Conflict In The Movie Ordinary People

The majority of the arguments leading to fights that take place between humans is routed in the neglect by both parties to manage conflicts thoroughly and effectively. Despite this, there are several options that target specific conflicts, personalities, and relationships. In the movie Ordinary People, the Jarrett family made up of two parents and their son go through several traumatic events that lead to relationship-ending conflicts and fights. The late son, Buck, is tragically killed in a boating accident, scarring the entire family. Dealing with “survivor’s guilt”, the younger son, Conrad, attempts to kill himself and fails; the aftermath destroys the entire family. Conrad, Beth, and Calvin all bear a tremendous weight, causing them to neglect to utilize proper conflict management (such as mutual purpose), exercise unhealthy management (such as silence and violence), and eventually escalate a problem that could have been solved.

The

He tells her, truthfully, about how he felt when she concerned herself with his attire at their son’s funeral, opening the line of communication that is unfortunately unreceived. However, he makes the fatal mistake of running from his problems with Beth that may have been capable of being saved when he cries in the kitchen late at night, telling Beth that he does not think he loves her anymore because of her recent actions. This is an example of Calvin’s flight mode, contrasted by the fight that he produces at golf with Beth and her brother. He fights her on being so unwilling to be around Calvin as they discussed another vacation. These two things could have been solved, like Conrad, by assuring the value of the relationship to create safety and admitting the mutual purpose of staying together and properly raising their broken