Eloise (2017) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Eloise takes place primarily in the abandoned Eloise Asylum, a derelict mental institution with a dark history of controversial treatments. The story also briefly visits a bar that serves as a temporary refuge for the characters during their investigation, and Scott's House.

• eloise asylum setting location mental institution

The events of Eloise are set in 1982, the same year a destructive fire ravaged the asylum. This period was marked by growing societal awareness of mental health issues but also significant stigma surrounding mental institutions and their treatment methods.

• 1982 time period historical context mental health

Eloise Asylum was once a thriving mental institution known for its controversial and often cruel treatment methods. The building carries a tragic history, most notably a fire in 1982 that destroyed much of the facility and added to its aura of mystery and horror. The annex building stores old patient records containing forgotten memories from the institution's dark past.

• eloise asylum mental institution history fire 1982

Eloise explores three interconnected themes: the haunting past, which shows how historical trauma continues to affect the present; destruction, manifested both through the physical fire and emotional ruin experienced by characters; and the search for truth, where characters uncover family secrets connected to their identities and the asylum's dark history.

• haunting past destruction search for truth themes meaning

The Haunting Past theme in Eloise shows how traumatic family history continues to influence the present. Characters like Jacob and Pia confront deep-seated traumas as they investigate their family's connection to the asylum. The film uses flashbacks to demonstrate how unresolved issues from the past continuously shape characters' lives, forcing them to face their fears.

• haunting past trauma family history flashbacks

The Destruction theme operates on both physical and emotional levels. Physically, it appears as the devastating fire at the asylum. Emotionally, it represents the ruin characters experience through their destructive choices. Jacob's actions lead to a fiery climax that symbolizes both a purge of the past and a tragic conclusion, showing how destructive decisions have far-reaching consequences.

• destruction fire emotional ruin consequences

Pia works as a bartender and carries significant emotional burden from her past connected to the asylum, particularly regarding her brother's fate. She grapples with memories of her family and the institution while maintaining resilience. Her journey involves seeking to reconnect with Jacob and confronting their shared history, making her a complex character balancing present responsibilities with traumatic memories.

• pia character bartender trauma brother asylum

Jacob is the troubled protagonist driven by a need to uncover his family's hidden secrets. His journey represents a search for identity amidst chaos, as he faces both physical and emotional challenges throughout the investigation. The revelation that his mother was a patient at the asylum and that he was born there becomes central to his transformation, exploring how inherited trauma shapes one's existence.

• jacob character family secrets identity inheritance trauma

Dell is Jacob's friend who accompanies him into the asylum. His impulsive nature and need for quick cash lead them into dangerous situations, showcasing his reckless tendencies. Despite his flaws, Dell provides moments of reflection about loyalty and friendship amid the chaos of their investigation.

• dell character friend impulsive reckless loyalty

Eloise has an overall dark and oppressive tone with high intensity throughout. The atmosphere blends slow-burn dread during exploration sequences with fast-paced hallucinatory terror. The persistent tension is fueled by supernatural threats, psychological unraveling, and disturbing flashbacks to patient mistreatment, including lobotomies. There is virtually no humor or hope, creating a bleak emotional landscape.

• dark tone atmosphere horror psychological tension bleak