Leaving the Nest, the Freudian Way: A Psychoanalytic Look at Lady Bird
Date of Award
5-1-2025
Degree Name
M.A. in English
Department
Department of English
Advisor/Chair
Andrew Slade
Abstract
This thesis studies the psychological and emotional tensions embedded in the mother-daughter relationship in Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird through the framework of Sigmund Freud’s “The Family Romances.” By examining Lady Bird's narrative arc, this study demonstrates how development and maturity can only be achieved by separating ourselves from the parental figures in our lives. It also shows how the protagonist’s desire for autonomy is linked to her turbulent relationship with her mother, who functions as both a mirror and an obstacle.. Through close textual and visual analysis, the paper argues that Lady Bird’s rejection of her given name, her fantasies of wealth and belonging, and her eventual geographical and emotional departure from her family home all constitute a Freudian process of individuation known as the “Family Romances”. It is only through this painful detachment that the protagonist begins to view her mother not as a limiting force, but as a complex individual. This understanding marks the emergence of a more integrated and autonomous self.
Keywords
American Literature, American Studies, Developmental Psychology, Education, Educational Psychology, Film Studies, Gender, Gender Studies, Literature, Psychology
Rights Statement
Copyright 2025, author.
Recommended Citation
Fakih Issa, Dunia, "Leaving the Nest, the Freudian Way: A Psychoanalytic Look at Lady Bird" (2025). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 7526.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/graduate_theses/7526
