52 pages • 1 hour read
Leïla SlimaniThe Perfect Nanny
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2016A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Louise’s Apartment
Louise’s apartment is a symbolic representation of the disastrous state of Louise’s life: Like Louise, it’s falling apart. Although Louise keeps the apartment clean, essential components like the plumbing aren’t working. This parallels the way that Louise presents herself to the outside world, always looking clean and proper—when, on the inside, she’s dealing with serious mental health conditions. The apartment is also representative of Louise’s solitude. Here, she is alone, with no husband, daughter, or friends. Finally, Louise’s apartment is the symbolic counterpoint to Paul and Myriam’s apartment, illuminating the class differences between the two parties. While Paul and Myriam live in the 10th arrondissement of Paris, Louise lives in a suburb outside of the city (where, presumably, the rent is more affordable).
Bite Marks
The bite marks referenced in the book are a symbolic representation of Louise’s personal unraveling, and of the unraveling of her relationship with the Massé family. The first bite mark occurs when Mila bites Louise in the park—the first overtly violent encounter between the little girl and the nanny. Later, Myriam finds bite marks on Adam when bathing him. It is heavily implied that Louise bit Adam, as Louise has a history, and a habit, of biting. When Myriam asks Louise about the marks, Louise blames Mila. She even shows Myriam her own bite mark, despite her unspoken agreement with Mila that she wouldn’t. Up until this point, the tensions in the Massé household have been emotional and mental. The bite marks symbolize the “next step” as this tension materializes in a physical form. The violent imagery of a visible bite mark on skin also foreshadows the grotesque murders ahead.
The Chicken Carcass
The chicken carcass symbolizes the class hierarchy between the Massé family and Louise. Paul and Myriam laugh about how Louise will make sure no food is wasted, scraping every jar clean. However, for Louise, living a life of poverty, this is just common sense. By taking the chicken that Myriam threw away out of the trash and insisting that Mila and Adam eat it, Louise is acting out: Instead of being the docile “help” that doesn’t trouble their employer with their personal problems, Louise is forcing Myriam to confront the class disparity between the two of them. This deeply unnerves Myriam. More concretely, Louise’s insistence that the children eat old chicken taken out of the trash shows her lack of concern for their welfare. She exerts her power over them by feeding them dirty, potentially dangerous meat, grasping for a sense of control that she’s rapidly losing as her time with the Massé family draws to a close. Finally, the image of the chicken carcass sitting on the kitchen counter sets a dark, grotesque tone that reflects the impending horrors.
