Gone Girl

Gone Girl

Abhirami Sankaran

2/3/2023

Gone girl is a film about a dysfunctional couple. It follows Nick and Amy. The story begins with Amy's disappearance. All signs point to Nick. There is blood in the house, Amy’s journal detailing abuse, a slew of toys Nick bought, financial problems, a pregnancy, and a life insurance policy that would make Nick a millionaire in the event of Amy’s death. Then, halfway through the film, it is revealed that Amy staged this death. She is alive, though she intends to kill herself to complete the performance, and she plotted all this because Nick betrayed her. They’re whole marriage is based on performance and he dropped his part, and also cheated. This was her idea of revenge. As she states it he took her life and now she would take his. 

Gone Girl was a very popular and lauded film (and book). It clearly spoke to something within the cultural consciousness. So I wonder if it has some symbolic value?

Some analyses I have watched suggest that the film embodies female rage. That it represents the emotional image of a normal situation. A man who cheats on his wife and she, in turn ruins his life. Is that all there is to this or is there some symbolic representation to be analyzed? If so, what would the symbols be? 

Amy's acts seem to mirror Medeas. Medea curses Jason through magic and Amy through intellect. They are women whose rage overpowers them when the vows and promises made to them are broken. 

So is this simply a cautionary tale? I am afraid that though I believe there is more to the text than I have extrapolated I have neither the depth of knowledge nor words to articulate it. I would be curious as to how others interpret this same film.