What's Eating Gilbert Grape"? Why Is Gilbert and Becky’s Relationship as Strong as It Is?
Why is Gilbert and Becky’s relationship as strong as it is?
In the film “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”? directed by Lasse Hallstrom, a strong relationship develops between Gilbert and Becky. How they think and feel about each other is reflected in their actions and conversations and these moments help the viewer to understand why their relationship is as strong as it is. Gilbert Grape lives in the small American town of Endora. In the beginning of the film we hear Gilbert’s dull and dreary voice describing living in Endora as “like dancing to no music … it’s a place where nothing much ever happens and nothing much ever will.” This introduction leads the audience to understand that Gilbert has entirely lost his zest for life; his monotonous voice represents his repetitive daily patterns. Since his father died and his older brother “got away”, Gilbert has had the tedious job of looking after his unusual family. This has eaten away at him and he now feels trapped – he is alive but not ‘living’. When Becky unexpectedly arrives on the scene we are immediately made aware that she will bring a change to Gilbert’s circumstances. In many scenes we see her connected to water – for instance when she encourages Gilbert to join her in the pond – a connection that symbolises she is here to ‘cleanse’ or renew Gilbert. We can also tell that Becky looks at everything in a positive way when she declares, “I love the sky … it’s so limitless.” As Becky encourages Gilbert to change he begins to view his world in a different light. Their relationship develops because Gilbert has met someone who, for the first time in his life, asks nothing of him. Becky also challenges Gilbert to express his emotions, something we see when she asks, “What do you want for you? Just for you?” a question to which Gilbert can only reply, “I want to be a good person” – something he says because being a ‘good’ son and brother represents the limit to all he thinks he can be; however, Becky’s
In the film “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”? directed by Lasse Hallstrom, a strong relationship develops between Gilbert and Becky. How they think and feel about each other is reflected in their actions and conversations and these moments help the viewer to understand why their relationship is as strong as it is. Gilbert Grape lives in the small American town of Endora. In the beginning of the film we hear Gilbert’s dull and dreary voice describing living in Endora as “like dancing to no music … it’s a place where nothing much ever happens and nothing much ever will.” This introduction leads the audience to understand that Gilbert has entirely lost his zest for life; his monotonous voice represents his repetitive daily patterns. Since his father died and his older brother “got away”, Gilbert has had the tedious job of looking after his unusual family. This has eaten away at him and he now feels trapped – he is alive but not ‘living’. When Becky unexpectedly arrives on the scene we are immediately made aware that she will bring a change to Gilbert’s circumstances. In many scenes we see her connected to water – for instance when she encourages Gilbert to join her in the pond – a connection that symbolises she is here to ‘cleanse’ or renew Gilbert. We can also tell that Becky looks at everything in a positive way when she declares, “I love the sky … it’s so limitless.” As Becky encourages Gilbert to change he begins to view his world in a different light. Their relationship develops because Gilbert has met someone who, for the first time in his life, asks nothing of him. Becky also challenges Gilbert to express his emotions, something we see when she asks, “What do you want for you? Just for you?” a question to which Gilbert can only reply, “I want to be a good person” – something he says because being a ‘good’ son and brother represents the limit to all he thinks he can be; however, Becky’s