Gilbert Grape Burnout Analysis

The Grape family suffers from quite a bit of mental illness. Arnie is the most obvious example of this, but it is also clear that Mama has major depressive disorder triggered by the sudden suicide of her late husband (this stress related triggering of a mental disorder is plausible as this complies with the diathesis-stress model: individuals may be biologically predisposed to an illness, but require a stressor for that illness to manifest itself) Gilbert is also suffering from either dysthymia (a type of depression with mild symptoms but can last for years) or a type of sensory overload called burnout. Burnout is when the amount of constant stressors on a person’s sensory system causes the system to essentially overload, creating a state of

The music tends to play his emotions on the screen rather than against them. This is most evidenced by the music that plays after Gilbert, Arnie and Becky come back from the grocery store in the rain. Becky’s grandmother was able to get the truck started, meaning that Becky would have to leave, as the only reason Becky was even in town was because of their truck breaking down. Realizing this, Gilbert becomes immediately upset and hugs Becky, as to begin to say goodbye to her. The music still consists of the piano and guitar, but it played at a rather slow tempo and in a different key that causes the music to be more emotional, as to fit in with Gilbert’s feelings. However, this is not always the case in the latter half of the film, as when Becky does actually have to leave, the music is upbeat and lively because the music in this case is diegetic and is celebrating the opening of the new Burger Barn in town. In What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, music in the film progresses with Gilbert’s mental state of burnout. From playing against Gilbert’s emotions when he is completely engulfed in the burnout state, like at the beginning of the film; to the music moving with GIlbert’s emotions and giving the audience a look into what he is actually feeling as in the latter half of the movie with the nondiegetic music of the score. Gilbert, along with the music in this score, progresses throughout the film,