Character Analysis Ordinary People Essay Example For Students

Character Analysis Ordinary People Essay A presumably healthy family begins to implode on itself as tragedy strikes not once but twice. The Jarret family finds their lives turned upside down in the movie â€Å"Ordinary People†. A film that depicts an upper middle class family’s inability to cope with the loss of a loved one. A boating accident, near their home in Lake Forrest, Illinois, takes the life of the oldest son Buck, and unveils the vulnerabilities of the family. Instead of pulling together in a time of grief, Calvin, Beth, and their remaining son Conrad fail to effectively communicate with each other the effects of Buck’s death. It’s the elephant in the room that adds mounting stress to everyone in the family. Conrad, who is overwhelmed with guilt, attempts suicide a few months following the accident of his brother which only compounds the family’s situation. Beth never forgives Conrad for his suicide attempt and he cannot forgive her for her limited love towards him. Calvin is stuck in between the two trying to bridge the gap of their relationship. He is alienated by both Beth and Conrad who keep their grief for Buck to themselves. Buck’s untimely death also forces the family members to reevaluate their identity. Conrad who has been living in Buck’s shadow must now create his own identity. Calvin losing the connection to Beth and Conrad is forced to discover why he feels cut off from the family. Beth who held Buck on a high pedestal as a representation of her self-worth now has that ripped away and her very soul is put into conflict with itself. Conrad, Calvin, and Beth must find a way to deal with Buck’s death and Conrad’s suicide in order to move forward as a family. Buck, although not an actual character in the film, influences the remaining family members. He was an above average athlete with trophies, awards, and plaques fill his shelves and walls for hockey, equestrian, baseball, and swimming. He was viewed as the popular kid who was like by everyone. A son that could do no wrong and possessed a no fear, sail into the storm mentality. His death initiates the Jarrett’s tail spin into disaster. Conrad still not able to face his feelings about the accident shall the telltale signs of PTSD. He has nightmares, problems sleeping, anxiety, as well as a loss of motivation throughout the beginning of the film. He must put a great deal of effort to begin each day. All of this is because by the guilt he feels, which can be describes as Survivor’s guilt. Conrad feels guilty for surviving the accident while Buck who was stronger, more popular, and more favored by his mother did not. This guilt is the reason for his pain, suffering, and self-punishment. He is punishing himself for still being alive, and he becomes emotionally withdrawn with no one to reach out to especially at home. Conrad does get flustered from time to time but is still able to display his wit and sense of humor. Beth does not play the traditional female gender role of the compassionate caring mother but the role of decision maker who uses control and power to maintain the family structure in a way she sees fit. Beth did not land here by chance. Instead it was by careful design from someone who shares an identical family role- Beth’s mother. Her personality is built on the foundation of order, structure, control, and power. She sees herself as a strong, independent, and self-assuring person. These characteristics give her what she desires most, the approval of her peers. She would do anything to keep up status in her social circle. She has a sense of self-importance and the family would fall apart without her in charge. Beth’s identity has been shaped and molded in her mother’s image. She instills these characteristic early in Beth’s childhood. Perhaps with the best intentions of a being a parent or merely the greed to her self-image, Beth’s mother passes down her dominate sense of control and power so one day Beth’s can fulfil this role in her own family. A good legacy to reflect back on her mother one day. This method of child rearing does come with an unforeseen price. As Beth is raised to act, think, and even feel the way her mother does, she is essentially stripped Beth of her childhood identity and replaces it with that of her own. Never allowed to stray outside the boundaries of her mother’s ideals, Beth has an underdeveloped sense of self. She know owns her mother’s behavior, but Buck’s death challenges her very identity. Beth’s control and order quickly turns into chaos. Calvin takes on the complimentary role as the caregiver who proves support to the family. He carries a sense of responsibility for the well-being of his family. This is the reason why he becomes a lawyer, to provide for his family. Calvin is similar to Beth’s father. They are not one to inject conflict or create waves with the family or anyone for that matter. They take a more passive approach less they be berated by the lady of the house. Buck’s death and Conrad’s suicide attempt leaves Calvin with a feeling of inadequacy in his family role. He also feels guilty for â€Å"allowing† these events to occur. His sense of worth is further alienated in that Beth and Conrad do not connect with him on an emotional level. The relationship between Calvin and Beth appear to be normal. Beth gives Calvin some loving affection and Calvin reciprocates. Despite the tragedies they still have passion for each other. Upon arriving at the house the gender role reversal reveals itself. Beth walks right past Conrad’s