Adored Objects: Abjection, the Grotesque, and Gothic Girlhood in Sofia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides

Abstract

This article focuses on the Gothic aspects of female adolescence as depicted in Sofia Coppola’s film The Virgin Suicides (1999), which transforms the Lisbon sisters into abject, grotesque, and uncanny figures, reflecting a distorted view of white, suburban, female youth. The oppressive atmosphere of the film contributes to the creation of a space where the innocence and vulnerability of the young girls are amplified, rendering them not only objects of desire but also symbols of an emotional and existential abyss. This transformation of the sisters into Gothic figures not only marginalizes them but also places them in a position of helplessness, where their voices and experiences are silenced amid an environment that observes and consumes them. By emphasizing the horror and tragedy surrounding the Lisbon sisters, the film perpetuates stereotypes that reduce the complexity of female experience to narratives of suffering and despair. This approach not only limits the understanding of what it means to be a girl but also reinforces a view that femininity is intrinsically linked to pain and death, rather than celebrating the strength and resilience of young women.