Familial Dysfunction In Ordinary Man's Film Ordinary People

The theme of the 1980 film Ordinary People centers on familial dysfunction, bereavement, mental illness, and the social pressure of maintaining a “acceptable” outer appearance. In the wake of the death of the Jarret families eldest son buck in a boating accident the affluent and other wise “ordinary” family is forced to confront foundational problems that have been long standing but have since been exacerbated and brought to the forefront in the families grief.

Plausibly the most outwardly dysfunctional of the Jarret is Conrad. The 18 year old high school student is the youngest of the family, and it is revealed in the film that shortly after the death of his elder sibling he had attempted suicide. Throughout the film Conrad is prone to erratic behavior

The main concerns of the socialite Beth, are the maintenance of her and her families social status and image often regarding that more highly that than the wellbeing of her husband and child. While displaying a desire to be maternal prior to Bucks passing in the wake of his death it seems as if those desires have all but disappeared, leading her to often be neglectful of her younger child Conrad. Beth dislikes confrontation and often refuse to talk about subjects that make her uncomfortable resorting to walking away or changing the subject. He often engage in behavior that is repetitive and reports having repetitive thinking continually going over thing numerous times in her own head. I believe that Beth possibly suffers from a personality disorder most likely BPD concurrently she suffers from OCD a displayed by her symptoms. Beth would benefit from CBT learning to cope with her imperfection and accept them in addition to seeking a relationship therapist to help her mend the strained relationship of hr marriage and between herself and her son