Why would she throw the cake in the garbage when Nina stated she had stomach issues, why not just put it in the fridge for another day? That was a mighty large cake for just two people. It was pretty though, and I do like white cake with strawberry filling too.
shareBecause Nina had an eating disorder. I think deep down that upset her mother, who probably wasn't much different herself.
She strived for Nina to be a successful ballet dancer, and knew how tough it would be for her. She probably struggled between how much she wanted her daughter to have career success, and how much damage it was causing to her.
I think it also showed her mother's volatile and controlling nature.
I disagree that it had anything to do with an eating disorder. I think it was illustrating the mother's manipulative and controlling relationship with Nina. It's one thing to congratulate your daughter. It's another to overreact in order to force her to have the exact desired reaction to a cake that the mother desires, even if it's fake. I think that's a pretty central theme. In the end, the black swan was killing Nina's incessant desire to please everyone around her and be perfect - and in the end, in the dressing room, both the ball and white sides were consolidated.
shareI'm sure her mom has some sort of personality disorder and she acted impulsively. It was also probably a combination of feeling undeeded and she overreacted.
shareShe felt as though her gesture was being rejected, which she took personally, as though she herself were being rejected. She lashed out.
shareI think that ladylaughinglizard is absolutely right. The mom in this film was manipulative and in this particular scene she shows her true colors. Do you honestly think it has anything to do with her eating disorder? Come on.
DAMM: Drunks Against Mad Mothers
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I agree with those who say it was manipulative on her mother's part. Also, I think, shows some unconscious--or maybe even conscious--desire to sabotage her. Before Nina got the leading role, mom was feeding her poached egg and grapefruit for breakfast. Then Nina gets her big break, and suddenly mom is trying to get her to eat an enormous cake. Jealous much?
shareIt's a form of emotional blackmail. Nina can't eat such a rich dessert after she's just gotten the role of the Swan Queen. Her mother knows this and twists it around to make Nina feel guilty for not eating it
I'm gonna die of long hair!
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I've known various people throughout my life who do exactly this. They know you don't want to eat something for whatever reason and so they present it to you as a gift. When you say you don't want it, they threaten to throw it exactly in the trash. I'm not a shrink, so I'm not sure what behavioral health issue this is a symptom of, but it does happen exactly like in this movie.
"That's like putting your whole mouth right in The Dip!" - Seinfeld
I agree with DeputyDippity that some people are deliberately manipulative of others, cornering them into situations in which they know they have made it either difficult or impossible for the other person to assert their own free will.
And also.....of course Nina's mother would have known that her daughter would not want to eat any cake, not only because of her bulimia, but because cake is one of the positively worst foods a person can eat, in terms of weight gain. As Nina has just been offered the lead role, of course she would not be wanting to eat any cake at that time.
Her mother was a dancer, so she would have known that perfectly well.
I know it seems like a nice gesture to make, but there could be many other gestures she could have made to Nina, which would have been more considerate and appropriate. She could have bought her a gift, for example.
It's like, "Either eat this and be sabotaged, or I will feel very offended and punish you. I'm just trying to be nice and you're being such a jerk."
One thing that I've learned, if anyone is reading, is that it's best to let the person throw the cake away and then file that person into the Insane category and try to get out of the situation.
"That's like putting your whole mouth right in The Dip!" - Seinfeld
Yes, definitely DO NOT TOUCH THE CAKE.......even if you are Marie Antoinette.....you mustn't let them win!
:-)