The Summer I Turned Pretty examines how attachment wounds, grief, and family influence teenage love and behavior. The series centers on Belly and brothers Conrad and Jeremiah, whose contrasting attachment styles create a fraught love triangle. Conrad exhibits avoidant attachment, withdrawing and suppressing emotion when confronted with his mother's illness. Jeremiah shows anxious-preoccupied tendencies, craving reassurance and closeness. Belly experiences the pull between both brothers while processing her own desires and losses. The show blends Gen Z aesthetics with nostalgic teen romance to amplify emotional resonance. Attachment theory clarifies character motivations and the impact of family roles on emotional patterns.
It is an exploration of attachment wounds, grief, and the emotional turbulence of first love. The show resonates with Gen Z through its soundtrack, fashion, and lingo, while pulling in Gen X with nostalgia for teenage love, heartbreak, and endless summer nights. By examining each character through the lens of attachment theory, we can better understand how their different styles of loving and grieving drive the series' most compelling dynamics.
The love triangle between Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah is an illustration of how different attachment styles play out in love, grief, and family. Conrad Fisher: The Avoidant Lover: Conrad appears to be the epitome of avoidant attachment. When his mother Susannah becomes ill, he retreats inward, pushing people away and bottling up emotions. Overwhelmed by responsibility, he suffers panic attacks in silence, convinced vulnerability is dangerous. His stoicism and distance break Belly's heart, as she yearns for closeness he cannot give.
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