Literature is full of loving, supportive parents who cherish their children. Literature is also full of vile, harmful parents who put themselves, their wants, and their desires above their children. Those would be the ones I'm writing about today. Below you'll find some of the most unbelievably toxic parents in literature – couples, moms, dads, stepparents, you name it.
For my money, Lolita's mother Charlotte Haze definitely ranks among the most toxic parents in literature for any number of reasons – her treatment of Dolly is heinous, and that signature blend of dangerous naivete and ruthless manipulation is even worse.
Actually, you can include the Foxworths, specifically Corrine's father, Malcolm, and her step-mother, Olivia – this whole debauched family was bad news.
Oh, Gertrude, look what you did.
Need I say more?
Any mother who refers to your breasts as “dirty pillows” and throws you in a closet to repent is bad enough, but the physical, mental, and emotional abuse she bestowed on poor Carrie all make it impossible to feel bad about her demise.
The way he treated Linton still makes me mad, every time I reread this.
I think this goes without saying, but in case it doesn't, incest isn't always best, and also, I mean, hi, Joffrey.
WHAT WERE THESE PEOPLE EVEN DOING WITH THEIR DAUGHTERS?!
Their toxicity together is like a trainwreck, yet it's so compelling … and vile at the same time.
So many bad things, so very many bad things are happening and neither couple has even the faintest clue.
Franklin, Kevin's father, is by no means perfect, but neither is he toxic, especially when compared to Eva's narcissism and her enabling.
I think these two might be the worst parents in all of literature, and what's really awful is how much love exists in spite of the horrible things they did to their children – but I don't want to ruin the plot for anyone who hasn't read the book, so please, go read Geek Love now!
I cannot forgive her for setting up such a horrible, traumatizing tableau for her son to find.
Nathan Price has not one single redeemable quality, as far as I can see, beyond the fact that he serves as an example of what happens when you try to trap people under your thumb and force them into roles they never agreed to.
Ian Francis Petersen is such a vile POS that this book should honestly come with a frigging trigger warning.
This is hard because I actually love Ingrid, but she's not really lovable and she's unquestionably narcissistic – yet, at least she indulges in one final act of redemption.
Glen is worse, by far, but Anney lets him get away with so many atrocities that she doesn't get a pass, not by any means.
Name the worst parent(s) you've ever read about. What made them so heinous?
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