Through hints in the film, it is shown that Lars had not always been as reclusive before his sister-in-law Karin had gotten pregnant. His decision to isolate himself from others stems from the fact that his mother had died during his birth. When Karin tries to reach out to Lars and invite him over for breakfast, he quickly dismisses her, even though Karin claims they haven’t seen him for so long. This hints that Lars had not always been so secluded from his family. As Karin and Gus discuss Lars’s current predicament, Gus comments, “Maybe he wants to be left alone.” Followed by Karin claiming that this is not the case and says, “Because that’s not how people are.” Gus follows the same beliefs that Lars does, suggesting that he is completely normal and might just be in need of some alone time. Karin objects, saying that it is not normal behaviour because people do not just wish to isolate themselves. This shows Karin’s maternal instincts and how she is one of the main catalysts for Lars realizing that he has been isolating himself from others, and guides him to realize his behaviour is out of the ordinary. After Lars denies Karin’s invitation for breakfast, the following scene illustrates a bridge, a motif that is shown throughout the film.
The bridge symbolizes the obstacles Lars has to go through in order for him to be able to fully join with the community and to finally be able to socialize and interact with others. Lars then attends church, a place where a large community gather to be together. The sermon in the church is especially significant because this is where
Lars