Editing a plagiarized essay

People need to feel as though they have a choice in life in order to grow and develop as a person. Lasse Hallstrom in his film ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?’ demonstrates through the protagonist, Gilbert Grape, the daunting feeling of being trapped and unable to move forward. Gilbert feels trapped by the responsibility for his family and by the town and people of Endora. Furthermore, Gilbert’s strong conscience does not allow him to move on. It isn’t until he is able to let go of his resentment and feelings that he is able to move forward.

Personal identity is much like the blueprint for mankind, like a house, it is built and shaped after its design. If not built properly the house will eventually fall apart from how it was built or by the causes of nature. In the case of someone's identity if built properly by an individual it will last and stay strong, however adversity acts like a force of human nature and can either take a positive rebuilding role on a person's identity or a negative destructing role. In this film and from the excerpt in the novel of the same title, the director and author directly suggest personal identity as a key issue in the story.

What's eating the good Gilbert is laid out for us, like a feast. The title from the author further suggests we consider not only what's eating Gilbert (the forces preying on him) but also what's eating at him - his ways of handling those forces. Living in Endora is like "dancing to no music". The lame tone of Gilbert's voice over creates a feeling of nothingness and the movie opening, with a track back along the road, suggests a sense of withdrawal. If Endora itself is nothingness, what is life out in the sticks, at the Grape house? Life at the Grape house is very depressing for all. Bonnie feels she has burdened her children and because of this Gilbert is forced to play the role of "dad"; Arnie's retardation makes it hard for the rest of the family to deal with him because he is so hard to look after. All of this has a major impact on Gilbert.

Throughout the movie the characters undergo many changes that effect how they respond to their current lives and how they respond to each other. The protagonist of the film, Gilbert Grape demonstrates this idea very well. In the beginning of the film, Gilbert disrespects his mother and does not accept her for what she is and how she deals with her situation. Gilbert is bothered by the fact that she becomes very dependent on her children and that she does not give them the care and help they need from a mother figure. The relationship between Gilbert and his mother suffers due to these feelings. Although as the movie goes on, Gilbert begins to understand what his mother is going through. For example, after Gilbert returns from running away, his mother tells him, "Gilbert you are my knight in shining armor," this is a very significant scene in the film because this was a turning point for their relationship to improve. In the end, Gilbert finally realizes that his mother is truly grateful for everything that he and his siblings have done to keep their family going.

The main character Gilbert takes on the “Father Role” to support his family economically and financially. The fact Gilbert is the man of the house causes him to repress his anger. His sorrow begins to strengthen his rage in a very unhealthy manner. The melancholy that leads to Gilberts weakening has its roots in his family which is what begins to eat Gilbert alive. All his family members play important individual roles in finding out what’s eating Gilbert Grape.

Amy, being the eldest sibling and daughter of the Grapes, plays the “Mother Role” having to take care of the household. “My older sister Amy is more like a mother”, explains Gilbert, making him portray the “Father Figure”; as he states, “My father built this house, and it’s my job to do the repairs.” Amy being the voice of reason tries her best to keep the family together, which causes Gilbert to repress his feelings the more Amy tells him “he has to do better”. In the scene when Gilbert leaves Arnie in the bathtub overnight, causes a fright to the family; which is when Amy begins to tell him, “You gotta do better” because without his help the family will fall apart quickly. This builds up Gilbert’s emotion because he knows just as Amy he has an important role in the family to fill in.

Ellen, the youngest of the siblings, concentrates on appearances, specifically hers. While the family is eating dinner, Ellen begins to chew with her mouth open which disgusts Gilbert. He tells Ellen to close her mouth when she is eating, to which Ellen responds sarcastically, “Oh. Okay Dad. Sure thing, Dad” This aggravates Gilbert because for him it is an insult to be compared to such a man. Gilbert’s job is to support his family financially yet Ellen’s character seems to make Gilbert feel guilty and responsible for all the bad things occurring to Arnie throughout the film. When Ellen pushes Arnie off the water tower and causes him to bleed infuriates Gilbert; adding fuel to the fire, once there home Ellen plays her trumpet and flips Gilbert off, causing him to intentionally try and run her over. Gilbert wishes Ellen could grow up because he wants her to finally take responsibility for the family and assist with Arnie and Bonnie. Instead she makes him feel guilty for his actions, such as when Arnie gets arrested and she states, “Well at least he’s in a safe place, at least someone’s watching him.”

