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Nov-02-20 | 2 November 2020 |
Added November 02, 2020 at 5:55am
by Paul Hankins
Title: 2 November 2020
Reading in the Dark/Directing Comments/Commentary
When commenting on the film, think about memorable lines. Try to capture these in a comment.
Post any questions you may have of the film.
Remember our frontloading of this film, but what scenes and situations might we problematize?
Think about thematic threads through the film:
Political Social Economic Psychological Religious
Domestic Gender Class Interpersonal/Intimacy
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I would say it moves the audience toward the awareness of disabilities and how we go day by day taking our life for granted.
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I agree with you completely. Before watching this film I never really thought about people with disabilities having to live this fast pace life we live. Each day for them can be extremely challenging. I take for granted how blessed I am to be able to live my life without the challenges disabled people face. Now since the film brought light to their situations I will be more thankful for how blessed I am.
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I agree Zach. During this whole 2 or 3 weeks that we have been looking into this field, it has enlightened me to not take any day for granted and realize how lucky I am. I think the people who made the movie did their job on raising awareness on this subject
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I agree Zach. The more we have touched on this topic I have realized I don’t know as much about disabled people as I thought. This film allowed me to get an even better insight on people with disabilities and how they act day to day. I, myself, realized that I take simple things for granted.
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I agree with your thoughts Zach. The characters’ lives and effect on Jack’s life show us how difficult living with a disability is, and why we should be grateful for the normal lives we get to live everyday.
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I agree with Zach, when I saw first guy with disabilities it kind of made me smile. I don’t see too many movies with an actor that
has disabilities in the movie, especially a movie that seems to be focusing on disabilities. The movie did open up my eyes on people with disabilities, just because you kind of see him on a day to day basis and I personal do not have someone around me that has those disabilities.
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I agree with you, Trey. Unlike many movies, the characters in this one are introduced at the very beginning. I believe they did this in order for the audience know these characters n an almost personal level by the end of the movie. I know that by the end of the movie I felt as if I knew each character personally.
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Although the aren’t independent, these people work hard and are functioning members of society. I found that this was a realistic and honorable take on how people with disabilities function in society..
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I too have learned so much about people with disabilities from this film. They function within society to the best of their ability, putting forth their best contribution possible. Not only are they a huge contribution to society they are some of the hardest workers out there. Each one of the boys in the film work hard at the task put at hand.
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I’m not always big on 90’s movies, with the seemingly subpar cinematography or the theme usually rammed down your throat, I’ve never really had a fantastic experience with a 90’s film (maybe barring Heathers) However, this movie might be an exception. Don’t get me wrong, it still feels like a PSA, but in the good ways, rather than the bad. The movie sheds light on early-advancement understandings of Neurodivergence in a Neurotypical society. Growing up with the “Back in my day” parents, I always assumed that in this time, they didn’t care about anyone who was om the spectrum. However, we can obviously tell that they did.
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After watching the film, I have learned what life is like for not only the mentally challenged, but how it impacts the social workers working with them. The film allows the audience to see how Jack is struggling to keep a balance between his job and his relationship. It allowed me to take time to be grateful that I do not have any sort of mental illness. Mental illness can put a toll on not only the life of the person living with it, but also the life of the people putting in effort to make sure they can live a safe life.
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Arnold is unable to process his emotions of sadness as he realizes Jack is truly leaving and he is losing his friend. Jack understands Arnold’s response and remains calm, letting Arnold sort himself out and process his feelings .
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This should be at 1:31:54
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I believe that the film is heavily centered around Jack and his relationship with the men. This aspect of the film presents an intimacy theme on the way those with disabilities view the people in their lives. These relationships often take a toll on the people that care for those with disabilities. Jack puts it best when him and his wife are having a meeting with the marriage counselor and his wife suggests that he feels guilty about having to take care of himself. His job is a difficult one and many people do not consider this. He says slightly angry about his wife’s proposition “They do deserve better, I deserve better, somebody deserves better.”
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What does the longer opening sequence allow to happen for the characters on the screen and for the viewer? What seems to be happening in the opening sequences of the film?
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By having a longer introduction to the characters the viewers are getting a better understanding of who is who. At the start of the film it looks like they are getting ready for a dance or a show.
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At the beginning of the film, we see our characters preparing for a celebration or event of some kind, as Zachary pointed out. The opening scene allows the audience to take in the characters and try to assume their personalities little too. This way, we can attach the names to faces to archetypes.
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At the beginning the story introduces the characters, so we can understand the problems of the characters, and to know what the charters are dealing with mentally.
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The beginning of this movie showcased the real situation without sugarcoating the bad. Such as the neighbor calling them the hated “R” word or showing the characters and how they act. This puts a perspective on what it is like to deal with someone with a mental disability day-to-day.
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The opening sequence introduces the audience to characters. They’re preparing for a dance.
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The longer introduction at the beginning of the film allows for the audience to get a better understanding of the characters they are about to watch. The audience is allowed to see how the characters act and see some of their personalities come through before the film begins.
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I personally do not understand the title of the movie because the one neighbor that shows up only shows up twice. The neighbors are not an important character either. She shows that her and her husband are very insensitive towards people with disabilities. The story does not develop the neighbors any more than that. Overall I think the title could be different.
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the title really does not make sense when you watch the movie. The only reason I think that they named the film this is that maybe everyone in the neighborhood consider these boys to be next door neighbors. It is clear that everyone who lives around that area knows these guys so maybe they like them enough that they call them next door neighbors
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I think the title “The Boys Next Door” is not referring to how the neighbors see them, but rather who they are. The movie gives us a glimpse into the lives of these quote unquote, boys next door. I think the title is also a subconscious way of pointing out that they are normal, too, and just like us. They’re just boys that live next door, that’s all. Too often people treat mentally disabled people as if they are not people. I think that by using the title “The Boys Next Door”, the author/director is telling us they, too are regular people who just happen to live next door.
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I also believe that the title is not based on the fact that they are neighbors with the couple that moved next door. I believe that the title is showing the audience that these men with mental disabilities are human just like you and me. They are not to be seen as just those “retarded” boys, they are to be seen as just the boys next door.
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I believe that the title may refer to how they should be viewed like any ordinary boys that live next door and should be treated normal just like anyone else
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You might recognize Nathan Lane as the voice of Timone from THE LION KING.
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Something noticeable about Norman is that he repeats phrases about donuts and he commonly says, “Hello, my name is Norman Bulansky, welcome to my home.”
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I’ve always found it interesting that while many might write off the Norman character as “simple,” he does seem to have a keen awareness of civility and hospitality. He welcomes, offers food and drink, and makes people feel like they can be in the house.
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Nathan Lane (the actor of Norman Bulanski) played Pepper Saltzman in Modern Family!
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I alway think I am so good at recognizing celebrity voices for animations, but I have come to realize I am not as good at this as I thought. Once I find out whose voice plays who in different shows and films, I can hear it but usually not before someone explicitly tells me.
