Mother, May I?

Emmett’s journey in Mother, May I? is marked by his deep-seated trauma from abandonment by his mother, Tracy, whose death triggers the film’s eerie and psychological descent. It’s suggested that Tracy didn’t truly abandon Emmett but was likely taken away by child services due to her neglect or possible abuse, which explains her emotional distance and the lack of a typical mother-child relationship. Throughout the story, Tracy’s spirit seems to linger, driven by a desire to care for her son, manifesting through Anya when she begins acting and dressing like her, indicating her spirit’s possession. This possession appears to be an unconscious effort by Tracy’s spirit to reconnect with Emmett and fill the void left by her absence.

The drug-induced hallucinations and psychedelic elements hint that some of the terrifying transformations might be hallucinations or distortions of Emmett’s fractured mind. Anya’s reading of Tracy’s journals and her transformation into Tracy could be a subconscious manifestation, perhaps influenced by grief, trauma, or hallucinogens. As Anya starts acting like Tracy, it becomes clear that Tracy’s spirit is seeking to fulfill her maternal instinct one last time, even if it’s through possession, to heal her past mistakes and look after her son.

All of this culminates in the climax where Emmett confronts the truth about his mother’s past and his own identity. When he throws Anya into the water to test if she’s truly Tracy’s spirit—since she had been acting eerily maternal—she begins to drown, and Emmett dives in to save her. This act symbolizes a struggle between his need for connection and his fear of losing himself or being betrayed. Ultimately, Anya chooses to leave Emmett, recognizing that her presence, whether as a possessed mother or as herself, is too destructive. She walks away from the toxic cycle, leaving Emmett amidst his trauma and confusion.

The film ends ambiguously, with the suggestion that Tracy’s spirit might still be watching or caring from afar, possibly retreating once she believes her son is safe. Meanwhile, Anya’s ambiguous fate — holding a syringe in her hand — leaves open the possibility that she might try to control or even harm Emmett to protect herself or to escape the situation completely. The movie suggests that both characters are haunted by their pasts—Emmett by his abandonment and trauma, and Anya by her failure to connect and her own frustrations — and that these ghosts might continue to influence their future actions. Ultimately, Mother, May I? offers a haunting reflection on the lingering effects of childhood trauma, the desire for maternal connection, and the ambiguous boundaries between reality, possession, and psychological breakdown.

Last Updated: June 25, 2025 at 09:01