with a support system (in fact, it can rarely be cured at all) but having one definitely helps.

Cecilia lacked one, though. While her parents and sisters cared about her, no one really understood her and she, being depressed, probably felt that suicide was the only way to escape that. She didn't want to spend her life being misunderstood and she didn't think anyone could understand her, so she ended it.

[–] MariaDeluca 10 years ago

I think it was a mixture of depression, and not being able to deal with the world. Her face when the kids were kind of making fun of the mentally challenged kid kind of said it all.

[–] Varla_Kicked_Ass 10 years ago

I agree. Cecilia seems to be the misunderstood one among the Lisbons. And the fact that she is alienated/isolated from her sisters by having a separate room might have contributed to her depression.

Her front door has that drawing that says:
Dear old friend, I'm finally dropping you a card because I need friends.

http://screenmusings.org/movie/dvd/The-Virgin-Suicides/pages/The-Virgi n-Suicides-083.htm

Life is short. Death is long.

[–] zziiyy 8 years ago

I think Joe had Down's syndrome. Regardless, I wouldn't agree the kids are making fun of him. It may appear they are laughing at his expense, but they're really just communicating with him in the only way they know how. Joe will never be"friends" with the others as he's escorted by his mother wherever he goes or at school. In his limited social connectivity he enjoys having that attention for a brief time. I think a lot of kids would have simply avoided Joe, but these kids (and in this time period) are more connected through their neighborhood and have more accountability to help someone feel included. While they may not have understood and been entirely sensitive to Joe's challenges, I don't believe they are intending any cruelty.

[–] Albatoss 8 years ago

Because she is 13. She has it SO bad. A boy must have circled "NO" on a "Do you like me" letter she passed to him in class.

[–] cindykoerner 8 years ago

Please don't minimize the child's pain.
No one knows, it could be a combination between chemical depression and her realizing that things will never change and it's a cold, cold world.

[–] engel97 8 years ago

The psychologist who watched her said that she was in need of more social contacts. Her parents didn't allow her to have any contacts outside school when they were absent, which means that she didn't quite have friends. And I think that's why the other girls commited suicide as well. Man is a social animal, but these parents didn't allow their children to keep any social contacts apart from each other. Having siblings, I can say this is tormenting :/ Not because I do not consider my sister a right person to talk to, but what can you talk about when you're inprisoned in a house and aren't allowed to talk to anyone but your siblings?

[–] kellycallie (728) 5 years ago

I think the psychologist wrote off her attempt at first as ''nonsensical'' and then he looked a little deeper into her home life and realized the toxicity of her parents. There was a real problem there. The girls committed suicide because of oppression, not depression.

[–] raggoyute 8 years ago

She needs a shag and in not getting that it manifests itself as depression. All the monkeys have no tails, got bitten off by wail's.