Women in The Conjuring
Horror movies are quite well known for their sexist tropes, such as the universal knowledge that the “slut” dies first and the “virgin” survives. However, outside of the slasher genre, these tropes are quite unavoidable. In fact, The Conjuring, a 2013 horror film, strays away from all of these demeaning and sexualizing tropes, which is impressive considering they have a majority female cast. In fact, their all female cast lends itself quite well to analysis.
In the film, there are contrasting perspectives of motherhood and female power. On the one hand, there are two positive examples of powerful mothers in the film. These two characters are: Carolyn Perron, a mother of five daughters whose family is being haunted in the movie, and Lorraine Warren, a clairvoyant and ghost hunter. These two women are central to the events of the film, and serve as two of the main protagonists.
On the other hand, the negative example of a powerful mother is the primary antagonist of the film. This character is the ghost of an accused witch, Bathsheba, who had sacrificed her infant to the devil and killed herself long before the events of the movie. However, before killing herself, she cursed her land and enabled her spirit to haunt and possess anyone who moved there.
Overall, this contrast of powerful females provides a truly interesting range of characters for the film. Though there are several male characters, most of which are the other ghost hunters, the female characters definitely serve a more critical role in the actual events and plot of the film. For example, though Ed and Lorraine are a ghost hunting team, she is the one who is actually able to sense demonic activity and Ed admits that without her, they would be out of business.
However, these powerful women can also be a bit stereotypical. For example, after being possessed by the evil Bathsheba, it is Carolyn’s love for her daughters that ultimately allows her to rid herself of the demonic spirit. She is able, with Lorraine’s help, to focus her mind and soul on her love for her daughters and overpower the curse. This power is due to her stereotypical status as a mother rather than some innate power that she possesses, which slightly undermines her portrayal as a powerful female.
Interestingly enough, though Lorraine’s power is innate to her, it is still portrayed in a fairly stereotypical way. She is often portrayed as too powerful for her own good and needing of protection. This is primarily picked up on during her husband Ed’s dialogue. In one scene he expresses concern for her health while investigating each of the hauntings and says, Whatever Lorraine sees, feels, touches…it helps people, but it also takes a toll on her…little piece of her each time.” You see and hear Ed showing intense concern for Lorraine and also an instinct to protect her. During one of the final scenes he tries to make her leave before he performs an exorcism to protect her, but she refuses and says they are a team.
Overall, despite the somewhat sexist framework that demands the women be protected and saved, the film unashamedly presents female characters with power. The women do not back down in the face of danger, but are committed to protecting the people around them. They are bold and sacrificing, which is also what enables them to stand up for themselves when the men attempt to undermine them. This strength and determination stand out more in the film than the stereotypes, making these women some of the more important characters in the horror genre.
