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What did Ben believe happened to his mother? (spoilers)

posted 8 years ago by Bob_Brooker
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I stumbled across this entry on the Trivia page:

Ben develops a fear of water after he believes his mother drowned. Because of this, he wears a life-jacket (even on dry land) throughout most of the film. He finally lets go of his fear during the climax, where he removes his life-jacket to find Saoirse's seal skin underwater.

I don't remember Ben ever noting what he believes happened to his mother. The movie made it look like Death by Childbirth until the flashback. If there was talk about the mother drowning, it eluded me. Any ideas?

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Last movie watched: Song of the Sea (9/10)

[–] IMDB_Vits 8 years ago

Not everything on the Trivia section is true (it's like Wikipedia). Assuming that it is, here's my take on it: During the flashback, CONOR dodges the question by introducing SAOIRSE. However, we don't see what happens then. Of course that BEN would keep on asking until getting an answer. CONOR couldn't tell him the truth, so he must've made up that she drowned. During the 1st part of the movie, BEN is a jerk to SAOIRSE. Most viewers thought the mother died at childbirth and that he blamed his sister. If the drowning theory is true, it means that BEN simply associated SAOIRSE with their mother's death (notice his reaction when he sees her for the first time).

Edit: I forgot that the movie took place during SAOIRSE's birthday i.e. the anniversary of the mother's death. Another reason for BEN to be angry at her.

[–] ReptilePatrol 8 years ago

Interesting theory! Makes a lot of sense.

And in regards to the childbirth thing — I think Ben associates Saoirse coming with his mother leaving, which causes his negative attitude towards her. Her birthday is on the anniversary of her death — literally overnight, his mother disappears and in her place is a little sister. He then deals with his grief by bottling it up and taking it out on Saoirse.

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