Ordinary People Essay Essay, Research Paper

*****Written by Jeff Piper*****

Understanding The Concepts

The human mind is constantly looking for ways to place blame, find reasons for

deterioration, and to make ones actions understandable. Human nature is constantly forcing people

take a step backward and reevaluate all their decisions and behaviors. Isolating themselves from

their surroundings and not wanting any type of communication are the only ways they feel they can

regain the control they once had. In the novel Ordinary People, the Jarrett’s find themselves in a

state of confusion that has left each one of them without any stability or sense of security. This

ultimately leads to the break up of the family. The strong family bond that was present in the past

is destroyed due to Conrad’s suicide attempt, the reconstruction of control for each character is

dependant on one another, and in the end each character has developed a stronger understanding

of stability and security.

Control within a household can be classified as having rules and routines to keep everyone

on track. There must be a knowledge of desired outcomes, and consequences if they are not met.

When the rules and routines fail, or when the love for each other starts to dwindle, the sense of

security and stability in the family also seems to disappear. The Jarrett’s managed to cope with

their first crisis when their son Buck drowned in a boating accident. Their second son, Conrad,

attempted to take his own life because of the loss of his brother. This caused his family to deal with

a double tragedy. The strong emotional bond that was once present deteriorated, and because of

this the household was no longer a family but a group of individuals who depended soley on

themselves for support. The criticizing of each others actions and decisions become more apparent,

an example is when Calvin stated “Wouldn’t she have wakened him to ask at least What the hell

is wrong with her?” (Guest, 1976). The criticizing lead to the isolation and personal neglect that

each character experienced. As a result of the communication breakdown, each character must

depend only on themselves. This means the family either hits bottom and is forced to talk, or face

the consequences of a break up.

When a person is isolated and is in a state of anxiety, the last thing they want to do is

discuss their problems. There is also no desire to discuss ways in which they can get better. One

role of parents is to teach their children that discussing problems is a part of life, and a major factor

in the healing process. In the novel, Conrad is stuck on the fence when it comes to his decision on

how to work out his problems. His father has tried to teach him that releasing your problems,

verbally, is a healthy step to healing yourself. Although he has never shown evidence of doing this

himself, he has encouraged Conrad to visit a doctor. This is seen when they are at the dinner table

with Conrad. Calvin says “I want you to call him anyway… call him today.” (Guest, 1976). His

mother on the other hand is a person who doesn’t believe communication is a very important aspect

of healing. She believes that as long as the outside looks sweet, the inside is too. Unfortunately

this is one decision he must make on his own. He must make a wise one. Without Conrad’s

parents in his life, he would have no defined sense of identity. Although his mother’s method of

reconstructing security and stability are not healthy, it is wise for him to pay attention to her and

choose cautiously between her methods and his fathers.

Dealing with tragic consequences that challenge one to change the way they go about their

decision making is one of the positive products that results from the problems many encounter each

day. Conrad was never really taught how he should handle his anger or problems. This made him

feel like he had to keep it bottled up inside until it became to much, and led to a suicide attempt.

At the end of the novel it is apparent that each character in the Jarrett family has gained varying

degree’s of knowledge about security and stability. Conrad has learned that having control over

himself comes from expressing his feelings and not worrying about what others think. The

important issue is how he feels about himself. Calvin finally takes his own advice, and sacrifices

his marriage to prove to himself what is right. Beth had never been a person that took well to

comments, whether they be good or bad. This meant that she had reconstructed her control to a

level she thought appropriate. However, the understanding was still obscured when it came to

security and stability in her life. Unlike the beginning of the novel, when each family member

would worry about what was coming next, Conrad is described as having, “No need for any more

words. The sun is warm on his back. He could fall asleep here, maybe he will, waiting for

whatever comes next.” (Guest, 1976). This proves that Conrad is on the right track to his recovery

and that learning to take things day by day will prove to be productive to his healing. Although

their family was torn apart by their mistakes, the development of each characters mental state

provides evidence that each has a greater respect and understanding for security and stability.

In the beginning the Jarrett’s had a strong family bond but because of the double tragedy

the family endured, the bond was soon challenged and could not hold together. Conrad, Calvin,

and Beth were all forced to reevaluate their methods of dealing with problems in order to

understand security and stability on a new level. In the end each member underwent a degree of

change. Conrad changed completely, Calvin learned to express himself, and Beth was left alone

to cope with what has gone on in her life. How they dealt with their problems was a major factor

in the deterioration of each character. Once that communication bridge was reformed in a way that

let each family member talk on the same understanding level, their control started to return.

Ordinary People focused on a family that was confused, and the only way they could overcome the

confusion was to reassess their emotions and begin down a new path. Once the understanding of

each other became apparent, the security and stability returned.

*****Written By Jeff Piper*****

** Every time Ordinary People appears in the essay, it should be underlined

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