Psychoanalysis of The Sweet Hereafter by Russell Banks “The Sweet Hereafter” portrays the grief stricken citizens of a remote Canadian town traumatized by a terrible accident, and the impact of an ambulance-chasing lawyer who is attempting to deal with the grief in his own life. The film also depicts the grieving subjects susceptibility to convert grief and guilt into both blame and monetary gain and the transformation this small community faces after such a devastating event. The motives of Mitchell Stephens, the lawyer trying to file a class-action lawsuit, and of the townspeople are questionable throughout the film. Some in the community feel that attempting to win money in a court case is unnecessary and in fact will tear the town farther apart. Nicole’s parents are after the money, when others, such as Bear’s parents want to make sure that this amount of pain and suffering does not come upon others in the near future. They are not after the money as much as the answers that a lawsuit will bring about how the accident was caused and allow them some closure. The film chronicles the histories of three fathers, and manages to relates and link their events and situations. First is Mitchell Stephens and his relationship with his drug-addict daughter. Second is Sam, and the secret affair he is having with his young daughter Nicole. He is somewhat of a narcissistic character because of his preoccupation with himself and pleasing himself, and his lack of empathy throughout the film for the others in the town. Third is Billy, who loves his two children so much that he follows behind the school bus every day waving at them. Billy is also having an affair with a married woman who owns the town’s only motel. On the exterior the town is an average place with good people just living their lives. But, beneath all the small town simplicity is a web of lies and secrets, some which must be dealt with in the face of this tragedy. Mitchell Stephens is attempting to deal with the grief and angst of the townspeople, while at the same time, deal with his own problems and difficulties with his daughter Zoe. He obsessively retells the story of when his daughter was bitten by a black widow, and he had to assume complete control over her life. The scene in the car on the way to the hospital is shot from his perspective only. However, in the previous scenes where Zoe is sh... ... middle of paper ... ...arily be fixed at all. She knows that the lawsuit is affecting the people in her town a lot. After Billy’s visit she realizes that she must lie to the lawyers or else the town she lives in will be in much worse shape than it is now. Dolores is the driver of the bus. She and Nicole are the only known survivors of the crash, and also the two eldest passengers of the bus. Dolores lives in a world all her own. She loves her job and treats every child that rides her bus as she would her own. She amasses an incredible amount of guilt after the accident, but knows that it was not her fault. She lives in a state of self-delusion before the crash. She keeps individual pictures of all the children that ride the bus hung in her home. When Nicole places the blame on Dolores by lying to the lawyers, she ruins Dolores’s life, as she knows it. A viewer can’t help but wonder it is all justified, because Nicole is now paralyzed and Dolores just has a minor neck injury. “The Sweet Hereafter” is a film about relationships, whether between father and child, husband and wife, or between neighbors. It is these relationships that shape the outcomes and motives of all those affected by the accident.
What are the thoughts that go through the minds of those who near death? These are the questions at the heart of A Clean, Well-Lighted Place written by Ernest Hemmingway and Katherine Porter's The Jilting Of Granny Weatherall.
Being in a lower socioeconomic status puts a lot of stress on the caretakers of the family. The film shows the struggles Gilbert has taking care of his family while trying to be a normal boy. Compared to a normal boy Gilberts age, he is put under an immense amount of stress and responsibility. Other families that are wealthy in the film aren’t struggling or working as hard as Gilbert is to support his family. The film gives the viewer an opportunity to see how life is for the underprivileged families trying to get by. Gilberts life is stressful and complicated but yet he still finds meaning and happiness in what he has. It goes back the theme of the film, don’t judge a book by its cover. You don’t know what someone’s gone through or what they have done to get where they are today, its best to approach new people empathy and the desire to understand
The main protagonist of the film, Scotty Smalls, is introduced as a straight-A, friendless young boy who has just moved into a new neighborhood in new state. While
The Sweet Hereafter is a Canadian film that is an adaptation of the novel that is also called The Sweet Hereafter that was written by Russell Banks. The sweet Hereafter the Canadian film was written and directed by Aton Egoyan in 1997. Aton gained a lot of attention at the Sundance Film Festival for his earliest works. A few years later he broke out into the public with one of his most famous works, Exotica that was made in 1994. Later in 1997 is when The Sweet Hereafter got him major attention and received two academy award nominations. The Sweet Hereafter was the shift he said he needed from original film making to adapted screenplays because it allowed him escape form the thematic deadlock that he obsessed over. The Sweet Hereafter was a change of pace for Egoyan that made him an even more incredible producer and writer.