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I am the opposite of Karisten.I have no clue who is who. actors and actress are so hard for me to remember for some reason. Even when people tell me who they are I still do not have a clue.
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I like Zach find it difficult to memorize all actors and actresses names and voices
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Robert Sean Leonard is an actor you might recognize from the television series, HOUSE.
In this film, Robert portrays Barry Klemper, a somewhat reclusive young man with Schizophrenia. He works part-time as a golf pro and serves as a sort of guide for the other boys.
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You might recognize Goldwyn as the “bad friend” in the 80s film, GHOST.
Most recently, he has been in the television drama, SCANDAL.
In THE BOYS NEXT DOOR, Jack has dueling responsibilities as a caregiver and as a husband. His wife, Reena Palmer also works in social services as a child advocate.
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This is Beatrice’s Dad form Divergent as well! He looked so familiar as soon as I saw him, I had to look him up. He looks so young here.
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Jeter was a celebrated character actor you may have seen in films like THE GREEN MILE or PATCH ADAMS. You may also have seen him on Sesame Street as “Mr. Noodle.”
In the film, Arnold is a man with manic depression who is given to plans and equity of work about the house. He is very interested in Russia.
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I recognize Michael Jeter from the film “Patch Adams.” In this particular movie Michael is featured as a patient, named Rudy, in the facility alongside Patch. Rudy is even the reason for Patch’s nickname. His roles in “Patch Adams” and “The Boys Next Door” are remarkable as he gives insight on what a person with disabilities can experience.
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One of the better performances in the film, you would hardly recognize Vance from his number of film and television roles (which makes for a very compelling scene later in the film).
Deeply dedicated to his study of “agriculture” and deeply devoted to his roommates who he looks up to. . .
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I noted that he had to have the agriculture books in order by year… Otherwise it just doesn’t make sense. He cares about the little things, and has almost an obsession with certain topics. That’s one thing that I noticed about him.
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Our character seems to be given to the simple things like Spiderman and animals. Watch him respond to the idea of “being born in a barn” and whether or not Jack has “horses.”
An important point here is that idioms and figurative language is lost on this character, an idea he expounds upon later in his monologue.
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Lucien’s obsession with order shows that he could possibly have a disorder in which he loves organization. Later in the film he states that he is “mystified” with common things like books and faucets. He also talks about how his room is always clean.
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Could it be when the rest of the world feels so “disordered” that he has found a collection that he keeps and curates and keeps in a set. Interesting that this set is aligned, too, to agriculture.
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We learn of Lucien’s “mystifications” from the monologue he offers to the State “Snack.”
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As a response to “Monologue (later in the film)” I would note that our hungry character quite literally always has food or some kind of snack. Like on the porch when the letter is received, or at the party when he consoles his nervous friend about his father coming to town. He offers communion by sharing his food, this is note worthy because he doesn’t share his snacks often. I’m not sure why they always portray his character eating. Just food for thought..
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What is the singular obsession of the Winnie the Pooh archetype? What is the mission of the day most days?
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Winningham brings one of our four principal parts for women in a play/film featuring boys and men. Winningham is a celebrated American actress who demonstrates her gifts and talents as a woman with a learning disability.
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One could infer Sheila(Mare Winningham) is a possible love interest for Norman Bulansky, as he prepares her a snack and hands her flowers during the introduction scene.
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In the language of archetypes, Sheila may be Norman’s idea of the “Platonic Ideal.” This archetype presents as a character who might be seen from outside as a potential partner but seen from within the story as a sort of trusted friendship.
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One could as infer that Shelia only wants one thing from Norman, while he wants a life long friendship. Her excessive need to see his keys and run is comedic but also shows that maybe that was all that she was looking for.
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Do you see what the opening sequence is allowing and inviting the director and the viewer to do together? How does this help to better appreciate what the principal actors are doing within this scene?
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I think this first scene allows us to appreciate where the characters are at, developmentally. This invites us to better analyze them later. We are able to better appreciate the principal actors this way because we are not distracted by action from the plot.
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i agree! i think it causes us to focus our attention and sort of “get attached” to them more emotionally and personally and not as someone with just a disability we think is weird, but in a more humane way of enjoying the character!
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Although the characters make the actors, the actors also make the characters. The actors present on the screen how they imagine their characters to act like. In this opening scene, the audience is introduced into the actors take on the writers character. The principal actors are showing their insights on the character, while allowing the viewer to connect the character to the actor. The director gets to show off his ability to choose actors that understand the material, and the character presented to them.
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The actors that were chosen for this film fit each persona very well. The introduction to the characters helps us have a better understanding of the plot that is later presented to us in the film. The actors portrayed their characters in a way of how they imagined they would act in real life. The director chose these actors based on their ability to present these characters. This helps us have a better understanding of the plot because the actors portrayed their characters personalities in a way to help viewers understand the plot in a better way by showing us the specific personality traits of each character. The opening scene shows us some of the important characteristics of each character being Norman and his doughnuts along with the others.
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I also, like Kinsey, feel like these actors did a great job of portraying these characters. The way that they fit into theses characters gives another level of understanding to the movie.
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In the opening scene, we see Jack Palmer (our main character) interacting with his supervisor, Mrs. Tracy. The conversation seems to revolve around a community softball game that pits one department against another.
What is the arguable purpose of this scene at the beginning of the film?
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The purpose of this scene is it allows for a brief introduction of the main character Jack Palmer. It allows us to see into his life story and what is going on before we get deeper into the film.
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Yes. This is probably the sole purpose of the scene. Note, too, that this makes us aware that our main character, Jack Palmer, has a boss. Someone in charge of him and his work. Someone who corrects him in his responses to her suggestions.
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This may be a stretch, but a couple scenes past this one, we see our character, Jack, correcting Mrs. Warren at 6:38 when she describes the type of “people” who are the neighbors. Jack is taking what he learns from his higher power, Mrs. Tracy, and using it to his advantage.
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The beginning of the film is important because it is where the audience gets a since of what the film is really about. It is important we got to see what life was like for Jack before we deeper into his life and what all is going on.
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The scene’s purpose is to introduce Jack to the audience.
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While saying “Rena and I may go somewhere, we haven’t done that in a while,” gives us insight on his relationship with his wife. Even he knows how little time he and Rena spend together. This phrase ties into the future conversation with Rena and Jack when Jack forgets his birthday and Rena mentions he’s been distant.
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This an example of foreshadowing. As Flora stated, this scene ties into the issues with their marital relationship. The notion that Jack and Rena need to spend more time together is furthered throughout the entire film. This is an example of an underlying theme or plot, as the main reason Jack needs to get a new job is that h is not allowing enough time for himself, as well as taking care of his wife. They go to marriage counseling and discuss the need for him to be there for her and discuss his issues. Then, as the plot plays out, Jack finally chooses to switch jobs, and he then collapses into Rena’s arms, as he is finally “with” her again.