Arnie, a mentally disabled boy, is supposed to be turning eighteen years old. The sad fact is that Arnie’s helplessness causes Gilbert to take on the role as his older brother as well as his father. This puts a lot of responsibilities for Gilbert because he knows Arnie will never be capable of growing up, which indeed drives him insane, “Any time now Arnie can go anytime…some days you want him to live…some days you don’t.” Gilbert’s daily duties consist of working at Lamson’s Grocery, supplying for his family and taking care of Arnie, day and night.

When Arnie climbs up the water tower, it is Gilbert’s responsibility to get him down safely, “I know a boy whose name is Arnie he’s about to turn 18 and have a big party, I know a boy whose name is Arnie” is the tactic he uses to convince Arnie. Though, the more type of calamities that occur, the more chaos erupts in the family because of Gilbert’s regressions. One of the most important scenes in the film is when Gilbert wants to give Arnie a bath but he keeps trying to get away. Gilbert’s aggression erupts and he begins to beat up Arnie, letting out his regressed feelings onto his brother. He goes to Becky and tells her no one hurts Arnie, which allows him to understand what is causing all his regression towards his family and himself.

Bonnie, one of the most important characters in the film, helps us figure out what is eating Gilbert Grape. In the beginning of the movie, Gilbert says his mother Bonnie used to be one of the most beautiful women in Endora. Though, after his father hung himself in the basement she was never the same, no one was. Gilbert’s thoughts about his mom are that she is a “whale” and is extremely obese; he is disappointed in what she has become in over the seven years since she has not left the house. Gilbert is full of regressed feelings that deal with Bonnie because she abandoned her position as a mother, which is why he has learned to become ashamed. What Bonnie seems to tell Gilbert constantly is, “Where is your head, Gilbert?” This not only makes Gilbert see what his life has become but as well what his future might bring. In the scene the Grape’s are eating dinner, Arnie begins to yell “Dad’s Dead” over and over causing Bonnie to erupt with pain, and as well weakening the floor with her mighty weight. Gilbert begins to notice their family’s catastrophes are bigger than he imagined. As the end comes near and Arnie’s eighteenth birthday finally arrives, Gilbert hears his mother say, “I know what a burden I am and I know you are ashamed of me.” Gilbert now starts to realize that he is not ashamed of his mother and accepts her. That causes Bonnie to move away from the basement which represents the family’s hell, and moves upstairs to her bedroom, representing her heaven. When the Grape family finds their mother dead, Gilbert begins to comprehend Bonnie was part of the reason why he felt trapped.

Gilbert’s father is the cause for their family’s status; he abandoned them emotionally and left his family with absolutely nothing. Gilbert’s life motivation is based on picking up his family’s broken pieces and trying to fix them, removing his family’s memories of the incident that occurred in the basement. Gilbert finally realizes he and his siblings cannot go on with their lives unless he can destroy the memory of his father’s death. Gilbert says he will not allow his mother to be made a joke of; he grabs a box of matches, lights one up and burns the house down, cremating his mother Bonnie as well. The message on the box, “Keep away from children” indicates that Gilbert is no longer a child; he is able to burn down his father’s creation and move on. The only way he and his siblings could accomplish this was if his mother died, which gave Amy, Ellen, Arnie and Gilbert Grape their freedom and a chance to a new life.

Just as any other movie, “What’s eating Albert Grape” has its fair share of strengths and weaknesses regarding the plot and the characters. One of the real weaknesses in the film is Lewis, who doesn't come across as either likable enough to attract Gilbert's attention or alternative enough (short hair notwithstanding) to attract anyone else's. It's unfortunate, because her arrival in the town is meant to propel the plot, but in my opinion, Gilbert's got enough eating him without her. The other weakness is that although the movie does well to show people with disabilities in the valued roles of community members, teachers, brothers, and respected individuals (in the case of Mamma who is verbally respected by several people throughout the film including the police officer who release’s Arnie), the film also portrays a significant negative side to disability.

This movie is a valuable tool for people new to the study of disabilities as well as those familiar with disabilities to enter into meaningful reflection regarding disabilities. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, invites the viewer to consider the impact of disability on families, communities and people with disabilities themselves and it is in this way that the film provides an invaluable contribution to the field of disability studies. The film also portrays Arnie as being fairly independent and integrated. Arnie is not institutionalized or in a home. Instead, Arnie lives with his family, participates in the community, and even helps his brother with his job. This is significant as it portrays Arnie as an accepted part of his community. Although we see Arnie being teased by children at one point the majority of the movie portrays him as a person that the community has welcomed in with love. This love is evidenced by people greeting him by name, helping him feed his grasshoppers in a jar, clapping when he is rescued from the water tower even though it’s a too frequent event etc.

