Unmasking the Insecure Attachments in Gone Girl and The Silent Patient

Abstract

The psychological thriller is a subgenre of thriller, which often includes crime, mental illness and unreliable narrators. It reflects the dark side and breaks the stereotypes in the society. In literature it aims to reflect the darker side of humans and their minds through the characters. It reflects the tension and complexities of relationships in the family. It explores the deepest thoughts and motivations of the characters. This is well expressed by Gillian Flynn and Alex Michaelides in their novels Gone Girl and The Silent Patient respectively. In Gone Girl, Amy’s mysterious disappearance turns her husband Nick, into a suspect, but the truth is shocking for manipulation and hidden darkness. In The Silent Patient, Alicia, a renowned artist murders her husband in silence and becomes obsessed with unlocking the secrets buried in her past and mind. The present article explores on how characters form emotional bonds and attachments with others by magnifying with the psychological lens called Attachment theory.