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Many of my peers have touched on the introduction of the characters, though I wanted to take a slightly different approach to such. As Ms. Tracy begins to “get their names straight,” Jack provides insight on each character. I find this to be an especially interesting decision by the director, because as a supervisor, Ms. Tracy has most likely went over these boys before. That being said, the choice by the director allows the audience to be introduced to the main characters through dialogue within the film. By employing dialogue to introduce each character, the audience is easily able to identify each character correctly. Again, Ms. Tracy may not have needed all of the information, as she has plenty of paperwork as a supervisor, yet the director chooses to use this moment to introduce the characters before they even appear.
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Mark compares Barry’s disability as the Hindenburg disaster of 1937 “coming in for a fast landing.” For Norman, Arnold, and Lucien, however, Mark compares them to “fender bender.” The Hindenburg disaster caused 35 fatalities, while fender benders are just minor collisions. Comparing the two shows just how extreme schizophrenia can be. Much like the Hindenburg explosion, an episode of schizophrenia can happen randomly and feel as if one’s being engulfed in flames.
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I feel as if the comparison is giving the reader a sense of understanding. It is illustrating the idea that all disabilities are not equal, they each have their own struggles at different severities.
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This comparison also alludes to the Hindenburg explosion, it is not just a metaphorical employment in the movie. The metaphor makes sense to the audience as long as they are aware of the history and severity of the accident which, as Flora stated, caused 35 fatalities.
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The idea that Barry is more destructive than Norman, Arnold and Lucien shows that Barry’s situation is more explosive and doesn’t happen as much. The other men are more common, they are usually always the way they are, yet this describes the fiery tendency that Barry has.
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He has only just met Mrs. Tracy and he is already relating to her everything that has happened at the grocery that day. It seems to set the “boys” experience as separate from those who live outside of the house.
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Although Jack Palmer just said that the “boys” get nervous around new people, Arnold comes out of the door excited and nervous to tell someone about his trip to the grocery store. I don’t think he cared who, it was just that someone was listening. For just meeting Mrs. Tracy, he seems to be pretty comfortable with talking to her because he knows that she is “Jack’s friend” and she is calming him down. He then holds off on telling her another piece of information, saying, “We’re not gonna tell her before we tell Jack”.
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So, as a “sounding board” for the concern of the day, Mrs. Tracy fills the bill. But, she is not part of the trust circle of the bigger happenings. Interesting. The “boys” would not see Mrs. Tracey as anyone of a title or an official capacity. She is Jack’s “friend” and, by degree, she is “friendly.” But, not to be trusted with information like selling the house before Jack is told.
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At this time in the film, Jack goes over to introduce himself to the new neighbors who are moving in next door to where Arnold, Norman, and Lucien live. He then explains their “situation” and the lady next door, who is ironically named Karen, mentions how her husband is “a traditional kind of a man” and would not be happy living next to “retarded” people. Jack attempts to tell Mrs. Warren that the word “retarded” is not an acceptable way to “label” the boys next door. Mrs. Warren then tells Jack that she is “the rebel in the family” because she is the only one that “really gets” The Three Stooges. This whole section of the movie implies that those who have a mental disability are not really accepted as a part of society. Labeling people using the word “retarded” and others similar to it, is not socially acceptable and should not be called something different because of a disability. People need to be more educated on how to “treat” those that are mentally disabled. Since this film has been released, the public has been better at “labeling” the mentally disabled, but there is still a lot to fix.
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the word “retarded” should never be used to label someone especially in the case of the boys. The boys are still humans and should be treated as much. In fact the fact that the boys can all work and can live in a house for the most part by themselves shows that they are far from retarded.
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“He’s a traditional kind of man and I don’t think he would be too happy living next door to retarded people.” As she states this, I immediately noticed how she labeled these men without even getting a chance to talk to them. This in turn reminds me of the article we read a couple of weeks ago called “Defying Definition” by Shuan David Hutchinson. In this article the author shares his experience with his own disability and how he has dealt with people labeling him and putting him into a separate box and not treating him with normalcy.
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Anna, it seems as if the further back in history you look, the more that this lack of willingness of change and compassion is prominent. This new trend of compassion and open-mindedness seems to be a new found trait as even going one generation back to our parents generation, there are many examples of oppression towards the LGBTQ community, minorities, etc. Because of this the question could be raised on whether compassion is an evolutionary trait or not.
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At the beginning of the film, she introduces herself as “Joan” Warren. Watch for a name change that seems more than appropriate by the middle of the film.
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How does this scene help to illuminate our reading from the past two weeks? You might not know this but even the closed captioning offered for the film edits the word, “retarded.”
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Over the past two weeks we have been able to read within our weekly work people who have disabilities. Just like in this film we see these at hand. This film is relating back to our work and playing hand in hand with the experiences we have saw in text. It allows us to take note of the disability that is displayed in this film. Like Mr. Hankins said in the captioning that specific word is blurred out. But shouldn’t it be called something else since people with this disability might take offense to it? Or should it be normally said since it is considered a disability? What are your opinions behind this?
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When I first watched this I had to go back ad watch again. The woman states, “Burt’s a traditional kind of man, and I just don’t know how he is going to feel about living next door to retarded people”. Jack kind go makes a comment like did you just say that, and she goes on to call herself a rebel. After studying and reading about disabilities and people who live with disabilities, it puts a new meaning on this word. The word should not be used to describe a person. it is hurtful to the person and they may take offense to that. however, what could be put in place of this word to make it “correct” to say about a person?
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Living next door to people who may have special needs and be potentially disruptive to our comfortable lives (see…no better). Jack is providing a courtesy call here as there may be different guest, visitors, medical professionals. There may be emergency calls. There may be sounds of distress and amplified voices. These are all things that are nice to tell the Warrens in advance, but even I believe that Jack imposes upon the boys’ privacy a bit to share this much narrative about them.
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The woman does not stop at using the word “retarded”, but rather goes on to say she “understands the Three Stooges.” After openly disrespecting her new neighbors, whether she realizes this or not, she disrespects them again by comparing them to the Three Stooges. This scene could potentially set up conflict for the rest of the movie.
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Yes. What IS her deeper appreciation of The Three Stooges. I would love to have this conversation with Mrs. Warren as I have never been able to crack this case (wink). I thought this show to be simple, slapstick comedy. I wonder if her comment is aligned to the light-hearted presentation of the film. Or the “Three Stooges” feel of the “rat” scene wherein the characters are scrambling and falling and exaggerating their problem with the rat.
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By simply hearing Mrs. Warren’s remarks about the boys, her feelings about the lives they live are extremely clear. By calling them “retarded,” and subsequently comparing them to the “Three Stooges,” it is clear that she does not believe they have the abilities to live their lives just as she lives hers. She is putting labels upon them, which is extremely limiting, more so than the actual disability itself. Why do we, as society, continue to label others simply because they are born different than we are?
