Under the Sand

I think that the traumatic event in the film is when Jean goes missing. Since she has no proof (until the end) that he has drowned she is in limbo. She doesn't want to admit that he is dead and can't get closure because she doesn't know for sure. She doesn't want to admit that he is no longer alive. I think her coping mechanism is her imagining that he is still there with her. She speaks about him as if he were still there and nothing ever happened. Her friends show concern when she does this. Concern that she is not mourning correctly. But I think it is because there is no physical body. She can't believe its true when she has no proof. Other theories cross her mind- did he leave her? Was he depressed and committed suicide? The prolonged mystery of his dissaperance messes with her.The mind does crazy things when a traumatic event takes place in someone's life. She finds comfort in (I forget his name) the new man in her life but I think it is only as a temporary filler for Jean. Having someone there makes her feel better at the time but she distanced herself from him.

When she went to the morgue and saw her husband's body, his clothing, and his watch I thought that she would finally face the truth. When she breaks down on the beach and begins to cry it makes you think she has finally come to terms with reality. I think the man she is running to is her husband. She is still seeing him which I think suggests that she really hasn't come to terms with his death. She is still holding onto him even after she was given tangible proof.