ipl-logo

Ordinary People Conrad Jarrett Character Analysis

643 Words3 Pages

Crisis is a normal thing we humans go through within our lives. It is something we cannot control, or expect. When there is a crisis in a person’s life, for the most part they act out in different ways. Everyone has a different response to what is happening in their life and this shows through their actions. Conrad Jarrett, Calvin Jarrett, and Beth Jarrett all go through the same crisis in the novel “Ordinary People”. It shows how everyone has handled the death of Jordan and the attempted suicide of Conrad. Conrad’s reaction was a result of crisis. Losing your biological brother that you grew up and shared moments with is tough. It is even tougher when you witnessed his death and feel that you have caused it. This caused Conrad to fall into depression and attempt suicide. Now with another crisis of having to come back to a not so normal life, he finds it to be a task to live. “To have a reason to get up in the morning, it is necessary to possess a guiding principle” (Guest, p.1). He felt the need to act like everything was well and that he was progressing so deceive people. Now, Conrad is attempting to go day by day and get …show more content…

He had some guilt in himself for not attending to Conrad as much as he needed to. This brought a lot of thinking for Calvin which was something he did not like to do. He began to reflect on life, and who he was as a man and what he stood for. He had an identity crisis. He showed some sign of knowing himself saying “I’m a man who believes in safety”(Guest,pg.173). He reflects on his life and his upbringing to find his values in life. He is not too lost but cannot find the complete answer to his question. When having a conversation with Ray he expresses his feelings asking “Okay Howard, who am I then” (Guest, p.159). He is lost and does not know but no one knows but him. This of course affects his relationship with his partner,

Show More
Related

  • Character Analysis: Into Thin Air By Jon Krakauer

    290 Words  | 2 Pages

    Nearly all individuals are born with a strong sense of empathy; in fact, many can hardly tolerate the thought of killing or abusing others, even when dealing with enemies. Therefore, if an individual is going through adversity, another’s empathy will drive them into helping others to become resilient. In the non-fiction novel, Into Thin Air, author Jon Krakauer utilizes character motivation to develop the ideas of which an individual’s resilience is shaped by the compassion of others. Krakauer exemplifies the Adventure Consultants head guide, Rob Hall’s empathy towards Doug Hansen a couple times throughout the book. Towards the beginning of the book, Krakauer explains that it’s Doug’s second chance for success; which is only possible if it

    Read More

  • Thirty-Eight Who Saw Murder Didn T Call The Police By Kitty Genovese

    892 Words  | 4 Pages

    Nobody likes a crisis. During a crisis, each and every decision made can affect the outcome of the event. But the harsh reality of a crisis is that most people involved do not know the what is actually going on until it is too late. The actions that these people take during what could shape out to be a crisis can have drastic effects on the events itself. Sometimes people will take a proactive approach and attempt to either avert or resolve a crisis.

    Read More

  • The Jarrett Family In Ordinary People

    664 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the Academy Award winning film Ordinary People the story focuses on the Jarrett family who has recently suffered the loss of a son and they slowly become dysfunctional as a family. The mother Beth Jarrett becomes very distant after the loss of her son Buck and struggles maintaining a relationship with her surviving son Conrad. Calvin, the father, struggles to also connect with his depressed son Conrad while trying to connect with his distant wife. Meanwhile Conrad, the surviving son, becomes very depressed and suicidal. The end result is major dysfunctionality in the family and it is very apparent that the Jarrett family is in need of a crucial conversation to manage the conflict.

    Read More

  • Ordinary People Film Analysis

    655 Words  | 3 Pages

    Beth suppresses the thought that her family has problems, and just wants to think of her family as a normal family. Calvin wants to be the positive character, when in reality, is being silent about his feelings of the incident. First of all, the film shows Conrad expressing examples of silence and violence towards the incident involving his brothers death. As shown in the film, in the past, Conrad had previously tried to commit suicide, because he felt guilty

    Read More

  • Cole Matthews Character Analysis Essay

    628 Words  | 3 Pages

    Cole’s character profile Cole Matthews is a very troubled kid who tends to get into trouble, he blames everything that happens on anyone who isn't him. He always gets a "second chance," from his parents, thus he doesn't understand the concept of change. Cole is a cocky fifteen year-old who doesn't learn from his mistakes, and can't seem to notice that some things cannot have the blame placed on someone else, only him. When he ends up going to jail, AGAIN , after beating up a kid for ratting him out after he robbed a store. Once he reaches the island he has been sent to for a year he learns that his real weakness is being alone.

    Read More

  • Lack Of Communication In Judith Guest's Ordinary People

    686 Words  | 3 Pages

    Ordinary People Lack of communication leads to much dysfunction. Ordinary People based on the book by Judith Guest revolves around the Jarrett family and their efforts to communicate. Conrad Jarrett, the son of Calvin and Beth Jarrett, struggles with PTSD and survivor’s guilt after the death of his brother in a boating accident. Additionally, Beth, who favored her older son, has isolated herself from Conrad. She distances herself emotionally, whilst trying to maintain the family’s idealistic reputation.