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This scene helps to illuminate exactly what not to do when presented with this situation. For the past two weeks, we have been reading about people with disabilities and how they are and should be treated just like everyone else, with a few exceptions. They are humans and deserve respect, not to be looked down upon just because of something they cannot control. This scene is shows that not everyone knows or cares about how to treat people with disabilities. The disrespect that the woman has clearly shows that she thinks she is better than the “boys” just because if their disabilities. Jack takes the time and the courtesy to walk over there and try to explain to her and she, who moved in after they have been living there, says that it might be a problem. She then calls herself a “rebel” and compares them to the Three Stooges. I feel that she has the has views as her husband, she just doesn’t want to be seen as the bad guy.
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My view on the new neighbors is that they are very entitled. “He is a traditional kind of man” talking about her husband. What does traditional not match with neighbors with a disability? Then, she goes on to say the “R slur” which should not be said especially referring to people with disabilities. I think the director wrote this into the movie to show the reality of this world. Even though they have not done anything to affect the new neighbors in a negative way, they are debating the house choice due to the boys having disabilities.
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Over the past few weeks, our weekly work has been centered around mental disability. A common theme we saw when consuming the text was that those living with mental disabilities are often labeled by their disability, we saw this when Elyn Saks was labeled as dangerous because of her disability. We see this again in the early part of the film when the Neighbor referred to those with disabilities as “retarded”. To further push on this idea when we were to watch a video produced by Shane and Hannah, we saw that although Shane and Hannah may have had a more difficult time with everyday tasks, it did not limit them when setting goals. This is what we got a glimpse of in the beginning, when talking about his friends Jack Palmer lists all of their occupations. Although living with disabilities, all of his friends are working members of society. Categorizing them as anything less is unjust.
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Reading your comment took me back to our discussion article from last week, “Defying Definition” by Shaun David Hutchinson. Our author constantly spoke about mental disorders and illness not defining people and not allowing others to put us in the box of their values. Similarly to this scene, Mrs. Warren immediately shoves her neighbors in a dark and empty room, which is exactly when Jack unlocks the door to let them out. She presses them in such a way that not only defines limits to their abilities and inabilities, but also uses real life conditions as insults for others.
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Even in our TED Talk from two weeks ago, Daniel Kish, in his TED Talk discussing his blindness, claimed that the “impressions of people who are blind are more limiting than the blindness itself.” Kish has been able to overcome those who limit him with their impressions by using sonar, yet the labels are still difficult for him. When will we start to see that people living with disabilities have just as much potential in their future as we do?
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When I first watched and listened to this scene I was in shock. The word “retard” is not how you describe someone who may not pick u things as fast you or me. Or may have difficulty with certain things. Those people just do things differently than you and I.
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I feel like the movie brought out a brighter inside to people with disabilities because I am not around that environment often. They are people, people who are just trying to live their life just like a normal person. I think i feel not so ‘empathetic,’ but feel more like it would be easier to engage with someone with a disability that made communication more difficult
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By hearing Mrs. Warren’s attitude and specific language when Jake mentions Arnold, Barry, Norman, and Lucien reminds me of Shaun David Hutchinson’s “Defying Definition.” Shaun’s article focuses on defying words not definitions and “that person is not that mental illness.” Just by using that horrid word shows us why Shaun felt a need to write that article, why Elyn Saks never told anyone about her mental illness, why Shane and Hannah produced a video called “Things You Should NEVER Say To A Disabled Person,” the list is endless. Mrs. Warren even tries to justify herself by saying, “I’m really the rebel in the family” Which shows us she knew it was wrong, so why did she say it in the first place?
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Good work here, Flora. You’re already making strong connections to the text sets from this one scene with Mrs. Warren. Again, she gets such a small part of the film (almost even time with the young woman from the grocery) and yet she carries so much comment in this short time. It seems to demonstrate the impact of our words and how much they communicate. Draw upon these for your written response. You’ve demonstrated for your peers how they might do this work.
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When watching this scene, my mind went to “Defying Definition.” Mrs. Warren knew exactly what she was saying and how hurtful it was, but said it anyway. And instead of apologizing and attempting to make up for her words, she chose to use “I’m really the rebel in the family” as a rebuttal, similar to what Flora added previously. But not only was this line her excuse. Before she even defined the boys, she pulled her husband in the conversation and said “he’s a tradition kind of a man.” She knew what she was doing was wrong and hid behind her husband to mask her own flaws. This is an example of what Hutchinson was addressing in “Defying Definition” and why he felt the need to inform his readers.
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During this time in the movie, we are introduced to the new neighbors that will be living next door to “the boys”. As soon as we meet her she is talking about how her husband will not be happy living next to “retarded” people. My first impression on her after she said this was that she was the typical nowadays “Karen”, which I found funny to learn later on that her name was Karen. She then goes on to say that she is the only person in her family that understands THE THREE STOOGES. She is portrayed as a very ignorant and not understanding at all of people with mental disabilities. I think that we can all learn from her that ignorance is bliss, and we need to address that and change peoples thinking on those with special needs, and make them more accepting and understanding of them.
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I agree with Grant here , I feel like the neighbor had a general idea about the disabilities, but not to their extremity.
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This scene is presented to the audience to introduce the guinea pig. After this scene, the audience is familiar with the guinea pig, so when the Boys flush it farther into the movie, the audience understands what the Boys just killed.
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In the film it implies that the man at the grocery store took advantage of Arnold. This makes me think back to the TED talk we analyzed about Daniel Kish. The reason being is because it would be so easy to take advantage of people that have clear disabilities at hand like Daniel Kish who suffers from being blind and having to use sonar navigation to get around. Just like Arnold in this film you can tell by the way he talks that he suffers from a disability. With both of these instances you can encourage someone like this to buy certain things that are not needed or an excess amount of certain things. Therefore you are taking advantage of people who clearly have a disability. Rather than asking and questioning what they need and how much they need. Or even helping them out with certain tasks. Would you help out a person in need who has a disability or would you be the person that takes advantage of them?
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I completely agree. I noticed that he got taken advantage of when Arnold said “I asked the guy at. the store.” They just wanted to promote their products and the fact that he could be taken advantage of so easily because he has clear disabilities.
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What does Arnold’s grocery situation say about Arnold? About the business he frequents? How does Jack’s response help to foster independence and accountability in Arnold?
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This situation says that Arnold is trusting in what others say and that he likes to see the good in people. The thought didn’t even cross his mind that they were trying to sell him too many and trying to take advantage of him. This shows that the business that he visits knows that he has a disability and that he will buy what they think is necessary. Jacks response helps to foster the independence in Arnold by helping him think in a different way and not letting people take advantage of him.
