“The Magdalene Sisters” is a thoroughly mind-provoking film about 3 young women who, under tragic circumstances, are sent to the asylum as they are considered the “fallen” women in 1964. The asylum is run like prisons and young girls are forced to do workhouse laundry and hard labor. There is another woman named Crispina, who is more vulnerable and tragic because she has mental problem. She experiences something horrific and does not have the mental or emotional intelligence to be able to properly express herself . That is what makes her seem to be more pathetic.
First of all, Crispina, an unwed mother whose sister adopts the little boy, often bringing him to the gates so that she can see him.She cannot live with her son, even talk to him normally like other parents and children. What she can do is only praying through her Saint Christopher to communicate with her son to make herself peaceful and consoled. There is a scene in the movie that, after she loses her necklace, she is totally desperate and almost crazy to commit suicide. She tries to make herself terminally ill with the flu by soaking her nightgown in cold water then sleeping in it; furthermore, she believes God is punishing her for some wrong and tries to hang herself. These both clearly shows that, she regards the Saint Christopher as a part of her life, and without it, she will be suffered spiritual damage. However, Bernadette,who is a very tough young woman, picks up her necklace by accident, but decides to keep it rather than return it back. Due to Crispina has mental problem, she easily becomes the target that everyone could hurt. Moreover, she is not able to defend for herself. For example, when Margaret finds her Saint Christopher and tells her that Bernadette steals it, she does not show anger at all; on the contrary, she keeps saying, “but you found it” instead! Even though people try to help her, she is not able to understand the purpose of that.when Margaret finds her Saint Christopher and tells her that Bernadette steals it, she does not show anger at all; on the contrary, she keeps saying, “but you found it” instead! Even though people try to help her, she is not able to understand the purpose of that.when Margaret finds her Saint Christopher and tells her that Bernadette steals it, she does not show anger at all; on the contrary, she keeps saying, “but you found it” instead! Even though people try to help her, she is not able to understand the purpose of that.
Secondly, because of her instability, she falls victim to scrutiny time and again.When the girls are forced to jog naked in front of the nuns for entertainment, the nuns single Crispinaout as “hairiest,” causing her significant emotional humiliation. After the archbishop takes advantage of her, she does nothing to defend for herself, either. The most unforgettable scene in the movie of her is, she is consistently shouting in front of everyone to the archbishop, "you are not a man of god" when they are doing warship in the field. It can be seen that, this woman is broken and when she sees the archbishop has the rash and she also has the rash a light bulb goes off. She can only uses her own way to tell everyone that the archbishop molests her. However, it does not work, as the archbishop does not get punished,or been sent to the prison, while Crispina is dragged off to an insane asylum, where she eventually dies of anorexia.
Lastly, in terms of consequences of each character, Crispina is definitely the most tragic one. On the one hand, Crispinais the object of the most punishment because her emotional and psychological instability makes it difficult for her follow the asylum's strict rules. In addition, she is sexually abused by the priest in the asylum, worsening her instability.On the other hand, the ending of" The Magdalene Sisters" provides a brief statement about what happens to each girl after her time in the asylum.Margaret becomes a school teacher , but never married.Rose (Patricia in the asylum) remains a devout Catholic, finds the sonshe is forcedto give up for adoption, and has more children.Bernadette marries and divorces three time, and tragically, Harriet (Crispinain the asylum) dies at age 24 of anorexia.Aside from Harriet, who, sadly,is pushed over the edge, all the girls moved on. They all find life after Magdalene Asylum. Although their experiences will undoubtedly remain with them, and the ramifications of the abuse they endured surely marks their lives daily, the film does not end without making it clear to the audience that the women carried on.
In conclusion, Crispina's mental health makes her the most vulnerable target, which also leads her to the deteriorated death.
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