The way that each Schnee family member responds to trauma perfectly illustrates the four main types:

fight, flight, freeze, and fawn.



Fight:

Weiss’s response has always been to fight. Those who are stuck in a constantly activated “fight” response to trauma tend to act entitled, angry, and contemptuous, which is what Weiss was like at the beginning of Volume One. “Fight” types typically see themselves as perfect and morally superior to others as a defense mechanism against abandonment, which, unfortunately, tends to perpetuate their loneliness. As Weiss grows and begins to heal from her trauma through healthy relationships, she is able to use her “fight” response in healthier ways. For example, instead of completely removing herself from the family, she intends to reclaim the family name and restore its honor, which is a great goal to have and one that gives her purpose. As Blake has said, the word that best describes Weiss is “defiance”.



Flight:

Winter’s response to trauma was flight. Her goal was to get away from Jacques Schnee as quickly as possible, and her chosen escape route was the Atlas military. “Flight” types tend to have obsessive-compulsive tendencies, believing that order and perfection will keep them safe. They lose themselves by constantly being busy so that they do not have to present with their emotions, which they don’t know how to deal with. Winter still seems to struggle with actually confronting her feelings, but as she works through her trauma, we begin to see a healthy manifestation of her “flight” response: she has gained the distance needed to create her own destiny.

Freeze:

Willow Schnee, knowing that there is no escape from her husband and that resistance is futile, did the only thing she knew she could do: she froze. “Freeze” types tend to withdraw into themselves and dissociate as much as possible in order to numb the pain. This is learned helplessness. They self isolate, avoiding others and using whatever method of distraction best distances them from reality. In Willow’s case, she uses alcohol. While Willow is still stuck in her “freeze” state, we see one positive way she has used it: she has been able to gain an advantage over Jacques Schnee by placing cameras all over the estate. Only someone like Willow, who presents as helpless and detached, would be able to get away with such a thing without being caught.



Fawn:

Finally, we have Whitley Schnee. Unlike his sisters, he doesn’t have the Schnee family semblance or the talent that would have allowed him to join the military or enroll in an academy. As the last of the children, he must be aware that his father is going to hold on to him tightly and not let him get away like the other two. So what does he do? He “fawns”. “Fawn” types seek safety by forfeiting all of their needs, preferences, and boundaries in order to become exactly what the abuser wants them to be. They essentially try to do damage control by complying with the demands of others and by trying to be as agreeable as possible. These are the codependent types. Whitley, knowing he was left alone by his sisters and cannot depend on his detached mother, must do everything in his power to get along with Jacques Schnee so that he can survive. That’s where he still is, and we have yet to see how he progresses.