On the strength of DiCaprio and Depp's performances, What's Eating Gilbert Grape is a fantastic look at the anachronisms of small-town life and the myriad problems of coping with a go-nowhere existence. The dialogue is realistic to the point of putting you in the scene. Gilbert Grape's actions in the movie are mainly motivated by his family and specifically by his father. Having left the family several years earlier, and ever since then Gilbert feels like he has to hold the family together. He works at a local grocery store to provide for the family, he takes care of his younger brother, Arnie, all by himself, and he helps to take care of his obese mother. Gilbert is motivated by responsibility. He feels obligated at the beginning of the movie because it is as if everyone else in his family is helpless.

It is clear that Gilbert feels trapped living in the town of Endora. It is mostly because of his perception of the town, his mother and Arnie that keeps him from moving forward. This is because he feels it is his responsibility to look after his family by supporting them financially and taking care of Arnie. These responsibilities become his burden because his conscience plays heavily on his mind and prevents him from considering himself. It is only when Gilbert let’s go of his resentment towards his family and through his relationship with Becky that he ‘can go anywhere.’

The intent of the film What’s Eating Gilbert Grape is the idea that one does not know what are coming in the near future and what the far future holds. This idea is displayed several times throughout the movie and through the characters. The movie demonstrates that sometimes people forget that life is ever changing and things are constantly changing for the better and for the worse. Gilbert found himself unhappy, in a small town dragging on day by day not really having hope or motivation for anything. He wanted to go but so many different aspects of his life where holding him back and Gilbert being really very selfless did not want to leave his family behind while he went to find and figure out his own personal life journey. When Becky shows up at the town one day Gilbert makes a connection with her, they spend a lot of time together and slowly Gilbert began to see hope for himself. Becky was a metaphor that one should be able to embrace good things happening even when everything seems dark and dreary.

A reoccurring theme in the film What’s eating Gilbert Grape is that one must not have expectations for the future, a person must be ready for change to happen at any time as changes are always happening expectantly and unexpectedly. During the film this message is displayed indirectly and directly several times, for instance the sudden death of Mr. Ken Carver was an unexpected surprise for the town and his family. It is an even bigger shock for the citizens of the town when they find out the means in which he had died; by drowning in a kitty pool. Another example of this message is Gilbert and the feelings he grows to have for Becky when she walks into his life. Gilbert was not expecting to make such a strong bond and connection to this girl but as he spends more time with her he begins to find the happiness and light in his life he had been missing for a long time, he fills a void within himself by finding this unexpected love. A major motif that was always lingering throughout the entire movie was balancing the responsibilities one has in their life while maintaining a goal, purpose and happiness in their own lives. In the film Gilbert finds himself struggling to keep up with all these balances one should have within their lives. After the suicide of his father Gilbert has the responsibility to take care of his brother Arnie, and obese mother while also having a job to help pay the bill. Gilbert begins to find himself empty, a void within him striving to be filled but some purpose or happiness in life. In the film he has an affair with a married woman, which one may see as an attempt to fill his internal vacant void but after noticing that this did not make him any happier or feel any better Gilbert returns once again to his state of loneliness and unhappiness. In the scene when Becky is asking Gilbert what he wants to do with his life he realizes that he does not know. Near the end of the film when Gilbert says to Arnie “We can go anywhere” is a change for the better in Gilbert’s life because he can continue on his own life journey while also maintaining his responsibility for his brother Arnie

In conclusion, Gilbert Grape is eaten by the absence of his father through suicide and the absence of his mother not physically, but mentally. They both left him with an important responsibility that never allowed him to treasure his childhood nor his adult life. Gilbert had to learn to adapt to a new reality which made him feel alone and accountable for Arnie and his entire family. Now the man of the house, his duties were taking care of his family and making sure they could get by, day by day. When Becky asks him what he wants for himself, he realizes he does not know how to respond to her because his entire life he has always thought of others rather than himself. Gilbert burning down the house, leaving all the past behind, allows him a new beginning where he can finally begin a new chapter in his life, a fresh journey at peace!

This film provided a glimpse into the lives of a family and a community significantly impacted by disability. As a disability service worker it was easy to identify ways to manage some of the glaring issues in the film (like installing a barrier over the water tower latter). The films strength lies partially in its flaws as it leaves room for conversation about community support, family support, disability and family dynamics. The characters with visible disabilities in the film offered a fair representation of real people living regular lives impacted by disability. Arnie in particular portrayed a balanced view of someone who faced challenges but also displayed great strengths. He was a human character with many aspects common to all people including, the full range of emotions, a need for social relationships, and a variety of strengths and weaknesses.

What’s Eating Gilbert Grape is an excellent film to be used as a springboard into exploration of a number of issues surrounding disability and social dynamics and as such I would recommend it for use by all people concerned with these issues and the spread of disability education.

Works cited