Ennis Delmar, a tough cowboy from Wyoming, constantly faces threats to his masculinity in his adulthood ever since his summer workplace on Brokeback Mountain with Jack Twist, a sheep herder whom Ennis finds himself in a romantic affair with. Due to societal pressures and a vivid memory of witnessing a castrated gay man, Ennis continuously represses his emotions and refuses to fully embrace his sexuality and his relationship with Jack. Rather, he opts to continue his relationship with Jack through irregular and often infrequent trips to Brokeback Mountain, never fully settling neither at home nor on the mountain. Through a rejected postcard correspondence, the couple’s preferred mode of communication, Ennis learns that Jack has died. The final scene of the film consists of Alma Jr. visiting her father’s mobile home to tell Ennis that she will be getting married. As Alma drives away, Jack is left alone in the middle of the road in his small trailer home, and as he visits his closet door, draped with his and Jack’s shirts and a postcard of the mountain. Although this scene represents a perpetual state of in between for Ennis, a destiny he chose by repressing his sexuality, Ang Lee closes this neo-Western film affirming its “Westerness,” despite its deviance from the stereotypical plot. However, the final scene demonstrates character development, albeit one that is too late. Ennis Delmar affirms that his employer, a symbol for the desolate Western road, must “find a new cowboy,” for he wishes to rid himself of his solitary life in favor of the family and lover he has lost. Nevertheless, the film closes out with Ennis remaining a typical cowboy, who is forever banished to be on the road – a space in between the mountain, a place with love and solitude, and the plain, a barren space with many people but little room for expression.
Despite having a broken relationship with his daughter, Ennis forfeits a job assignment to attend Alma Jr.’s wedding, stating, “I reckon they can find themselves a new cowboy.” Before yielding to his daughter’s invitation, viewers can see Ennis’ internal struggle with an eye-level view of his face in this shot-reverse-shot moment. Here, the pain on Ennis’ face is transparent when Alma
The main focus of the 1989 film Steel Magnolias is a relationship between a mother and her daughter and how that relationship touches and affects the lives of others. The film features some stellar acting. Sally Field plays the mother M’Lynn Eatenton and Julia Roberts is her vivacious daughter, Shelby. The rest of the Eatenton family are Shelby’s younger brothers, Tommy and Jonathan and their father Drum, played by Tom Skerritt. The supporting cast features Shirley MacLaine as Ouiser Boudreaux, the cranky neighbor with Olympia Dukakis as Ouiser’s lifelong friend Claree. Dolly Parton plays Truvy, everyone’s beautician and Daryl Hannah as Annelle, Truvy’s recently hired employee. Dylan McDermott plays Shelby’s fiancé, Jackson Latcherie. The
In the movie, ‘Silver linings Playbook’ Pat Solitano is diagnosed with clinical bipolar disorder 1 and struggles with stress-induced manic outbursts. This is revealed by a manic episode where Solitano is seen to almost beat to death a co-worker, who he caught cheating on with is wife. The repercussion of Solitano’s actions results in termination of his job, estrangement from his wife who takes out a restraining order and sees Solitano institutionalized for eight months in a psychiatric hospital.
For this Case Study I chose fictional character Will Hunting from the award winning movie Good Will Hunting. Will Hunting was born in a poor region of south Boston, Massachusetts, an orphan, who lived with a very abusive alcoholic foster dad. As a kid, Will was subdued to frequent physical abuse by his foster dad, between getting beat with a wrench, and having cigarettes put out on him, Will dealt with a lot at a young age (James A. Frieden).
The Fault in Our Stars depicts Hazel Grace Lancaster, a 16-year-old girl diagnosed with terminal thyroid cancer. The book chronicles her relationship with Augustus Waters, who has also been diagnosed with cancer. Throughout the novel, Hazel constantly struggles with her identity in relation to her disease. She is conflicted whether to accept the prescribed image society has of her or to embrace her true inner self. Through a period of self-realization, she eventually comes to terms with and redefines her identity. Although society may define an individual’s self-image, The Fault in Our Stars demonstrates that identity is defined by the inner self, rather than external forces; in turn, that self-perception deeply impacts one’s perspective on life.
It is often said that the people one surrounds themselves with can reflect things about themselves, such as their beliefs and ideals. One’s friends and acquaintances can reveal subconscious attractions to people that fulfill their ideals or agree with the things they say, but these relationships can also help one discover their personal philosophies by reinforcing opposing views. Indeed, in J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, the way Holden reacts to and interacts with secondary characters reveal his established philosophies and the values he holds most dear to him.
Adolescence is often a confusing time where people still have elements of childhood, but they are beginning to enter the world of adults. People end up stuck between two points in life and feel that they can not quite fit into either. In J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye, sixteen year old Holden Caulfield experiences the contradicting feelings of being a teenager while he is alone in New York City. He masquerades as an adult and his experiences represent various aspects of being an adult. He tries to act grown-up and engage in adult life, but at the same time he resists it and tries to hold onto the way things are. Salinger explores the image of adulthood using symbols. Symbols of adulthood hold for Holden a certain longing and resentment as he struggles with the turmoil of adolescence.
