The White Ribbon: Fathers and their Children

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Jennifer:

I was not at all surprised at the progression of The White Ribbon. The fathers in the community all seemed to play a similar role. They all shared distinct characteristics that were easily visible to the audience. As the film progressed, their cold dispositions and inappropriate behaviors toward their children seemed to increase. Surely psychoanalysts would say the theme of this film clearly reflected one of Freud’s theories.

In one particular scene, a young boy hears his sister’s cries coming from the basement. He goes to investigate it and finds his sister alone in a room with father with tears in her eyes. She claims he has just pierced her ears and that was the reason for the tears. However, we suspect this is not the truth and that idea is confirmed when we see her try to discretely pull down her dress. During another scene, we watch as a father makes his son feel so guilty that he admits to masturbating. The fathers seem to have no trouble repressing their children’s sexual desires and instilling values of purity in them. However, their actions do quite the opposite in a warped and damaging way by taking advantage of them so their own sexual desires could be satisfied.