Gothic families range from the morbid depravity of The Castle of Otranto to the whimsical comedy of The Addams Family. The family units on display in Beautiful Creatures lie somewhere in between. We've got magic and ghosts, sure, but we've also got loneliness, dysfunction, and death. Lena's and Ethan's families have been intertwined for over a century, and the feelings aren't exactly warm and fuzzy. If Ethan ever marries Lena, he's going to get the mother-in-law from Hell (literally) in the bargain. You think your holiday dinners are tense? At least people aren't throwing dishes and utensils at each other… without even lifting a finger.
Questions About Family
- What defines a family in Beautiful Creatures?
- Families protect each other, even under extreme circumstances (like, say, turning into a being of pure evil). What are the consequences of unconditional love? What in Beautiful Creatures makes you say this?
- Does Lena put a disproportionate amount of pressure on Uncle Macon by considering him the only person she can rely on? What about her grandma, whom she lived with for years?