Blog Post #4

Blog Post #4

I really enjoyed watching and discussing Eve’s Bayou because it was a film I had never watched, and the more I unpacked it, the more I realized how complex it is. The part that struck me the most was Eve’s loss of innocence at such a young age. I cannot imagine how confusing, scary, and shocking it was to see her dad cheat on her mom with another woman. Not only that, but the scene where Eve sees Cisely and her dad sharing a private moment. Although this moment is ambiguous as we aren’t shown exactly what transpires in the room, we can infer from Eve’s reaction that it isn’t something good. For Eve to take on such strong adult emotions at the ripe age of 10 is incredibly tolling and not something a 10-year-old should ever have to deal with. That was something that will forever change Eve and her opinions of the world and relationships. Whenever I think of a typical 10-year-old girl, I imagine someone who is outside, playing with her friends, or playing with dolls, sheltered from the outside, scary world, not someone forced to grapple with the actions of the adults in her life. Eve was forced into premature emotional maturity, making her grow up faster than her peers. I tried to imagine what would go through my head and the emotions I would feel if I were in Eve’s shoes, and I just kept drawing a blank. It is almost as if my mind won’t let me imagine this scenario because of how scary and even life-altering it would be. The fact that I, a 21-year-old, am having a hard time with this only reiterates how difficult it must have been for a 10-year-old, who has yet to experience the wide variety of emotions the world has to offer. 


When Eve turns to VooDoo to put a spell on her father to kill him in order to protect her sister, it shatters my heart to see that she thinks that is the only choice. It shows how such a young girl is forced to lose her innocence and confront such an adult matter. Eve’s fear and love drive her to make an irreversible choice. Instead of being protected, her role within the family shifts to protector, carrying a burden someone her age shouldn’t. I felt helpless and heavy watching this unravel because, in the end, she wasn’t acting out of frustration or revenge; rather, it was desperation. As an audience member, knowing that she would have to live with this irrevocable decision for the rest of her life, made it evermore gut-wrenching. This movie and her choice left me devastated because it shows how children can internalize pain and assume responsibility when adults don't provide safe spaces for transparency and concern.


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