The Hidden Meanings Behind Jamie’s Sandwich And Bedroom In Netflix’s Adolescence
Adolescence centres on 13-year-old Jamie Miller, played by Owen Cooper, whose life changes forever when he becomes involved in the murder of a female classmate.
Adolescence is a gripping crime drama that follows 13-year-old Jamie Miller (played by Owen Cooper), whose life unravels after he gets entangled in the murder of a female classmate. Since its debut, the show has sparked crucial conversations about the impact of online communities on young men.
A standout moment in Adolescence comes in Episode 3, where Jamie is interviewed by psychiatrist Briony, played by Erin Doherty. Before their conversation begins, Briony offers Jamie half of her cheese and pickle sandwich—a seemingly small gesture that psychologist Dannielle Haig suggests may actually be a subtle test.
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“The half-sandwich, particularly the fact that it contains something Jamie dislikes, could be a way of testing his response. Does he push it away? Does he eat it to be polite? Does he comment on it? These reactions provide insight into his personality," Haig told Tyla.
Haig explained that if Jamie had simply accepted the sandwich without protest, it might have revealed a pattern of “feeling powerless or being accustomed to having things done to him rather than for him."
“It’s a clever way of gauging how Jamie sees himself in relation to authority figures and whether he feels able to assert his own needs," Haig added.
The psychologist further mentioned that small details in a psychological setting are never unintentional. Even the hot chocolate could be a way to comfort him and make him feel at home.
The series also uses Jamie’s bedroom as a powerful symbol. His room is shown twice – once when the police arrest him in the first episode and again in the emotional final scene at the end where Eddie Miller, played by Stephen Graham, sits in the childhood bedroom and tucks in Jamie’s teddy bear. Haig feels that the scene could represent “parental grief and denial."
“Eddie sitting in Jamie’s childhood space and engaging in a nurturing act like tucking in a teddy bear may reflect a subconscious attempt to hold onto the image of his son as an innocent child, rather than facing the reality of what he has done," she explained.
“Parents of children who commit violent crimes often experience profound cognitive and emotional conflict, struggling to reconcile their perception of their child with the horror of their actions," she added.
With Jamie deciding to plead guilty, Eddie is now forced to face a reality he may have been avoiding.
“The teddy bear, the childhood setting, and Eddie’s quiet presence could all symbolise his mourning not just for Jamie’s future, which is now irreversibly altered, but for the child he thought he knew. It may also represent a sense of helplessness, as he realises he can no longer protect Jamie or rewrite what has happened," the expert said.
Focusing on the details of the room like the wallpaper and books, Haig explained that these “could be deliberate visual cues emphasising Jamie’s arrested development or innocence."
“If the room remains unchanged from his younger years, it might further highlight the tragic contrast between the child Jamie once was and the crime he has now confessed to," she added.
Haig concluded that the last scene is “powerful" and the discomfort is intentional which grapples viewers with “the complexity of human psychology, morality, and identity."
Adolescence is currently streaming on Netflix.
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