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I think Arnold’s grocery situation says that he is easily taken advantage of, as he bought dozens of boxes of wheaties from the store. The people working there probably know who he is because he is there so often. Jack’s response helps Arnold understand that he was taken advantage of though he believes he was given a deal, and he helps Arnold understand he needs to take some of his purchases back to the grocery store.
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This more than likely WOULD be the store that Arnold (and perhaps the others boys would frequent). They would more than likely know Arnold or recognize him and his quirks. This makes the scene a little more insidious for how he is treated.
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I feel like this relates to the comment that I made about him in the grocery store. They probably do go here very frequently which proves my point all the more. If they go here often, and especially if they saw him last time, they should know about his disability and treat him with more care than other. I feel like he was taken advantage of numerous of times in the grocery store. This one may not have known about his disability but he was still taking advantage of because the other workers probably know and failed to say anything. There’s also other people from the town in the grocery store that could have said something to her but they all didn’t they said nothing. He got charged twice for his nine cereal boxes, I never even got a refund. I feel sad for this man because when he looked in his wallet he only had about $3. The signs of his mental disability are so clear I don’t understand how the worker failed to see that.
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In this scene Arnold’s grocery situation goes to show how easily he can be taken advantage of. I feel like the people caught on to his disability and made him think about buying his food in bulk therefor taking advantage of him.
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In the movie it is implied that the grocery store that Arnold does his shopping at has taken advantage of him by making him buy more than he needs.
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Have they?
When responding to the film, we can simply share what we observe. Look what happens when we begin with “It is implied that…” See? We might specify now in revision, “The director seems to suggest that…” Now, instead of reporting out of the film what we have all seen, you begin to move toward something that might look like a SOCIAL theme.
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Shortly after Arnold returns from the store, Jack tells him that they had taken advantage of him by making him buy more than he needed. Arnold responds with “easy for you to say” Jack’s response to his outburst is “have you taken your medication?” This brings me back to one of the articles of the week we had. By bringing up his disability, Jack has reduced Arnold to something less, rendering his argument or side of the conversation invalid. Although I am sure that it was not meant in this respect, from an outsider looking in, it does seem to belittle Arnold.
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I can definitely see where a person in the audience may think that Arnold is being made into somewhat of a fool in this short film. It comes across as a bit odd to ask someone if they had taken their medication on that particular day, which in return makes Arnold look belittled.
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One of the hallmark characteristics of those who believe that they have been “orphaned” and operate out of this sense is to “yell back” at those who are attempting to be helpful.
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Our character, Arnold, displays archetypal orphanage, highlighted in this scene. Jack wants him to do the right thing by taking the food back to the store. Arnold, however, does not understand why all the groceries are as problematic at his caretaker is making them seem. All he knows is that he brought home groceries. Because of his condition, he was victimized by “the system,” as Jack refers to it, and all Arnold was looking for was comfort and security. Because of all this, the yelling became a result. Using this reasoning, we can assume how the yelling came into play. Arnold may have been trying to compensate for Jack’s argument by raising his voice, because although he was trying to be helpful, the archetypal orphan in Arnold came out to protect him from reality. Dr. Carol S. Pearson explains this shadow in his article, “The Twelve Archetypes.”
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More than a comic moment, look for donuts to come up in the film and feature as recurring symbol.
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Norman comes back home from work, which is at a donut shop, with a bump in his shirt. It is obvious to Jack and the audience that there is a box of donuts hidden under his shirt. But, Norman think he has Jack fooled. When Jack points it out, Norman acts very surprised, as if he did not know he put it in there.
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“They’re pretty important in the donut line, Jack.”
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As we know by now, Norman has a ring of keys that he always has with him and seems like he always wants to protect. When we first meet everyone in their house, Jack threatens to take his keys because Norman brought donuts home from work. Norman immediately started panicking and trying to convince Jack not to take them. In another scene when they’re at the dance, Norman wants to dance with Sheila, but is scared to because she always asks for his keys. I think Norman’s keys are a symbol for how caring Norman is even though people would probably see him and quickly think he was aggressive and mean. I think it is a great way of helping us see a hidden personality trait of Norman.
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I think Norman thinks of any ring of keys as something he has to protect and care for.
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Norman thinks that keys are important in the donut line because it allows him access to all the doors. Norman, presumably, believes without his keys, he cannot work. If he cannot work, he will probably disappoint himself, and Jack. This seems to be important to him.
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Blocking is a term used to describe an actor’s presence on the stage. Where do we see Mrs. Tracy in this scene? What does this say of her relationship to Jack? To “the boys?” To the house?
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Mrs. Tracy overlooks the conversation between “the boys” and Jack, from the staircase. She silently and seriously observes how the roommates interact with each other, gauging each person’s tendencies. Mrs. Tracy only intervened when things got too wild, but she was still present on the stage throughout the scene.
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In this scene where Jack is trying to get a hold of all of the boys and find out what is going on, we see Mrs. Tracy standing on the stairs, watching this situation go down. This shows that she just wants to see how Jack handles things and that she trusts that he can resolve this on his own. She doesn’t really know how exactly to interact with all of the boys yet so shes learning from Jack and seeing if it works. Mrs. Tracy inputs herself into the conversation when she sees things are getting out of hand. Maybe Jack is getting a little too comfortable with the boys and letting his temper get the best of him.
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Mrs. Tracy called in for an appointment for marriage counseling. “When you’re here, you’re not here” Mrs. Tracy says because he is constantly thinking or doing something for the boys. He is emotionally unavailable for his wife it seems. His energy all goes towards the boys. His focus is always on the boys. Jack is so consumed that he forgot his own birthday.
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Publisher’s Clearing House. Look this up to get the reference and why Arnold is so excited (and has made a plan to sell the house).
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PCH is a leading direct-to-consumer company offering a unique blend of curated multi-channel, chance to win digital entertainment across a network of web and app-based entertainment properties. The company offers low-stakes daily sweepstakes prizes. There’s no purchase necessary to win, but the odds of winning are small. As we saw in the movie, Arnold is so thrilled and has made a plan about selling the house because he got a winning ticket. So when Jack tells him that he has to have the winning number, he simply replies with that he’s not a gumby. I think Jack told him that because a lot of time it those winning tickets can be scams.
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Watch how “parties” work their way into and through the film. Here is a “surprise party” that was thwarted by the presence of the couple responding to the card that was placed on a bulletin board? What does this say of the couple’s relationship to the “house?” Or to the “boys” who live here?
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I would like to add to this discussion of the relevance of parties throughout the film. I think the boys see any occasion as a need of celebration. Not to make a general statements, because we do tend to see Barry (especially at Jacks “farewell” party) be a little more realistic, maybe even pessimistic. Its an acknowledge of their achievements and milestones, no matter how big or small.
