BEYOND AWARENESS: COERCIVE CONTROL AND RESTRICTED AGENCY IN MORIARTY’S BIG LITTLE LIES

Septiani Ummi Lif'atin Nasiha, Karina Hanum Luthfia


Abstract


This study examines coercive control in Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies, analyzing how victim awareness did not guarantee freedom from abuse. This study applied Evan Stark’s theory of coercive control to analyze how abuse worked through systematic strategies that restricted the victim’s autonomy and decision-making capacity. A qualitative approach was used, with data drawn from narratives, dialogues, and internal monologues in the novel. Data were categorized into coercive control strategies such as violence, intimidation, manipulation, and micro-regulation. The findings showed that manipulation and micro-regulation were the most dominant strategies used by the perpetrator. Manipulation manifested in gaslighting and love bombing, distorting the victim’s perception of reality and reinforcing dependency. Meanwhile, micro-regulation was evident in the control of household routines, financial access, and emotional expression. Together, these strategies formed a system of control that eroded agency and independence. The study concluded that the victim’s agency remained constrained by the absence of external support, despite her awareness, education, and privilege.

Keywords


Big Little Lies; coercive control; domestic violence; manipulation; micro-regulation; psychological entrapment.

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.30743/ll.v10i1.13807

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