Dec 23, 2021
To:OscarHM
That is truly the question here. What is the morale of this story? That isn't so clear cut that it can be interpreted in any one way.
This story is not meant to be a moral fable. But rather, a display of how messy reality can be. Purposefully ambiguous, because of the mental state of the mother and how that muddles with the intentions she had with Devin, as well as the ultimate impact it has on Devin.
In his eyes, he was raised by her, on her love (even if it was misguided). Does that constitute as stockholm syndrome? Perhaps, but maybe it's more an attachment to the only person he knew and what he grew used to. But you are wrong about her abusing or neglecting him. She only ever treated him with care, with the only point of contention being that she kept him from interacting with others for her own selfish reasons. Rather, he receives emotional abuse from his real parents whenever they mock the mother that raised him.
So that brings everything into a gray area. Even though 'Mommy' was a horrible person in the eyes of society for stealing a child to retain her own sanity, is one person allowed to see it otherwise?
Obviously, Devin thinks so, which is why his voice feels so much like hers in the end, down to the final line.
