Ordinary People
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Ordinary People
Movie Analysis Over Listening and Nonverbal
Defensive listening almost always takes place in Dr. Berger’s sessions with Conrad. Dr. Berger almost intentionally makes Conrad angry so he can get him to open up about his feelings. Conrad automatically puts up a defense to whatever Dr. Berger says. Pseudolistening takes place when Conrad and Karen are on their date at the restaurant. They both look at each other and display facial emotions that make it look like they are interested but you can tell that their minds are in a different place. Even their responses, especially Conrad’s, are almost always one word answers. Selective listening occurs after the swim meet. When some of the boys from the swim team came out Conrad automatically started in. When the other boy responded to Conrad’s words, Conrad only heard the word prick. Automatically this set him off and caused him to punch the kid continually. He let his rage get to him. Insulated listening happens with Beth. Beth wants to move on right away after the accident without confronting it or showing her true feelings. This leads to conflicts with Cal and Conrad. She holds the anger inside of her until she can’t take it anymore and she explodes. This build up causes her and Cal to fight all the time about how to treat Conrad.
Dr. Berger analyzes Conrad’s responses and thoughts. He is interpreting Conrad’s message. He helps him to see the cause of his depression, which is his identity crisis and his survival guilt over having survived, when Buck didn’t. Dr. Berger judges the recent events and problems that Cal has had to go though. He constructively lets Cal see that he is going though a crisis and the gap between him and Conrad must be closed.
Conrad exhibits nonverbal