68 pages • 2 hours read
Sally HepworthDarling Girls
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2022A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Control
The motif of control is pervasive throughout Darling Girls and affects multiple characters, highlighting the power dynamics at play within abusive relationships. Miss Fairchild, the foster mother at Wild Meadows, embodies the most overt form of control in the novel. Her strict cleaning regimens, frugal living conditions, and unpredictable mood swings are all mechanisms designed to maintain dominance over her foster children. Her extreme measures, such as forcing Alicia to eat beans off the floor or locking Norah in the dark basement, demonstrate the extent of her need for control. Even her initial affection toward Jessica is a form of manipulation that is designed to create dependency and loyalty.
This controlling environment has a lasting impact on the adult lives of the foster sisters. Jessica, who spent the longest time under Miss Fairchild’s influence, develops anxiety and a need for control that manifests in her career as a home organization expert. However, her addiction to benzodiazepines reveals the fragility of this control, unlike the manipulative control of Miss Fairchild. Norah also grapples with control issues stemming from her time at Wild Meadows. Her aggressive behavior and tendency to use sex transactionally can be interpreted as a response to the powerlessness that she experienced in foster care. Likewise, Alicia’s initial reluctance to form lasting relationships or consider motherhood reflects her fear of losing control over her emotions and repeating the cycle of abuse that she experienced. The motif of control also addresses issues at the institutional level, for the foster care system itself is portrayed as an entity that exerts control over vulnerable children’s lives and often fails in its purpose.
Contrasts Between Darkness and Light
Darkness and light serve as metaphors for the characters’ experiences and emotional states. In the novel, darkness is predominantly associated with trauma, secrets, and abuse. This concept is most vividly represented by the basement at Wild Meadows, where Miss Fairchild frequently locks the children as punishment. The darkness of the basement symbolizes the hidden nature of the abuse and the emotional darkness that the children experience. When Norah is locked in the basement, the darkness becomes a tangible representation of her fear and powerlessness. Conversely, light symbolizes hope, truth, and healing. When Jessica and Amy are locked in the basement together, Jessica’s discovery of the light represents a small act of defiance and hope and provides her with a glimpse of the doll that later helps to reveal Amy’s true identity.
The contrast between dark and light is also evident in the characters’ adult lives. Jessica’s public persona as an organized, responsible professional can be seen as her attempt to live in the “light,” while her secret pill addiction represents the “darkness” that she still carries from her past. Similarly, Norah’s aggressive behavior and transactional approach to relationships reflect the darkness of her past, while her budding relationship with Ishir represents a move toward the light of genuine connection. Additionally, the process of uncovering the truth about Wild Meadows and Amy’s fate is symbolically a journey from darkness to light—from secrets to revealed truths. As the investigation progresses, the sisters are forced to confront the darkness of their past. This process, while painful, ultimately leads to healing and closure for the sisters and long-overdue consequences for Miss Fairchild.
Water
The symbol of water appears in various forms and carries multiple layers of meaning. Most prominently, water is associated with danger and trauma, particularly through the swimming pool at Wild Meadows. Miss Fairchild’s method of “teaching” Jessica to swim by leaving her unsupported in the pool transforms a nurturing experience into a traumatic one. This incident becomes a defining moment in Jessica’s childhood, symbolizing the betrayal of trust and the sudden transformation of safety into danger. The pool reappears later as a site of trauma when Miss Fairchild attempts to “teach” Amy to swim using the same method. The fact that Jessica is the one to rescue Amy from the pool represents a moment of empowerment, for she is able to prevent another child from experiencing the same trauma that she endured.
In a broader sense, water also becomes a symbol of the protagonists’ emotional states. The sisters’ experiences at Wild Meadows can be likened to treading water—for they must struggle to keep their heads above the surface in a hostile environment. Their adult lives also reflect this ongoing struggle to stay afloat. Conversely, water also carries connotations of cleansing and renewal. For the sisters, the process of uncovering the truth about their past can be seen as a form of emotional cleansing. The novel’s seaside setting at Port Agatha adds another dimension to the symbolism, showing water as both a cleansing force of redemption and a murky pool that hides deep secrets.
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By Sally Hepworth