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“First thing I’m going to do is buy a ticket to Russia.” Throughout this whole film Arnold mentions his desire to go to Russia. Is Neil Sedaka the main reason Arnold wants to go or is it something bigger? Maybe its more of a promise land because it seems as if every time something stressful or bad comes up he tends to mention Russia even at the end when Jake said said he was leaving Arnold, Norman, and Lucien. They all went to a train station to leave and go to Russia, where all their problems might go away.
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Neil Sedaka is a singer-songwriter from the popular culture. Like many other allusions Arnold will make within the film, Sedaka is seemingly under-appreciated by everyone but Arnold.
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Throughout the film we notice many allusions made by Arnold revolving music. Whether it be Tchaikovshy or Sedaka, its clear he has a passion for music. I believe these are subtle metaphors to a much bigger message Arnold is trying to portray. While never stated directly in the film, its apparent he may be diagnosed with O.C.D. The “under-appreciation” of these musical artists could be a representation of how he feels under-appreciated. An example of this would be during one of the scenes with Jack and the boys where Arnold in continuing to beat the rug clean, shortly after, Jack loses his temper. Arnold storms off to his room with the rugs, feeling his action were under-appreciated. I believe the mentions of seemingly under-appreciated musicians is a metaphor for the similar feelings felt by Arnold.
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“It’s not important that I teach, Mrs. Freemus; it’s important that you learn.”
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Berry says this to his student he is teaching at his golf lessons. This line is interesting to me. The way I took this line is learning from your mistakes, in most cases, can be more beneficial than being taught how to do something. Learning what to do, by doing what not to do.
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We can see a conversation back and forth between Jack and Mrs. Tracy discussing what disability Barry has and what his past history is like. I can relate this back to my weekly work when we hear Elyn Saks who also suffers from a form of schizophrenia. They both have their challenges in life. Hearing what Saks had to overcome in her life and what hardships she faced. We can only imagine what Barry is going through in this as well with his situations he was put into. The TED talk we watched in our weekly work gave me a background of what this disease is and what harm it does to someone. I can apply this to the movie and compare it with Barry’s actions. Schizophrenia is a disease you may not know someone has but in this instance we can assume that Barry has something along those lines. Do you know of anyone personally that has suffered from this disease? If so share how it has affected them and you?
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I thought the exact same thing when we found out about Barry’s schizophrenia. Elyn talked from her own personal experiences and I found that to be so brave. The fact that she had the courage to tell about the hardest times in her life illuminated me in that sense. We can apply this to the movie because we see Barry in his normal day-to-day life just like Elyn told us about hers.
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An interesting interaction here between Mrs. Tracy and Jack regarding the boys (particularly Barry) being a sort of “test.”
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As we are about to meet Barry we see a conversation between Mrs. Tracy and Jack. Jack explains that Barry is a schizophrenic and he even says “He’s on the edge of falling off the edge of he world.” But, Jack also says “He copes better than most with his level of illness.” Barry has convinced himself that he is a golf pro and in the next scene is shown giving lessons with a elderly widow named Mrs. Freemus. Jack later says that he set up these lessons for Barry. I have an idea of what Barry could be going through because of the Ted Talk we watched this past week for the weekly work. Elyn Saks talked about her story of a schizophrenic. Does Barry and Elyn show any similarities with their actions or how they go about things?
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I don’t believe that these two shares similarities with how they go about things. Barry is making up a lie that he made himself believe through golf and Elyn just told us her story how it was.
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Another principal female is introduced here in Mrs. Freemus (she is a widow lady Jack has set up to take lessons from Barry). Note that the relationship was orchestrated by Jack from outside of the home. The relationship manifests on the golf course. This character lends to a deeper appreciation of the film’s seeming subtext, but I have said too much already.
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This feature character interacts with Barry but not the rest of the “boys” in the house. She lives outside of the arrangement, but is connected on this level as a student of Barry’s (which she seems to be doing as a favor because Barry is a “nice boy”). Watch the Mrs. Freemus character. She will be illuminated by your appreciation of archetypes.
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I feel as if Mrs. Freemus completely embodies the Caregiver archetype. A Caregiver’s goal is to help others. They may also be guilty of manipulation. In the scene just before this one, Jack walks through the golf course with Mrs. Tracy. We learn that Mrs. Freemus is a widow and lives alone. With our character being alone and no one to take care of, it becomes clear why she would agree to take lessons from Barry. Like what Emme said, “He probably identifies himself as a teacher, but with out students, how does he see himself?” Mrs. Freemus chose to take the lessons from Barry as her was to “take care” of him. She wants to do what she can to help boost how he views himself. She could also be assuming the role of the literal caregiver Barry needed as a child, considering the background we have on his father.
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After Mrs. Freemus exits the scene,Barry is baffled. I agree that she could be an archetypal caregiver, in a sense. I feel that when Jack and Mrs. Tracy enter the scene again, Barry is embarrassed because his student just stormed off on him. He responds by saying, “I’m all booked up” after he is introduced to Mrs. Tracy. This seems to be a defense on Barry’s part. He probably identifies himself as a teacher, but with no students, how does he see himself?
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In this scene Barry gives lessons to an old widow about golf. I believe Golf is Barry’s one way to get out of his own thoughts and be more free minded. This also reminds me of “Sonny’s Blues” since Sonny keeps all of his problems and demons bottled up inside and the only way he can relieve these emotions is through music.
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During this scene Barry is seen giving golfing lessons to a character named Mrs. Freemus. Barry thinks that he is a professional golf player. Mrs. Freemus is a widow. Even though in the scene you see her not being able to hit the ball and her saying that he isn’t helping her, she still decides to come back. I think she decides to do this because she wants to help him get out of his mind for a little bit. By doing this I think this makes her an archetypal caregiver because she wants to help him.
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What does this scene bring into focus regarding the “boys” in their micro (home) setting and the larger meso world outside of the house.
By the way, Sally Field is an American actress (she portrayed Forrest Gump’s mother) that Arnold seems to enjoy enough to have asked Jack to have her over to the house).
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In their home the “boys” can be themselves. They don’t have to worry about people looking at them weirdly and making mean comments. When they are outside their house they have to work with people and they made be made fun of because of things that they may do. This beings into focus that some people may find people with mental illnesses weird and not be able to do their jobs. To me this is not fair because they are as capability of doing things that people without mental illnesses can do.
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This interaction between Norman and Arnold demonstrates the complexity of sexuality and intimacy. Norman presents innocently the publication he found at work and is describing it to the disbelieving Arnold.
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When the Mrs. Warren and her family are moving in we learn the son has a pet hamster around 7:20. That small fact may have been forgotten until around 16:26 when Norman seems a “rat” in the apartment that looks a lot like a pet hamster.
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And, does it seem like this is the first time the “boys” have ever encountered a problem like this? It says something about the introduction of something different and threatening. What’s really interesting is the different character responses? The idea that turning off the lights in order to blind the “rat.” To trick the rat into believing no one is home. Are the boys reflecting some of the treatment of which they have been on the receiving end?
