Trinkets Season 2 & Elodie Analysis
The places that grief can take us are endless. We see this play out with Elodie. I t was confirmed at the end of Season 2 that her stealing started after her mom died. Coping mechanism? Let’s dive into the details.
When we first meet Elodie, she is in a new school trying to find her way. Over time, she develops a bond with Moe and Tabitha. But it is obvious that there is tension in her home life, especially between her and her father. She’s quiet, observant, kind and sometimes passive. Nonetheless, she has a beautiful spirit about her and loves those closest to her.
Many people struggle to adjust when someone close to them passes away. It can also lead to “acting out” or doing risky behaviors as a way to cope with the pain of the loss. Elodie’s coping mechanism has lead to kleptomania. This is a disorder that often begins in adolescence, but can appear at any point in life.
According to the DSM-V, this is the diagnostic criteria for Kleptomania:
“A. Recurrent failure to resist impulses to steal objects that are not needed for personal use or for their monetary value.
B. Increasing sense of tension immediately before committing the theft.
C. Pleasure, gratification, or relief at the time of committing the theft.
D. The stealing is not committed to express anger or vengeance and is not in response to a delusion or a hallucination.
E. The stealing is not better explained by conduct disorder, a manic episode, or antisocial personality disorder.” (DSM-V 2013)
Several times we see Elodie steal for no reason at all. When she shows her stash, there are many odd objects inside of it. Further proving that there have been times where she has stolen things out of impulse. However, we do see moments where she steals things for herself or gifts to others. This is evidenced by her taking the ukulele for herself from Sabine’s tour and gifting Jillian with a stolen bracelet. We also see her steal out of anger and frustration. Towards the end of Season 2 we see her steal in a convenience store in the hopes of getting caught but is unsuccessful. As she comes to terms with her life, she goes to the mall to return all the items that she’s stolen. Now while this information is unknown, we cannot be sure Elodie does not suffer from any other disorder. Grief seems to the traumatic origin here.
“Kleptomania may be associated with compulsive buying as well as with depressive and bipolar disorders (especially major depressive disorder), anxiety disorders, eating disorders (particularly bulimia nervosa), personality disorders, substance use disorders (especially alcohol use disorder), and other disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders (DSM-V, 2013).
Unfortunately, Trinkets ends at season 2 so we won’t get to see if Elodie turns over a new leaf. But the season 2 ended on high notes for the three main characters.
What did you think about Season 2 of Trinkets?