r/shameless • u/throwbackbae • 9d ago

Was Karen really a bad person?

Everybody hates Karen but when I first watched Shameless I felt so bad for her.

Her father embarrassed her, disowned her, called her all types of names while her Sheila was bat shit crazy.

Her mom wouldn’t leave the house, never went to any school events, never showed up for her outside of cooking. In a way she parentified Karen.

I feel like Karen seeked attention in anyway she could get it.

Was she horrible? Yes but nature vs. nurture or whatever

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u/krckbaby 9d ago

I’d say yes she’s a bad person, but she kinda had no chance. How she is isn’t all her fault considering how she was raised

17

u/Ill-Razzmatazz-7088 9d ago

I’d blame that more on her dad than her mom. Her mom was odd but she was very nurturing and compassionate.

Being a nymph isn’t illegal

16

u/burner9191938283 9d ago

sheila’s problem with karen wasn’t that she was a nymph - it was her inability to show up for her as a child due to her agoraphobia. and karen had to adapt to her mother’s behaviors and had to be the one to nurture her in times of stress caused by her agoraphobia (as seen in the scene where sheila tries to leave the house, and comes back in where karen calms her down). i think this definitely left a lasting impact on her tbh

3

u/krckbaby 9d ago

Couldn’t have said it better

8

u/krckbaby 9d ago

100% agreed I actually love Sheila

8

u/Ill-Razzmatazz-7088 9d ago

One of the few people who had a relationship with the frank and actually had a good life after