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The rat is more than a comic episode within the film. Its presence represents as a common shared threat. Watch the characters’ response to this intrusion. How offers advice and counsel? Who responds?
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Jack offers very simple advice in how to get rid of the rat by saying catch it, kill it, and flush it. Jack was very rushed and short in his response because he was on a call with someone else.
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The scene in transition finds Jack having a conversation with someone regarding Lucian testifying before the Senate and what this would mean. We might assume that this is Mrs. Tracy on the other end of the line.
In Media Res means in the middle. We come into this scene already taking place.
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One of two scenes we get to see in the film of where Jack “lives.” What does this scene illuminate in regard to Jack’s life and how it is going? Is there a report-worthy conflict happening here?
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In this scene, Jack is with his wife in their apartment. His wife, concerned, scheduled an appointment with a marriage counsellor. She says. “When you’re here, you’re not here. Physically, you’re just a memory.” And when she mentions a birthday “being forgotten,” Jack thought it was hers that he missed, not his. He spends life life being devoted to the “boys” and is so involved in caring for them that he doesn’t even think about himself, so much so that his wife thought they it was ripping away at their marriage.
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A phone conversation with Mrs. Tracy reveals a need for Lucien to testify before the state senate addressing a plan to reduce funding for programming for people with disabilities. Here is a question: Why might Mrs. Tracy suggested (or singled out) Lucien over the other “boys” in this situation/opportunity?
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The choice of Lucien to testify before the state senate is clearly deliberate. Since the senate will be addressing the plan to possibly reduce funding for programs for people with disabilities, it might be pertinent to choose Lucien due to the fact he is visibly more “severely” disabled. It shows the program is proving to need the funding in question to continue to benefit those like Lucien.
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What does this scene help to illuminate for the viewer? What was Jack’s original response to the call from Dr. Racine’s office? What is it now?
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This scene illuminates Jack’s intense dedication to the “boys” and how it has affected his marriage with his wife. In the scene, she seems uncomfortable, annoyed, and neglected, even. Jack just thought she had a doctor’s appointment when he got the confirmation call, but it meant far more than just a check-up. Now, Jack must salvage the relationship between his wife while maintaining care for the “boys.”
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This scene helps illuminate how much time Jack really spends with and thinks about “the boys”. His wife even explains how when he is physically home, he is mentally somewhere else. Jack’s original response to the call from Dr.Racine’s office was that it was an appointment for his wife because he was only halfway paying attention, as he had two other calls going on at the same time. After asking his wife if she was okay because she had an appointment, she informed him that the appointment was for both of them for marriage counseling. Jack now realizes that he has to balance his time between “the boys” and his own life better.
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This scene shows how selfless Jack really is by forgetting his own birthday because of how much he thinks about “the boys.” His original response to the call was concern because he thought something was wrong with his wife. After his wife told him it was for a marriage counselor because he was there but not really, Jack looked betrayed but knows he has to make a balance between his wife and “the boys.”
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When Jack’s wife Rena says that he forgot a birthday, he thinks it is her birthday that he forgot when it is actually his. This just proves Rena’s point about him not mentally being present because he was so distracted by everything else that he could not even remember that it was his own birthday.Jack seems to be in shock when he realizes what he has done because he knows that she is right.
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To add to your point the movie makes us feel like he is always doing something for some else and never thinking about him self by always helping during the day and taking phone calls from them and other people during the night. The start of the movie made me feel he is trying to do more than he should be and needs to dial it back some and focus on his relationship or something that he can do to relax.
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Opportunities to celebrate. To have a party. A gift is being given.
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Even when Rena mentions a “forgotten birthday”, Jack doesn’t even realize it was his own birthday she was mentioning. Jack gives all his attention and so much more to “the boys next door.” This conversation shows just how selfless Jack really is. He’s not just their “keeper” as Barry’s dad mentioned, he’s their friend. Towards the end of the film when Arnold, Norman, and Lucien boarded the train, Jack collapsed into Rena’s arms and began sobbing. Even while arriving back to Barry’s room, Jack gently took off his shoes and covered Barry with a blanket. After Barry’s episode at the golf course, Jack stayed with him. When Lucien spoke the the court, Jack was there holding his hand. He always listened to Arnold talk about Russia, and Norman go on and on about his keys and or donuts. He doesn’t care about his birthday all he cares about is “the boys next door.” The downside of this is he doesn’t give himself time to himself or his wife which, for example, lead them in having to go to a marriage counselor. He tends to prioritize Arnold, Lucien, Barry, and Norman instead of himself and his wife.
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This is one of the early references to Arnold’s “behavior patterns,” this time in reference to the “rat” who cannot see in the dark (“Rats can’t see in the dark; it’s a behavior pattern!”) What for these to pop up in the film here and there.
Think about it. . .aren’t archetypes a form of “behavior pattern?”
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I was able to make a connection back to the rodent the boy next door was talking to his mom about. later on in the film, around 48:39 we get confirmation that the rodent the men killed belonged to the boy that just moved in next door.
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What you have identified is some foreshadowing here. What does the rat represent to the “boys?” What does it mean for Jack?
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The Boys finally caught and killed the rat and were getting ready to flush him when Arnold states “Somebody ought to say something.” This was a big part in the movie showing the sympathy of the Boys. Lucien’s response is the most moving though, by saying, “God, here comes the rat.” Though it may not sound like a thoughtful response, this shows Lucien’s compassion for other creatures and his hope for the rat to be heaven once they flush it. It shows a glimpse of his optimism and sympathetic side by him giving his eulogy to the rat.
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After everyone stood around the toilet flushing the rat that they all collectively worked to kill, Barry seems to bring in some of his coaching side when he tells Arnold, “Anyone who can flush a rat, can do just about anything”. Arnold takes this inspiration from Barry and really reflects and thinks about returning the groceries to the store. It appears that returning the groceries is giving Arnold some anxiety and he is having trouble getting himself to do it.
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I agree. In this scene Barry took a sympathetic approach to encourage Arnold to take his groceries back. By stating, “Anyone who can flush a rat, can do just about anything” Barry is giving Arnold the push he need to have the courage to return his groceries.
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This scene marks the end of Orange 1’s commentary on the film. Feel free to respond to these students.
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Marking The Section.
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In this scene, said something to Arnold about how if he could kill a rat, then he could return groceries to the grocery store. They say the same kind of thing later in the film about something else. I think there is a deeper meaning here. Sometimes when we are down and have lost confidence in ourselves, it’s the little things that can get us bag on track. You can just think to yourself, well if I can do this task, then I should be able to do this.
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I agree with this analysis. Small victories and confidence boosters can be extremely helpful, especially when working with people with disabilities. Helping someone rebuild their self-confidence and self-worth can push them to achieve goals they have missed in the past.