The film, Good will hunting (Bender et al., 1997), is an American classic flick which is lauded for its fresh and ordinary approach towards depicting situations that is realistic and relatable. In the film, Good Will Hunting (Bender et al., 1997), this is clearly show up that, savagery Will Hunting experienced as a youngster and after that shows as a grown-up; along with flashes of a sweet attitude towards his companions and mental virtuoso. It is about a young man struggle to find himself. He is unwillingly treated to a psychologist just to keep him out of trouble. In this journey, he finds out what he is and what matters to him the most. This movie uses strong and effective technique on evoking emotions and empathy to the audience through exposing them to various technicities of filmmaking such as color, camera technique and many more. After reading the book (OpenStax 2016), we can have adopted different kinds of psychological theory to explain this movie. Good will hunting is related with Erikson’s psychosocial theory of personal development (Neu-Freudian theory),Freud’s psychoanalytical theory and the five-factor model of personality (Big-five: OCEAN).
The movie Good Will Hunting an American Drama Film was directed by Gus Van Sant, and starring Robin Williams, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Minnie Driver and Stellan Skarsgard in 1997. This movie is about a man named Good Will Hunting who was a genius but chose not to live as a genius because of fear of past experiences and the ill treatment he received when he was in foster home. Some of the other characters in the movie were supportive and some were not supportive of him. This essay discusses Good Will’s personality traits and his interaction with the other characters in the movie. Good Will Hunting possessed the following personality traits, namely: independence, intense interest in a problem, and the need for stimulation.
As Ricky Baker thrives to build his relationship with his new uncle, Hector, he is also running away from his consequences. The film,“The Hunt for the Wilderpeople”, begins with the delivery of Ricky Baker, an orphan, to his adoptive family. As the story progresses, his aunt, Bella, passes away, which begins his journey to disappear from society. Hec, Ricky’s uncle, receives a letter regarding Ricky’s confinement in juvenile. As Hec started to vocalize, Ricky refuses to go to juvenile due to his desire to disappear. Through Ricky’s determination, loyalty, and his adventures, these traits allow him to gain life lessons during his journey to run away from his consequences.
Sarah Goldfarb suffered from an addiction to amphetamines which were prescribed to her as diet pills and also suffered from stimulant psychosis. Addiction is defined as a compulsive substance use despite the harmful consequences of said substance to ones health and life. Stimulant psychosis is a psychosis symptom which includes auditory and visual hallucinations, paranoia, and/or delusions which are caused by an overdose or high use of psychostimulants.
John Hughes's The Breakfast Club is one of film history’s most iconic and renowned movies and is a cornerstone of 1980’s pop-culture. The Breakfast Club showcases five unique high school students who all unfortunately find themselves imprisoned in an all-day Saturday detention. The students go as following: Claire (a pretty girl), Brian (the nerd), John (the bad boy), Andrew (an athlete), and Allison (the strange, goth girl). These students come from very different backgrounds and social settings which proves to spark many conflicts between them as well as with their supervisor Mr. Vernon. But through this conflict they find similarities between themselves, and after spending nine hours locked up together, they find resolution within themselves and with their new friends. Psychology can explain why this happened as well as what caused other events to occur. This paper will examine four different psychological phenomena: stereotypes, conformity/normative social influence, ingroup versus outgroup/superordinate goals, and the various causes of attraction.
Brokeback Mountain, being the more homosexual romance-oriented Western that it is, subverts a large number of the typical traditional elements of the Western film genre as a whole, this one especially, by having another male be in the position of the love interest of the hero. Although this subversion in particular is very problematic for Jack, as it puts him in the shoes of being associated with all things relating to femininity in the relationship. For example, Jack is the one who makes the first move when seducing Ennis, using his own allure and sexuality into tempting Ennis when he calls him into the tent, leading Ennis down somewhat of a risky path. Ennis, however, is portrayed as somewhat of a saint, his being repressed and restrained by social standards, saying to Jack, “You may be a sinner but I ain't yet had the opportunity”. Another interesting typical thing in the Western genre that was altered was that instead of Indians being the villain, the enemy is that of a ignorant and oppressive society–a society that would kill Ennis and Jack for being “different”, Ennis says to Jack, “this thing takes hold of us at the wrong place, wrong time and we're dead,” which shows how much they both worry about it–but the two cowboys still have to find some way to pull through and struggle to find their true selves in this society, but it is also that fear which causes the devastating events
Differing opinions exist regarding the purpose and usefulness of a college education. While attending college appears to be a legitimate course of action to advance one’s educational and professional aspirations for some, it may seem senseless when considering the rise of college tuitions coupled with the fact that a college degree does not necessarily guarantee a job. Either way, defining the value and worth of a college education remains subjective. However, in the film, Good Will Hunting, the importance or perceived importance of a college education seems to be rejected at large, namely by the main character, Will Hunting, and his psychologist. Specifically, two main perspectives are shown regarding the frame of mind one should possess regarding education, one that values academic achievement and jobs, and the other that rejects those ideals and focuses primarily on self-discovery to figure out what is wanted in life. Consequently, both perspectives result in different behaviors among the characters in the film. Although Good Wil Hunting accurately highlights some of the major downfalls of a college education, it unfairly criticizes the emphasis college cultures places on achievement and future success. Because of this, the film takes devalues a college education and subtly frames it as a waste of resources through overtly ridiculing it.
The Western genre is undoubtedly one that is governed by the traditional male 'hero' and its masculine stereotypes. Rarely does the genre break away from this mould, however Ang Lee's renowned film Brokeback Mountain defies the set expectations of the Western and its celebration of masculinity. The film depicts the tragic love between the two central characters 'Ennis del Mar' and 'Jack Twist', set against the backdrop of the American
Brokeback Mountain is a short story written by Annie Proulx in 1997, which portrayed two Wyoming ranchers, Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar, engaged in a homosexual relationship that started in the 60’s and lasted through the 80’s. This short story gave people a different look into the cowboy society and how the rugged men of the frontier possibly sought out love and affection.