door without even a thought of his well-being. Calvin on the other hand playing the tender caring role checks up on Conrad. Calvin is a perceptive person and realizes that Conrad is not sleeping well and still in turmoil from the recent events. He brings up the help of a psychiatrist and to â€Å"Stick to the plan†. Tivo Marketing Case Analysis (Hbs) EssayThe apple has not fallen far from the tree. Her mother barking commands at her father, controlling him like a puppet master. The awkwardness of the relationship between Beth and Conrad is revealed as Beth avoids having her picture taken with Conrad. She has not forgiving him for the accident or his suicide attempt and cannot stand to share a â€Å"moment† with him. Conrad lashes out as his frustration with her limited ability to love him boils over. Neither one can express their feelings to each other so the mother and son relationship continue to suffer for it. Later in the kitchen, Beth’s mother walks in to Beth holding two pieces of a plate that she broke. Beth repeatedly saying tells her mother she can fix it. Beth’s identity is represented here by these two plates. The one side is her underdeveloped childhood emotional state yearning to come out, and the other is her current self, forged from years of discipline from her mother. Buck’s death has fractured an emotional bond with her favored son, and apart of who she is has dies with him. Beth after having her image tainted again by Conrad when finding the news about him quitting the swim team confronts him. Conrad then lashes out at his mother, suggesting that she only cares about him because of how it might impact her reputation. Calvin and Beth’s reactions to Conrad’s outburst are very indicative of their different parenting styles. Calvin wants to follow Conrad to his room and talk with him. Beth gets upset with Calvin. She feels as if Conrad is manipulating them, and that, because Conrad is the one who has done something wrong, Calvin should not be the one to apologize. This event spreads the couples’ relationship further still. In another session with Dr. Berger, Conrad realizes that is it he who cannot forgive himself for his suicide attempt. This allows Conrad to understand that Beth has limitation with the way she loves him and to forgive her for that. This is a big breakthrough for Conrad and allows him to work through his grief for Buck and try to make peace with Beth. Able to forgive himself, Conrad begins to reconnect and express his feelings. After being harassed his former swim teammate Conrad attacks him. He no longer needs to bottle it up anymore though this was not a positive way to express it. He is also able to express to Phil why he has been so distant all this time. That is was not Phil but his association with Buck that hurts too much to bare. Phil understands there is nothing he can do and simply walks away. Conrad reaches out to Karen in a hope to talk, but finds out she has killed herself. This brings Conrad face to face with Buck’s death. He calls Dr. Berger in the late hour in hopes of working through all of his pain. In this meeting, Conrad is able to shift the blame of Buck’s death from himself to Buck. Conrad blames himself because someone had to be blamed and Conrad was the one, the one who survived. He is able to focus in the here and now and being alive is a good thing. Without Dr. Berger and his help Conrad may not have been able to push through Karen’s death. But now he is able to grief for Buck and be able finally move on with his life. He does this by reaching out to Jeannine in the hopes of forming a successful relationship. On vacation on the golf course, Calvin and Beth get into an argument over how Calvin treats Conrad. She is angry that he is so focused on Conrad and reveals how angry she is at Conrad. She feels like his suicide attempt was intentionally vicious and directed at her. Calvin defending Conrad tries to explain that Conrad did it to himself, not to her, but Beth feels like it was directed at her. Her outburst makes it clear that she will never be able to forgive Conrad, and also clear that Calvin will never let go of Conrad. When they return home Calvin realizes that Beth is not the same person he once knew. Calvin sees the flaws in Beth that she is not a â€Å"giving† person. He realizes Beth is unable to cope without life being neat and tidy. Beth, unwilling to deal with her emotions packs her bags and leaves for Houston. Conrad meets Calvin in the back yard. Conrad begins to blame himself for the Beth’s departure. Calvin allows himself to get angry at Conrad. Happy that his father is no longer being over cautious of him. This in turn allows for a resolution of the relationship between father and son. In the end the family has survived, but not without a casualty. Beth, unwilling and unable to deal with Buck’s death cannot process her grief. Her mother’s influence holds strong as she is inflexible to change herself. She has now lost control and order of her family, so she retreats to stay with her brother. Calvin and Conrad have come through changed men. Calvin understands that he can be there for Conrad but also needs to hold him accountable as well. Calvin is now able to reconnect with his son on an emotional level. Conrad no longer feels guilty over Buck’s death and his suicide attempt. He is able to move on with his life. He is now closer to his father and he is also becoming his own person. Pursuing a relationship and future with Jeannine. His confidence continues to grow each day. Life will never be the same as they become ordinary people.