Communication
The Conflict Revealed
COMM 200 Interpersonal Communication
Prof. Darla Hill
April 2, 2012
The Conflict Revealed Within interpersonal communication conflict can be defined simply as a fight or battle that can display truth and strength or highlight the most painful and unforgiving elements of emotions in everyday lives. The handling of interpersonal conflict if done properly can strengthen the relationship to which the conflict originated but if handled poorly it can cause great and irreparable damage. In my viewing of the film American Beauty, it revealed that there was an interpersonal conflict between the two characters Colonel Frank Fitts and his son Ricky Fitts that was not handled effectively (Cohen & Mendes, 1999). Conversely, there is the elemental question that a lies with us in why the conflict was not handled effectively moreover that interpersonal communication could have been effectively used to handle the conflict differently.
There are many ways in which to handle any given situation; however, the word conflict almost always seems to rear a negative context when it comes to the inner working relationship of family. In the movie, American Beauty the character Col Frank Fitts observes his son from his upstairs room through the neighbor’s garage window. He is disillusioned with what he has seen and comes to the assumption his son is doing sexual favors with the male neighbor. He confronts his son Ricky about what he saw and then proceeds to beat him as he accuses him of being gay. His son argues and pleads with his father that he is not and antagonizes his father into kicking him out of his house (Cohen & Mendes, 1999). The perception of what the col saw is a form of nonverbal communication and he handled the situation extremely wrong. In Chapter five of our book, it tells us that the similarities between nonverbal communication and language can often be misunderstood and ambiguous (Sole, 2011). The Father could have addressed the
COMM 200 Interpersonal Communication
Prof. Darla Hill
April 2, 2012
The Conflict Revealed Within interpersonal communication conflict can be defined simply as a fight or battle that can display truth and strength or highlight the most painful and unforgiving elements of emotions in everyday lives. The handling of interpersonal conflict if done properly can strengthen the relationship to which the conflict originated but if handled poorly it can cause great and irreparable damage. In my viewing of the film American Beauty, it revealed that there was an interpersonal conflict between the two characters Colonel Frank Fitts and his son Ricky Fitts that was not handled effectively (Cohen & Mendes, 1999). Conversely, there is the elemental question that a lies with us in why the conflict was not handled effectively moreover that interpersonal communication could have been effectively used to handle the conflict differently.
There are many ways in which to handle any given situation; however, the word conflict almost always seems to rear a negative context when it comes to the inner working relationship of family. In the movie, American Beauty the character Col Frank Fitts observes his son from his upstairs room through the neighbor’s garage window. He is disillusioned with what he has seen and comes to the assumption his son is doing sexual favors with the male neighbor. He confronts his son Ricky about what he saw and then proceeds to beat him as he accuses him of being gay. His son argues and pleads with his father that he is not and antagonizes his father into kicking him out of his house (Cohen & Mendes, 1999). The perception of what the col saw is a form of nonverbal communication and he handled the situation extremely wrong. In Chapter five of our book, it tells us that the similarities between nonverbal communication and language can often be misunderstood and ambiguous (Sole, 2011). The Father could have addressed the
References: Sole, K. (2011). Making Connections: Understanding Interpersonal Communication. (E. Evans, Ed.) San Diego: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Retrieved March 10, 2012 Cohen, B. (Producer) & Mendes, S. (Director). (1999) American Beauty [DVD] United States, Dreamworks pictures