The mind is a very powerful tool when it is exploited to think about situations out of the ordinary. Describing in vivid detail the conditions of one after his, her, or its death associates the mind to a world that is filled with horrific elements of a dark nature.
Various events establish the father’s actions as infractions against otherworldly regulations. When he enters the morgue, the father crosses the threshold of the dead. He does not think twice about leaving the pleasures of life behind to enter this unknown afterworld
Ever since the beginning of time, there has been life and death. In life one makes many connections, many memories, and many mistakes. Then in death, one leaves it all behind, only being remembered by those one has encountered. However, the death on ones loved one is never easy. When they die, something it is as if they took a part of their loved one with them. Which in turn leaves a void of desperation for closure, and in fact, one of the best ways to find closure is by discussing it among others. The film, “Common Threads; Stories from the Quilt,” illustrates these stories which are told by the grieving, and allows the audience to understand the damage caused from the AIDS epidemic. This illustration of memories allowed me to connect with
The movie revolves between two stories. First, it talks about the life of Ronald Jimenez Jr. and the life of the Bien family. Ronald, a developmentally delayed seventh grader was accused of rape by his tutor/friend Bessy. This is where Ronald’s family met Atty. Julian Bien and Amanda Bien, a developmental psychologist. It happens that Ronald and Martin, their deceased son, were close friends. Over-all, it conveys the message of forgiveness.
Kit should not have went back to Hannah Tupper’s House for 3 reasons, Kit knew she should not go back, Kit was not really helping, and Kit was only hurting herself.
John Singleton’s view of social problems in South Central Los Angeles happens in a tale of three friends growing up together. Doughboy and Ricky Baker are half-brothers and have opposite personalities. Ricky is a football player who hopes to win a scholarship and spends most of his time playing football. On the other hand, Doughboy is a young man who looks upon his environment for guidance. He is involved in violence, abusing drugs, and participates in violence. In between is their friend Tre, who actually has a father to teach him what is right from wrong. Furious Styles, who is Tre’s father in the film does everything in his strength to keep his son from becoming another startling statistic. As you can see, it is always important for parents to be a part of their child’s life because it can make a big difference not only in their life but also their child’s future.
The People of Jefferson, Mississippi tried to use the excuse that Emily was just insane. If everyone in the town believed this then more actions should have been taken, and Emily should have been hospitalized for her problem. Emily should not have been able to live life freely if people knew that she could have been a danger to everyone else in Jefferson, Mississippi.
"The Sweet Hereafter" by Russell Banks is a fictional novel based on a real life tragedy. The story is about a community coping with the loss of almost all of its children after the towns school bus is involved in an accident in which most of them die. The accident occurs on a treacherous winding highway when the driver loses control of the school bus and it plunges down an embankment into an ice covered sandpit. The novel is unique in the way that it is written because it's story is told 4 different ways, from 4 different characters, each one filling you in just a little more on their perspective of what really happened. One of these characters is Mitchell Stephens. He is a lawyer from New York City with an undeniable past. He is a compelling character with an interesting story.
Tim Robbin’s film, Dead Man Walking, attempts to appeal to emotion as it presents differing views on the death penalty. The cinematography of this movie, inspired by the non-fiction book by Sister Helen Prejean, is very graphic, yet emotionally moving and thought provoking. It tells the story of a nun, Sister Helen Prejean herself, who takes on the responsibility of assisting a death row inmate, Matthew Poncelet, in his attempt to earn a life sentence in jail rather than receiving the death penalty by lethal injection for two counts of murder and rape. A major premise displayed in this story questions whether Sister Prejean manifested more love toward Poncelet or more betrayal toward the families of the victims that he hurt. The movie combines themes of religious and moral values with others such as social justice, family upbringing, and dignity. Because of the multitude of combined factors that exist, each character’s point of view looks different, and these varying opinions are expressed during the course of the film.
In The Nirvana Principle by Lisa Bird-Wilson, the narrator often describes a particular image of a body in the river that is used to help her work towards this healing process with self-therapy. Throughout the story Hanna gradually reveals more in her narrative as the reader’s progress further to the truth. As the story advances, the reader’s can identify a development with the narrators healing process by the imagery used of the body in the ravine. In the end, it is revealed the true representation and meaning behind this imagery. Ultimately, this discovery exhibits alleviation in the narrator distress from her trauma
... some cases where the child was harmed and now she always recommends what she hopes is best for the child. Of course once she makes a decision, she doesn't ever second-guess herself. She doesn't want to take a closer look at Sam, but she believes she's doing the right thing."