Big Little Lies was one of those shows that left a lasting impression on anyone who watched it. The story of the Monterey women and the murders gripped everyone. The killer was found, and the mystery was given a conclusion. Except one.
Fans of the show still have a lingering question, even though it has been quite some time since the show ended. Everyone wants to know if it was Ziggy who choked Amabella.
No, Ziggy didn’t choke Amabella in Big Little Lies. Instead, it was one of Celeste’s twins-Max Wright, who was hurting her. Amabella took Ziggy’s name because the adults were putting pressure on her, and her mother, Renata, was scaring her with her anger. Max hurt Amabella because he mimicked the domestic abuse Perry put Celeste through.
Did Ziggy Choke Amabella?
In Big Little Lies, it’s revealed that Amabella is getting harmed by someone. Amabella is shown to be a quiet and sensitive girl. So, her mother, Renata, is quite protective of her.
Their family is wealthy and privileged, but it’s clear that getting bullied is affecting the young girl badly. When Renata picks up her daughter Amabella from the Otter Bay orientation before the school year begins, she notices that there are injuries to her.
This angers her, and she asks her daughter who did that. Seeing her mother angry and frustrated makes Amabella fearful. So, when her teacher also encourages her to point out who harmed her, she points toward Ziggy, who is new in the school.
However, he insists that he’s innocent. Also, no one at the school saw Ziggy harm Amabella in any way. But Renata and the adults are convinced that it was him. So, they told the kids not to play with Ziggy. As a result, he was isolated and bullied for a crime that wasn’t even proven.
Now, there’s a conflict about who is right and who is lying. Ultimately, it’s revealed that Ziggy wasn’t bullying or choking Amabella. It was one of Celeste’s twins- Max Wright.
Ziggy reveals that he knew Max Wright was bullying and hurting Amabella. But he kept that knowledge a secret because he had promised Amabella so. She was afraid that Max might hurt her more if everyone came to know that it was him.
As for why Amabella lied, it becomes clear that it’s because she wanted to escape the pressure her mother and teacher put on her at that moment. So, choosing the new kid in class seemed like the easiest option for her.
It is also possible that Amabella subconsciously chose Ziggy and no one else because he and his mom, Jane, were not wealthy like the other families in the community. After all, even though she is just a kid, she may have begun internalizing the class differences.
It is a deliberate commentary by the show on the class and wealth divide that exists in society. Amabella also felt that since he is a kind kid, he wouldn’t retaliate aggressively if she took his name.
Thankfully, Ziggy doesn’t cut her off after she falsely accuses him. He mentions that they are still friendly in the aftermath of the events. Also, the series doesn’t villainize Amabella when it finally comes out that she was lying and Ziggy didn’t harm her.
As for why Max was bullying Amabella, it’s because he thought it was a normal thing. Since he saw his mom Celeste getting harmed by his father Perry almost regularly, he internalized domestic abuse as he thought it was normal.
It’s also possible that the show wanted to comment on the old perception that little boys show their interest in a girl by hitting her. In reality, for some boys, that might be the only interaction he has seen between his parents or adults. So, abuse becomes the standard for expressing love.
What are your thoughts about this plotline of Big Little Lies?
Do you think it was executed correctly? What other themes did this specific plotline explore?
Let us know in the comments below.
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