Ronnie and Mother

Q: Why is Ronnie affected so severely by Mother, and why was she possessed at the end?

A: “Mothers, Lock Up Your Daughters Because They Are Terrifying” is a chilling yet relatable short story, telling the story of Ronnie and her two best friends. All of these teenage girls are Korean, adopted into white families. Slowly throughout the narrative, their issues with their family situations are revealed. The girls feel disconnected from their heritage/birth parents and are unsatisfied with their adoptive parents. Although a seemingly typical conflict, these sentiments prove to create serious complications within the girls’ lives. The story follows the girls as they interact with the spirit they have summoned, their “Mother,” who eventually possesses Ronnie completely. 

From the very beginning, Ronnie and her friends feel disconnected from their parents. There are complaints of them being too controlling or not understanding, and there is a feeling of overall detachment. Their only real family members are each other. This sets the groundwork for Mother to enter their lives– they all crave parental connection and validation, so when someone appears with everything they want, they eat it up. Except for Ronnie, who has reservations about their new Mother. Ronnie’s problems are compounded by her secret romance with her adoptive brother. 

Ronnie’s relationship with her brother affects many other aspects of her life. It affects her feeling of belonging in her family. Knowing that incest is wrong, Ronnie makes an effort to convince herself of the rift between her and her brother, noting that they look nothing alike and are not blood-related. However, this in turn leads to her separation from her family to become deeper rooted. She removes herself from her family to preserve her moral integrity, trying to convince herself that her romance is OK. When Mother finds out about her situation, she completely breaks Ronnie down, shaming her, yelling at her, and confirming every feeling of disgust and self-hatred within herself that Ronnie had worked so hard to bury. 

Ronnie loses herself shortly after, completely overtaken by Mother. She becomes the person Mother wants her to be, completely giving in. Although there is much build-up and many reasons as to why Ronnie is so affected by Mother, there are two main reasons: Ronnie hates herself, and Ronnie loves her friends. Her friends have become her true family, and after being hurt so deeply by Mother she strives to protect her friends. She has no problem sacrificing herself in order to do this, because of how much she has come to hate herself. A part of Ronnie believed the same things that Mother said about her. Mother worsens her internal conflict, eventually taking complete control over Ronnie. The ending of this short story is a sad one, one where Ronnie ends the story consumed, a victim.

A Rose from Emily: Emily’s POV

I set out into the town and ignored the curious looks. I had made up my mind. Of course, I had known what the people would say, “She’s going to kill herself,” or “Barron will be the one she marries,” but I did not care, for I was quite beyond that point. I kept my head high and looked straight ahead of myself. I had stopped caring many years ago, being the spectacle of the town. I was truly alone once they had taken my father’s body from me. This time they could not take it away from me, for I had found my perfect companion. He was the same build as my father with a similar complexion as well, he would do. I would get a good night of sleep tonight.

I entered the near-empty drugstore and found the druggist. “I want some poison,” I told him, yet I was met with a blank stare. “I want some poison,” I repeated.

“Yes, Miss Emily. What kind? For rats and such? I’d recom—”

“I want the best you have. I don’t care what kind,” I said, as I had begun to grow impatient. It was at this point I resolved that every person living in this town was incompetent. The man continued to dawdle nervously until I remembered the name. My father had mentioned it before. “Arsenic.”

Upon receiving my poison, I went straight to work. I had already set up his things, I was sure he would appreciate it. I prepared a nice meal, such as a proper woman does. This was going to be my companion’s last meal, it had to be splendid. After cooking for many hours, it was ready. Pot roast with a side of mashed potatoes, topped with arsenic-gravy. I invited my Barron over for dinner and served him the well-prepared meal. He loved the mashed potatoes. He was dead before dessert. I ate my pudding quietly, then got up to prepare for bedtime.

I dragged the man up the stairs as best I could, holding his head so as not to bump it on the steps. Once I got him into the room, I retrieved my father’s old nightclothes. The ones he wore every night. Before they took him away from me. I gently dressed the body in these clothes and lay him to rest on the bed. I tucked him into bed making sure not to disturb my man and got ready for bed.

“The arsenic man was insufferable,” I told him as I changed into my nightclothes, “It seems this entire town wishes to see me alone.” I had a companion once again, no longer the old maid of the town. I had done for myself what no one else ever would. I washed my face, sighing in contentment. I shut the lights and climbed into bed with my lover. 

“I love you,” I said, burying my face in his chest. We embraced, and I fell asleep with him stroking my hair.