Rebel Without A Cause Essay, Research Paper

The film Rebel Without a Cause puts emphases on the relationship between parents and their children. The relationship between Jim Stark (James Dean) and his parents helps the viewers understand Jim attitude towards his parents. In the beginning of the film Jim deals with his parents in a commanding way and takes control of arguments he has between his parents. Jim tries to find a father figure in his father, but his mother always takes control of his father. All his life, Jim wanted to see his father stand up for himself.

In the police station at the beginning, Jim s parents were arguing and he interrupted them by exclaiming, You re tearing me apart! You say one thing, he says another, and everybody changes back again . This quotation was made to release the anger and frustration that Jim has inside of him. Being a parent is more than loving a child, it requires commitment and support. The quote made Jim s parents think that love and affection are the only things that Jim needs. Jim blames his parents for the misery in his family.

Jim takes control of the arguments he has between his parents. While Jim was arguing with his mother, Jim turned to his father for support. Jim s father replied, This is all going to fast for me . Jim snapped back at his father, You better give me something. You better give me something fast . Jim choked his father for not standing up for him and he stormed out of the house. Jim wanted to confront his parents about his problems that he has and he wanted to fix it. He does not want to run away from his problems anymore, he wants his parents and him to faced the problems they are having together.

Jim wanted his father to learn how to stand up for himself. Ray Stark (Jim Backus), Jim s father, does not have respect from his son and Jim s mother. Several times in the film, Jim turned to his father for advice, but his father backs down because he is indecisive and afraid of his wife. At one incident in the film, Jim s father dropped a food tray on floor that a mess. Jim wanted his father to leave the mess alone and stand up to Jim s mother if she scold at him. Ray did not listen to his son and he cleaned up the mess. At that moment, Jim realized that he is more of a man than his father.

Emphases on the relationship between parents and their children were in the film Rebel Without a Cause. Jim blames his parents for the confusion of himself and his family. Jim deals with his parents in a commanding way to express his views on parenting. Ray has the feminine role in the beginning of the film and his wife has the masculine role. The film placed emphasis on that being a parent is more than loving a child, support and obligation are needed.