Parenthood (1989) Analysis – 70 Points
Parenthood (1989) is a film that deals sensitively and humorously with family life and the stages of human development. The reciprocity between family members is poignant and mostly accurate (under the circumstances). The film depicts normal and abnormal developmental issues. Using short synopses of scenes from the film to make your point, you will write a 4-5 page (900-1200 words) analysis (double-spaced, 12 point font), focusing on the following:
Analyze Gil
- Gil is in his Middle Adulthood stage. Discuss whether Gil exhibits “generativity or stagnation”, Erikson’s psychosocial crises for this age. Define both parts of the crises citing textbook (4 pts – 2 pts each for defining both sides of the developmental task)
- Discuss how Gil is confronting and working through the generativity and/or stagnation issues in terms of his career, his family (kids, parents, siblings), and his marriage. Make sure you cite the Textbook about what specifically we should see at this stage and then provide examples from the movie for his career, family, and marriage. Cite both the movie and textbook in correct APA format (12 pts – 4 pts for discussing work issues, 4 pts for discussing family issues, 4 pts for discussion marriage issues)
Analyze Frank
- Discuss the changes you see in the character Frank Buckman (Gil’s father) throughout the movie from Early Adulthood through Late Adulthood. Interpret the changes we see in Frank using Erikson’s Psychosocial crises in Early Adulthood, Middle Adulthood, and Late Adulthood. Make sure you discuss both sides of all 3 crises from each of these 3 stages (6 pts – 2 pts each for defining both sides of all 3 developmental tasks)
- Then using the Textbook provide examples of what we should see at each stage and an example from the movie about each stage. Make sure you cite the movie and textbook in correct APA format. (9 pts – 3 pts for examples from each of 3 stages)
Analyze one other character from either the Early Adulthood, Adolescent or one of the Childhood stages of Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory of Development.
- Discuss which of Erikson’s psychosocial crisis the character is facing. Make sure you define both parts of the crises that is related to your characters age (4 pts – 2 pts each for defining both sides of the developmental task)
- Provide examples from the Textbook about issues we would expect to see at this stage of development and then provide examples from the movie that are related to these concepts (6 pts)
- Since it is a goal of this semester to have developed a professional vocabulary to describe growth and development, please be sure to use terms from the text. It also is important that you demonstrate that you can apply the theories to real life. Use scenes from the movie to support a point, but DO NOT simply reiterate large chunks of the film and not explain how or why they are significant. (7 pts)
- Because you are expected to draw from the theory in the text, be sure to properly cite any references in your paper. You need a separate reference page for this assignment in APA format. (5 pts).
- Your paper will also be graded for grammar and spelling and APA citing in the text. (5 pts) Include the word count for your paper!
- Your paper will be graded for your ability to apply concepts and research skills such as APA style that you have learned over the semester and for your ability to present your information in a clear, concise manner. (12 pts)
Cast of characters in Parenthood (1989):
Gil Buckman – father of 3 children. Thinks he is on track to get a partnership in his firm. The partnership goes to Phil, a younger man with no children. He coaches his older son’s team in baseball and wants to be a “better father” than his own dad. He is always “tense” and seems to care a lot about what other people think.
Karen Buckman – stay at home mother to their children. Is very easy going and laid back as a mother. Seems the opposite of Gil
Kevin Buckman – (age 9) the oldest son. Is having emotional problems in school and worries all the time. The school wants to transfer him to a special school starting in the next school year. Gil and Karen work out a deal to spend more time with him and he’s seeing a psychiatrist. The school agrees to re-evaluate him in the fall.
Taylor Buckman – (about age 5) The only daughter
Justin Buckman – (about age 3) the youngest son.
Helen – (30’s) Gil’s sister, who is a divorced mother of 2 children. Her ex-husband, Ed has remarried and has another son. Her 2 children are teenagers and live with her full-time. She has a good job as a bank manager.
Gary – (around 13-14 years) Helen’s son. He wants to go live with his father for a few months. He calls his father but his father clearly rejects him. He proceeds to destroy his father’s dental office.
Julie – (age 17-18) She is a high school senior. Her mother doesn’t like her boyfriend. Julie moves out of the house to live with boyfriend. They elope and end up moving back in with Helen. Helen thinks this is good because “maybe Julie will finish High School now”. Julie ends up getting pregnant.
Todd – (age 18-20) works as a painter. Then he decides he is going to race hotrod cars with his brothers. He doesn’t tell Julie he is racing though.
Susan – (around 29-32 years old) Gil’s sister. She is a teacher who is married with one daughter. She says that she “was very wild, and Nathan (her husband) calmed her down.” Her whole family is on a special diet to help them think well. They are teaching their daughter math, Spanish, and other advanced topics. She wants to go to Mexico with just her husband, and leave their daughter with Gil and Karen. Her husband doesn’t want to leave their daughter behind. Susan is also ready to have another baby, and her husband doesn’t because the age difference between their daughter and the new baby “isn’t right yet”. She threatens to leave Nathan.
Nathan – (same age as wife) Susan’s husband. Believes “kid’s shouldn’t be treated as adoring little morons, but are sponges waiting to absorb”. So he doesn’t want their daughter in preschool because she is too smart, and thinks other kids will make her dumb.
Patty – (about 3) is Susan and Nathan’s daughter. She doesn’t know how to interact with kids her own age because they never let her be around them.
Larry – (age 27) Gil’s brother. Doesn’t see family much, has never worked steady job in his life. Always working some scheme. Only found out he had a son in last few months. Takes his dad’s antique car out to sell it, but can’t because he doesn’t have registration. Owes bookies $26,000.00. Asks his dad for some money, gets $3,000, and blows it at the track.
Cool – (around age 5) Larry’s son. Meeting his paternal relatives for the first time.
Frank (age 64) Gil’s father. Drinks too much, still works. If he gives Larry the $26,000.00 to pay the bookies “can’t retire for a long time”
Marilyn – (early 60’s) Gil’s mother. Her mother lives with her and she takes care of her. They recently sold their old house where the kids grew up and moved into a smaller 2-bedroom house.
Grandma – (probably in her 80’s) lives with her daughter and her son-in-law.
HOW TO CITE A MOVIE AND YOUR TEXTBOOK IN TEXT
In APA format the movie can be cited several ways. The movie title should always be italicized.
If you describe a scene by saying something like:
In the movie Parenthood (1989), Gil says……
The title is italicized and the year is in parentheses.
If you describe a scene by saying something like:
Gil showed signs of exhibiting generativity… (Parenthood, 1989).
The title is italicized and both the title and year go in the parentheses before the period at the end of the sentence.
In APA format your textbook can be cited several ways.
If your sentence starts like this:
In Santrock (2016, p. 387), the characteristics of generativity include…..
Only the year of publication and the page number go in the parentheses. The page number is the page number from the book where you are citing from (not necessarily page 387).
If your sentence starts like this:
Characteristics of generativity include….. (Santrock, 2016, p. 387).
The author’s name, year of publication and page number all go in the parentheses before the period at the end of the sentence.