Book SummaryWild Game, by Adrienne Brodeur

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Wild Game

The daughter's deep entanglement in her mother's romantic affairs, along with their complex relationship.

The narrative explores the intricate and strained relationship between a young woman and her maternal parent, particularly emphasizing the young woman's involvement in her mother's extramarital relationship.

The mother was the source of the daughter's profound influence, excessive closeness, and lack of personal boundaries.

Malabar's overwhelming need to control and her lack of respect for limits play a crucial role in the complex bond with her daughter, especially when she stirs the pot by confessing, "Ben Souther has just kissed me." Adrienne takes on the responsibility of safeguarding her mother's secret passions and concealed relationships. From the outset, the complex relationship is cemented when Malabar draws Adrienne into the web of her extramarital relationship with her spouse's best friend, thus intertwining her daughter's life with her own and placing her desires and needs above her daughter's well-being.

Adrienne's bond with her mother grows increasingly complex as Malabar draws her daughter into a web of deception, charging her with the secrecy of her love affairs and forcing her to live a life shrouded in lies and fabricated truths. The daughter alters her routine to support her mother's love affairs, going as far as selecting her clothing, highlighting an unsettling level of involvement in her mother's affair outside of marriage.

Throughout several key instances, dialogues between the mother and her offspring reveal a disturbing pattern in their relationship.

I was indispensable to my mother. She pleaded with me to help her. We must always remember that...

Wild Game Summary The underlying reasons and history of the mother's romantic entanglement.

The amorous entanglements of the mother stem from a complicated history of previous challenges, unfulfilled emotional desires, and postponed aspirations.

Her chaotic childhood and the complex bonds linked to her mother.

The complex dynamics within her family and the distressing events of her own youth have a significant impact on her decision to engage in an extramarital affair.

Her upbringing was marred by a self-centered caretaker with a dependency on alcohol.

Malabar entered the world in 1931 as the sole offspring of a mesmerizing but self-centered pair in Bombay, India, whose tumultuous relationship cast a shadow over her early emotional development. Her early years were significantly influenced by her mother's struggles with alcohol dependency and a domineering personality, characteristics that are evident in Malabar's preference...

Wild Game Summary The affair had a deep and lasting impact on the daughter's interactions with those around her.

The intricate network of deceit that enveloped the daughter strained her marriage.

The daughter's marriage was instantly impacted when she discovered her mother's romantic involvement with the man who was to become her father-in-law. The girl's understanding of the romantic entanglement and her ensuing silence led to diminished self-assurance regarding Jack. The daughter understands that maintaining lies in her marriage is indefensible and endeavors to distance herself from the deceptive actions of her mother. However, despite attempts to appear cohesive, the daughter and Jack, after enduring four years of separation, ultimately decide to end their marriage.

The daughter struggled to maintain her own identity, which made it difficult for them to feel at ease in each other's company during that time.

The daughter contends with a complex personal history marked by romantic...

Wild Game Summary The daughter's path to healing and gaining independence from her maternal influence.

The young woman struggled with her identity and was overwhelmed by deep despair.

The daughter's path is marked by profound grief and emotional turmoil, deeply entangled with her identity and the connection she maintained with her mother. The young woman's battle to assert her independence is highlighted by her mother's belief that their identities cannot be disentangled into separate beings. Her romantic endeavors are also colored by a longing that reflects her journey to forge an identity distinct from the impact of her mother.

The daughter's dependence on pharmaceutical aids.

The struggle of the daughter encompasses dealing with severe depression and suicidal ideation, underscoring an urgent need for healing. She initiated her lithium treatment and subsequently experimented with a range of antidepressants under Dr. B's guidance, yet in a decisive move of self-determination and awareness, she chose to discontinue all...

Wild Game Summary The personalities of the individuals in the narrative took shape from the customs and practices passed down through family lines.

This part of the narrative explores the complex web of familial relationships, uncovering the genetic and social connections between relatives that have significantly shaped the characters' existences.

The influence of the grandmother shaped how the mother saw herself and interacted with others.

The influence of the grandmother profoundly shapes the mother's self-image and her relationships with others.

Her maternal role model displayed self-centered traits and lacked the provision of emotional nurturing.

The daughter suggests that the way her mother perceives herself and her relational behavior could stem from a lack of nurturing love in her early life, which was characterized by isolation. The mother frequently formed strong emotional bonds with inanimate objects as a substitute for the nurturing and affection she deeply craved, owing to the lack of warmth and support from her own parents. This...