The Wonder: What Is Lib Taking? Why Does She Drink It Every Night?

Elizabeth “Lib” Wright, one of the characters in Netflix’s The Wonder, is taking morphine to numb her pain as a stress management skill. In the past, she has gone through a lot of trauma for which she gets stressed time and again.

The Wonder on Netflix, the film adaptation of Emma Donoghue‘s novel, is about people putting their faith in something they cannot see or hear. The Wonder takes place in the Irish Midlands in the mid-1800s and is steeped in religious zealotry and obsession. The film adaptation of Gloria Bell by Sebastián Lelio works well with contemporary themes. Dark secrets, loneliness, and painful isolation are among them. This allows both the character and the viewer to ruminate. Of course, when someone is exposed to trauma and left to their own devices, they may discover a way to numb the pain.

This Netflix historical drama, follows Anna O’Donnell, an eleven-year-old Irish girl who has gone four months without food. Astounded by Anna’s ability to survive on only water, the village elders form a committee to monitor her and appoint an English nurse named Elizabeth “Lib” Wright to care for her.

When almost everyone in Anna’s village thinks she’s a living miracle, Lib tries to be rational and sets out to figure out how the girl can live without food. She also keeps several secrets from the O’Donnells and the village elders, including her daily liquid intake. So, what does Lib keep on taking on a daily basis? Well, let’s find it out.

Elizabeth “Lib” Wright From the Wonder Is Taking Morphine: She Drinks It Regularly to Calm Her Nerves!

Elizabeth “Lib” Wright is seen several times taking morphine in Netflix’s The Wonder. Given her experience seeing wounded soldiers in pain and dying, we can assume that Lib uses the drug to numb her pain as a coping skill when trauma triggers her. According to American Addiction Centers, job stress is a significant risk factor for many nurses who abuse drugs. By lowering blood pressure, slowing the heart rate, and increasing pleasure, the drug blocks pain sensations and calms the central nervous system.

Morphine is a critical issue because it is classified as an opioid, which has been a significant problem in the United States over the last decade. When opioids are in short supply, many people turn to heroin. Trauma increases the likelihood of developing substance abuse in the future.

The Wonder’s protagonist Lib Wright is an English nurse who has traveled to Ireland to observe an 11-year-old girl who refuses to eat. Lib is a scientist and a trained nurse who discusses her experiences treating the wounded and dying in wartime England. (There are no specific dates, but I believe she may have treated soldiers during the Crimean War.)

After overcoming personal challenges, Lib travels to Ireland to care for Anna. Lib gave birth to a daughter who lived for only three weeks and two days. Lib had descended into extreme grief in the aftermath of her death. The tiny woolen socks Lib wears with the bottle of liquid demonstrate how she hasn’t recovered from the shock of the same.

Lib’s husband, Mr. Wright, abandoned her in addition to her daughter’s death. After the tragedy, he vanished from her life, leading her to believe that her husband was dead. As a result, Lib is most likely drinking liquid opioids to calm her nerves, which aids her sleep.

In addition to that, she was forced to witness the horrors of the Crimean War, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 500,000 people. As a nurse who had to treat soldiers, Lib may have had to deal with deaths on a daily basis, which must have impacted her mental health. She must have found solace in opioids after a while, which helped her forget the distress caused by her daughter’s death and the horrors she witnessed during the war. As a result, the substance may have become an important part of her life because it allows her to sleep peacefully, without nightmares about deaths haunting her.

Academy Award nominee Florence Pugh (@florencepugh) portrays Lib Wright in the series. On April 28, 2021, it was announced that Pugh would star in director Sebastián Lelio‘s adaptation of The Wonder. In a short period of time, the young actor has amassed an impressive resume. Pugh has starred in the critically acclaimed The Falling, Fighting with My Family, the most recent Don’t Worry Darling, and the popular streaming series Black Widow. She was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Amy March in Little Women. She is arguably best remembered for her part in the iconic horror classic Midsommar, directed by Ari Aster.

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