Introduction
Most of us in today’s world can easily relate to the problems that arise from communication problems and how it spoils the relationship. Communication is a very basic need of an individual. Verbal and non-verbal communication is the foundation of communication despite many other ways of communication are appearing in the picture based on technology (Custom Publication Staff, 2009). We will be taking the “Revolutionary Road” film as an example.
The movie was released in 2008; it was directed by Sam Mendes, screenplay written by Justin Haythe and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, and Christopher Fitzgerald. It is based on the novel “Revolutionary road” by Richard Yates (IMDB, 2008). It is an open example of conflicts that arise due to communication problems. There are three kinds of relationships seen in the movie; intrapersonal, interpersonal, and intergroup. Mainly, the movie is largely based on the inter and intrapersonal aspects of communication (Chamberlain and Thompson, 2004).
Another slant shown in the movie is what issues arise when one is not being able to communicate its basic needs of communication; which is to be able to express opinions freely, along with the expression of declarations, dreams, promises, and warnings. This amalgamation in the picture is beautiful and as a viewer, one touches the depth of the basic instinct of being able to get connected to people around you, who constitutes your environment (Allison, 1998).
The types of relationships in the family
The couple appeared as strugglers, to fit in the roles the society has demanded them to. They are in their early thirties, at a transitional period, where they have stopped to spot what they are rather than what they were going to be. The struggle of April and Frank to be accepted by society was also touched beautiful. April said, “Look at us. We’re just like everyone else. We’ve bought into the same, ridiculous delusion.”
Frank appeared as a breadwinner and doing all the talking in the movie and taking control of all the power in their relationship. This can easily be connected to the studies of interaction and its connection with power and equality. The conversations in the movie are a good amalgamation of power struggle, decision making, and dreams.
The struggle to be accepted as a “normal” person having a “normal life” is another basic need of beings. April seemed devastated while fulfilling the role of a wife and mother. Household chores made her life redundant. April asked her husband, “Who made these rules anyway?” Her speech patterns were mostly interrogative. She was not happy and her body language throughout showed it well.
The power of interpersonal relationship
The conversations in the movie are a good amalgamation of power struggle, decision making, and dreams. It seems like two extremes, Frank talking all the time, even his promotion was due to his skills of communication but on the other hand, April could not throughout deliver what she wished to. Though, she was verbally expressive in many situations and even tried to convince Frank to leave Connecticut.
Environmental influences on the family system
If we summarize the environmental influence impact on the family system after reviewing the main protagonists were struggling with the severe ennui of life in Connecticut in the movie, just this quote is enough (The Independent, 2009):
- “Disappointed hopes, crumbling romance and suffocating family life”
The following dialogue shows us the frustration of April and one can see her disappointment from the life she is living (Revolutionary Road, 2008)
- “I wanted IN. I just wanted us to live again. For years I thought we’ve shared this secret that we would be wonderful in the world. I don’t know exactly how, but just the possibility kept me hoping. How pathetic is that? So stupid. To put all your hopes in a promise that was never made. Frank knows what he wants, he found his place, he’s just fine. Married, two kids, it should be enough. It is for him. And he’s right; we were never special or destined for anything at all.”
The roles played in the movie
April was unable to love Frank and Frank had his own life outside and he seemed satisfied with it in the later sections of the movie. Life was just passing by as a routine. Her use of language seemed so inappropriate after making love for the first time; she told Frank that he was “the most interesting man” she has ever met. We realize at this point that April wrongly April has understood the concept of love.
After being so miserable in her married life, she reasons her marriage with Frank and justifies it by saying, “You’re just some guy who made me laugh at a party once.”
“They are individuals in their own right, suffering, and inflicting suffering.” They made each other miserable due to unmet needs and the only channel they used was verbal and non-verbal communication. During the process of life, the couple forgets how language and communication skills can make life easier. The couple limited its communication due to stress rather than make use of language. The best make use of language is when you use it for resolving issues and move on.
The husband’s use of his power, position, resources to manipulate the actions of the family
Frank does not want to go to Paris anymore because he got a raise coupled with a promotion. Finally, he just knew what he wants in life and there seemed growth. He already seemed a happily married man with a beautiful wife who takes good care of his children while he lives his own life according to his wish. He knew that he was the man of the family. He agreed to April but later he refused. April “put all your hopes in a promise that was never made.” look for reference.
They were unable to confront their problems and mutual understanding was harmed due to not being able to get through to each other. Frank used harsh language and could do with it due to his power and manipulated April. April could not stop thinking about going to Paris and she clung to that idea which made her devastated, but she also could not confront because it was supposed to be done for Frank, who seemed not happy with his job.
April’s silence and things she wants to say
The strange aspect of the movie is that one feels that they both are hungry for something but they didn’t know what they wanted. April expressed that she wanted to be an actress, but it was not culturally appropriate, since she had two children and was asking for a great change. She had no decision power and she could not even express it more than twice that, what her dreams were verbal. If she would have been more expressive and spoke to Frank about what she wanted. There was hardly any real communication between the two, which made them both miserable. April feels (Revolutionary Road – the movie. 2008), “That we have to resign from life and settle down the moment we have children. And we’ve been punishing each other for it.”
Franks’ monologue appeared in the initial phase of the movie. Viewers could smell that communication issues would occur. Frank imagined himself saying such nice things to April but he did not. April was devastated after her bad performance and Frank thought that he would comfort her by bending down and kissing her.
He thinks of the best utterances. She wanted her husband’s reciprocity. But instead, he said (Revolutionary Road – the movie. 2008), “’I guess it wasn’t exactly a triumph or anything, was it?” He just could not comfort her and put her in agony. He appeared frequently indulging in imaginary dialogues in his head quoted it as direct speech.
Reinforcing negative messages from other family members
The story takes a plunge into a different phase when April comes up with this new idea of leaving and shifting her family to Paris. The communicative tactic she used was very ironic. April said (Great quotes, 2008),
- “Don’t you see? That’s the whole idea! You’ll be able to do what you should have been allowed to do seven years ago, you’ll have the time. For the first time in your life, you’ll have the time to find out what it is you want to do. And when you figure it out, you’ll have the time and the freedom, to start doing.”
She wanted to change herself and she knew that she does not have the decision power so she uses her language so well to convince Frank that they are going to do this for him since he is not happy with what he is doing. These words have a double meaning and she was so relieved after having said what she wanted and planned that they made love right then and there.
The conversation orientations of the family
“The clever thing is that these imaginary dialogues are not just fantasy. They are grounded in what Frank and April might once have been able to say to each other (Mullahn, 2004).” Franks’s habit of monologue and he consistently talked to himself rather than communicating to April. His imaginary dialogues were terrible painful when April spoke to him in his imagination and explains how is suppose to clean up their house after the tragedy. If there was communication taking place at the right time then their issues would have been resolved.
References:
Allison, C. 1998. Communication in the film: teaching communication courses using feature films. Publisher: Harcourt Brace College –Pennsylvania.
Chamberlain, M and Thompson, R. P. 2004. Narrative & genre: contexts and types of communication. Publisher: Transaction Publishers.
Custom Publication Staff. 2009. Contemporary Communication. Publisher: Oxford University Press Australia.
Great quotes. 2008. Revolutionary Road. Web.
IMDB. 2008. Revolutionary Road. Web.
Mullahn, J. 2004. Left unsaid. Web.
Revolutionary Road – the movie. 2008.
The Independent. 2009. America’s great secret: Why did Richard Yates never make the literary big time? Sundays – Feature. Web.