Self-Conscious Emotions

    Throughout the course of this blog, we've covered  how not only Lady Bird's mother, Marion, but also her teachers, express their beliefs that Lady Bird is too selfish, outspoken, and simply not capable of leaving Sacramento for  New York. This is a huge point of contention for Lady Bird and her mother, especially because Marion sees herself in Lady Bird, which further drives the divide between them. Marion's negative beliefs about her daughter are consistent until the end of the movie where we watch as Lady Bird calls her mother crying from New York. Understandably so, Lady Bird experiences the self-conscious emotion of shame (others being pride, guilt, or embarrassment).  

    In the movie, Lady Bird experiences shame, triggered by appraisals of her mother's (and others) harsh words. She experiences this emotion as a result of people telling her she is too selfish, or not competent enough to graduate and move to New York. Lady Bird appraises these beliefs as a threat to not only her independence, but also her future. I believe Lady Bird felt shame, as opposed to pride, guilt, or embarrassment, because she experiences a perceived failure to meet her personal goals, instead of feelings related to one specific behavior (embarrassment). As mentioned in the lecture this week, shame often motivates "shame-rage," which is exactly what Lady Bird experiences. Every time someone tells her she won't accomplish her dreams, she is even further motivated to prove them wrong, even if it comes from a place of anger. While this leads Lady Bird to be labeled as "rebellious" and "out-spoken," Lady Bird does not internalize the shame, but instead uses it as fuel for her future.