    Read More

  • John Savage Character Analysis

    884 Words  | 4 Pages

    Listening and caring skills according to John Savage offers specific and teachable listening skills for improving relationships among those who do ministry. The skills are taught through oral exercises and unfailingly helpful examples from actual congregational situations. Some of the skills include expression of feelings and emotions which includes the skill of direct expression of feeling, indirect expression of emotions and direct expression of feelings. Our feelings and emotions can be induced by many things from the external world. The more [one] is aware of the emotions and feelings the more you can determine how you will act or behave (John Savage 49, 50).

    Read More

  • Character Analysis: The Outsiders

    1308 Words  | 6 Pages

    Aisha Suleiman Ms. Tillman English 7 1/23/23 Different Environments Cause Different Habits In The Outsiders, as we can see, the greasers and Socs are very different, and one of these reasons is because of their environment. Three ways we can see the effects of the environment on the greasers are how they wear the same 1 dirty articles of clothing, 2 they have more cautious and secretive behaviors, and how 3 they’re left to grow up on their own. The greasers and Socs are shown as 2 different groups of people who live in 2 different parts of town.

    Read More

  • Grief In Ordinary People Essay

    435 Words  | 2 Pages

    Since Buck, Conrad’s brother, is dead, Conrad is feeling depressed seeing that the house is more empty now that Buck is gone. Conrad also shows deep depression in school when his teacher questions him asking, “Why are you writing all this about violence and war? Aren’t there other things you’d like to say, Conrad? This doesn’t sound like you.” (Guest 19).

    Read More

  • The Other Wes Moore Character Analysis

    764 Words  | 4 Pages

    The upbringing of a child contains many factors, many of which correlate to where a child grows up. The people, culture, and experiences of someone’s childhood are the greatest determining factor for what kind of person they will become. So how does the nature and nurture of one’s upbringing impact the decisions that they make, and their life in general? Author Wes Moore explores this question in his memoir, The Other Wes Moore, as it relates to two lives in particular. Moore main purpose in this book is to explore the overarching impact that a collection of expectations and decisions, not always one’s own, can have on someone’s life.

    Read More

  • On The Rainy River Critical Analysis

    1184 Words  | 5 Pages

    How does a person’s response to and perspective of a crisis define him or her? In the event of a crisis, a person’s response and perspective of it can define him or her. In the novel, The Book Thief, written by Markus Zusak, and the short story, “On the Rainy River”, written by Tim O’Brien, the characters experience crisis all around them. Hans Hubermann in The Book Thief and Tim O’Brien in “On the Rainy River” have a hard time staying true to themselves in moments of crisis.

    Read More

  • Ordinary People Psychological Analysis

    1658 Words  | 7 Pages

    Conrad has a significant breakthrough on his path toward recovery. Thus, Conrad confronts his survivor’s guilt and allows himself to begin to enjoy life. He also forgives his mother. There’s a heart-wrenching scene at the end of the movie where Conrad tries to give his mother a hug.

    Read More

  • Story Of An Hour Character Analysis Essay

    940 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” demonstrates the personal growth of the dynamic protagonist Louise Mallard, after hearing news of her husband’s death. The third-person narrator telling the story uses deep insight into Mrs. Mallard’s thoughts and emotions as she sorts through her feelings after her sister informs her of her husband’s death. During a Character analysis of Louise Mallard, a reader will understand that the delicate Mrs. Mallard transforms her grief into excitement over her newly discovered freedom that leads to her death. As Mrs. Mallard sorts through her grief she realizes the importance of this freedom and the strength that she will be able to do it alone.

    Read More

  • Ordinary People Character Analysis Essay

    456 Words  | 2 Pages

    From the beginning, Conrad had various problems in the way he thinks. From start to finish Conrad made a radical change in his life. He learned that his brother’s death wasn’t his fault and came to terms with the fact that his mother could never deliver him what he wants and needed to stop holding a grudge against her for that. Conrad was not the only one who experienced change; his mother, Beth, did as well. Beth realized that she could not love the way her family wanted her to and decided that herself and her social status were more significant than her own sons well-being.

    Read More

  • Heart Of Darkness By Joseph Conrad Madness Analysis

    1320 Words  | 6 Pages

    Conrad uses psychological influence throughout the novella specifically in the areas of, physical health, geographical surroundings, and eerie obsession to lead to the overall truth of madness. An image of such madness is apparent through Conrad's works of psychological influence within physical and mental health. The mental well-being of the characters,

    Read More

More about Ordinary People Conrad Jarrett Character Analysis

Open Document