The Narrative and the Image of women in horror films directed by Mike Flanagan

Abstract

This research article aims to examine the narrative characteristics and representations of women in six horror films directed by Mike Flanagan. Employing a qualitative research approach through textual analysis, the study purposively selected six feature films in which female characters play central roles. The analytical framework integrates the seven elements of narrative theory with feminist theory. Data were analyzed using content analysis and interpretive analysis. The findings reveal that Flanagan’s narrative functions as a systematic mechanism of meaning-making in three major aspects. First, family relationships serve as the narrative core, connecting supernatural elements with emotional trauma, whereby ghosts, spirits, and monstrous figures symbolize past suffering and painful memories. Second, female characters are positioned at the center of the narrative, transcending conventional stereotypes of women as passive victims by portraying them as multidimensional individuals with agency and the ability to determine their own destinies. Third, horror symbolism operates as a code representing psychological conflicts, reflecting the oppression, vulnerability, and lived experiences of women within contemporary society. The study demonstrates that Mike Flanagan employs horror as a narrative strategy for communicating psychological trauma and deconstructing conventional representations of women through distinctive storytelling techniques and character construction.