Journal of English Language and Education
Vol 11, No 4 (2026)

Monstrous Motherhood and Repetitive Trauma in Lucy Rose’s The Lamb

Rasya Putri Ramadina (UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung)
Ice Sariyati (UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung)
Hasbi Assiddiqi (UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung)



Article Info

Publish Date
02 Jul 2026

Abstract

Contemporary Female Gothic situates horror within the domestic sphere, often centering the maternal figure as a source of threat. This study examines monstrous motherhood and repetitive trauma in The Lamb by Lucy Rose, focusing on how the mother–child relationship normalizes and reproduces domestic violence. While previous studies have discussed monstrous motherhood and trauma in Gothic narratives, limited attention has been given to their interconnected role within everyday maternal relationships. Employing a qualitative interpretive approach, this study applies close reading and thematic coding to selected narrative passages. The analysis draws on Female Gothic criticism, Barbara Creed’s concept of monstrous motherhood, and Cathy Caruth’s trauma theory. The findings show that violence is normalized through domestic care and repeated across relationships, positioning trauma as a continuous relational structure rather than an individual experience.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

jele

Publisher

Subject

Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Other

Description

Journal of English Language and Education (pISSN: 2597-6850 and eISSN: 2502-4132) is a journal that focuses on researching or documenting issues in education, language education, applied linguistics, English education, English language teaching, English Literature, language assessment and ...