The technological metamorphosis of the monstrous mother

Contemporary renditions of the conceptualisation of the monstrous mother have embraced society’s penchant for technology to suit micro and macrocosms. While she still embraces the varying elements of her traditional narrative, including a fear of the ‘other’ and the abjectification of female sexuality and autonomy, her form has shifted. Her status as a creature existing within the bounds and restrictions of the liminal that had initially morphed into a flesh and blood creature, have now morphed into a mixture of flesh and machine. This protean nature has enabled her to violate the sacred boundaries of the body and have granted her a new propensity for monstrous action – one which she gladly uses. This thesis examines the manifestation of the monstrous mother’s technological form in The 100 to reveal the impact she has upon the society she inhabits and the individuals with whom she comes into contact. Focussing on the three stages of her development, this thesis will analyse her monstrous representation to highlight the way the technologically constructed monstrous mother both fosters and creates monstrosity through her own agency and the impact this monstrosity has on the psychological development of those around her.