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At this scene jack and Lucien were talking about going and speaking to the senate. The senate wants to know how Lucien is doing. I think its really cool how Jack takes care of them and the main thing was the spider man tie that Lucien wanted. I also think that him wanting a grownup tie instead of a clip on helped this scene grow better.
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I think here, it is important to remember why Lucien needs the tie. He is testifying for the state senate. Their pan is to decrease program funding for people with disabilities. The testimony is for Lucien to share what he thinks. The tie just makes this scene extra special, especially considering Jack is the one talking to him.
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I agree, the tie severs a great importance within this scene. Not only does it allude to why Lucien needs the tie in the first place, as Karis explains, but also his own feelings towards the tie which, I believe, made for this scene to be lighthearted. The way Lucien explains he does not want a clip on tie because those are only for children, which is him expressing that he wants to be thought of as an adult. Even though Lucien still shows his childish behavior when getting excited about wearing the ‘spider man’ tie. I believe this allowed for this scene to connect to the audiences pathos to show how lighthearted Lucien is and how caring Jack is towards him.
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Note the number of times Lucien makes reference to Jack Palmer’s wife, Reena. Once he forgets who she is totally. Here he references her smile. Later in the film, he compliments Reena for “smelling nice.”
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Lucien says that he doesn’t want to a clip-on tie? Why? Because BARRY has suggested that “babies wear clip-on ties.” Instead, Lucien asks for a super hero themed tie that Jack will have to tie for him.
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This is a way to show how fragile a mind of a disabled person may be to the opinions of others around them. Lucien wants to be grown up with a tie that does not clip on but the scene shows how much the boys need Jack when Lucien asks Jack to tie his tie for him.
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Between independence and dependence. How might this become a sort of PSYCHOLOGICAL theme? Do we “normal” people ever feel this kind of tension of wanting freedom but relying upon security?
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I wanted to add a bit of a personal experience as a way of showing that this is true. Mentally disabled people can be very sensitive, and it is important to keep that in mind. My sister, Andrea, is mentally disabled. If you want to use societal terms (that are extremely misused), you could say she’s mentally “retarded” or “slow.” We have to pay very close attention to how we speak with her because her understanding is very limited. She can understand very few words, so her attention to our facial expressions are heightened.
The one time I saw this, or truly realized we have to be careful with her, is when her teeth started to grow in a bit crooked, more crooked and jacked than the average person’s teeth. My dad lowered her jaw and made a certain expression that scared her. She thought something was terribly wrong, when in reality, my dad was just being dramatic. My step-mom reminded him to be careful next time.
So yes, you’re right. Very fragile.
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I think this scene provides a good snapshot of Jack and Lucien’s relationship; that of a carer and their charge. Jack isn’t patronizing. He talks one-on-one with Lucien about his testimony. He is attuned to Lucien’s idiosyncrasies. He grabs his hand without hesitation and knows to count to help Lucien jump from the rock. Jack doesn’t dominate the conversation or dismiss Lucien either. He explains when he needs to and listens.
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It is one of the scenes wherein we get to see Jack in the one:one. It’s a hard place to get to right now in our current school setting and situation. Through the course of the film, we’ll see Jack have this kind of moment with each of the “boys.” One will wait until the very end.
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Notice the name of the store here. So memorable, it could have simply been called “Grocery.” What might be important here is what it reveals to us about the Arnold character and a negotiation he must make in the community.
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Mr. Arnold Wiggins was tricked into buying a way more abundant amount of groceries than he needed. Once he finds the courage to go back to the grocery store to return all of his items, he was mistaken for buying them again. My question is this: Why has society manipulated those with mental illnesses into thinking they are not capable of doing things for themselves. Arnold had to gather a tremendous amount of courage to walk in that grocery store with his unwanted items. I think us, as individuals in society, should become more understanding and spread awareness for mental illnesses.
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Remember the interaction between Arnold and the manager? He couldn’t remember how many boxes he needed. “For you?” the manager asks.
You’re on to something here. He was written off in the first interaction. How might a helpful, more inclusive person have responded to have help Arnold avoid this miscalculation?
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I agree with your comment. Arnold had doubts about going back into the store, but when he did, he had to pay for his unwanted items again. This scene shows how the real world usually is. Instead of the girl saying “You sure like your breakfast cereal,” she could have asked if this was a mistake. Maybe ask if he really intended to buy this amount.
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The girl may also be a archetypal comment on the speed and pace in which the larger world works where there is not time to process and ask the essential question. The focus on speed and efficiency and customer turnaround may have made this young woman forget the person as part of the transaction.
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At first watching I was proud of Mr.Arnolds for going back with enough courage to return the groceries. I was glad he was going to do it after they took advantage of him the first time. Then I see that he gets taken advantage of again. I don’t believe the women knew what he wanted with the groceries but it makes me feel upset for him since he is paying again. I wonder if this happens a lot in real life?
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I think this part of the movie shows how Society doesn’t accommodate to disabled people’s needs. I once saw something on a TED Talk that I watched on my own. The speaker was talking about how one is only disabled if there community doesn’t meet the needs for them to not be disabled. For example, a person in a wheelchair is not disabled if they have a ramp. However, if there was no elevator or ramp and just stairs, their Community has failed them and this causes them to be disabled. It’s sad how the people at the grocery store failed to recognize his disability and accommodate for him. I think this is a big problem in the whole world.
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The cashier lady talks a lot and does not seem to notice that Arnold didn’t want to buy the groceries. She didn’t bother to ask him why he wanted to speak with the manager or why he had so many boxes of cereal. She clearly saw that he was looking for the manager and not the cashier. I do not really think she took advantage of his disability, but she definitely did not do a good job. She probably knew he was disabled, but didn’t do anything about it. If she was the same cashier as the one in the beginning, she would have recognized him and realized that he was not buying the stuff. Arnold did not do anything about it, though. He had the chance to tell the cashier that he was returning the stuff instead of buying it and it is clear that he thought this, but he decided to buy the groceries again. It would have been awkward, but I’d rather have an awkward conversation than be scammed.
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When Arnold comes back to the grocery store to return the groceries, he is not given a chance to speak. This would be hard for someone with a disability because they do not want to interrupt. By the time Arnold was given a chance to talk, the cashier had already scanned half of the items. At this point, I feel as if Arnold would have been embarrassed to tell her that he is returning them. I do not think that the cashier did this on purpose, but it could of. It also could have just been the cashier was not paying enough attention to Arnold. I am curious to hear what other people think about it.
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I think this is a good moment to point out. Arnold obviously had some anxiety and not being given a chance to speak definitely demolished the little confidence he had to try to return them. I think just in general, people should try to be more observant while in customer service, but this was a push for Arnold and his struggle to speak up. While unfortunate, I wonder if moments like these could help him to realize the importance of speaking up in the future.
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People with disabilities are often not given the chance to speak and it is very sad. If people would just take a moment to listen it would make the person with the disability more comfortable to speak. I also feel most people do not do this on purpose but it happens a lot more than it should.
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