GILBERT GRAPE

“Who's watching Gilbert Grape”

“Who's watching Gilbert Grape”

I. Introduction

WHAT'S EATING GILBERT GRAPE this movie takes us into the suburbs of the Midwestern United States, to a small town called Endora. Which according to Gilbert Grape (Johnny Depp) the star and narrator of the movie is a lifeless town and as he narrates the story about his family he tells us all about the town in one eminent sentence which is "living in Endora is like dancing to no music". The director Lesse Hallstrom has done a magnificent job in portraying the screenplay by novelist-screenwriter Peter Hedges also named as What's Eating Gilbert Grape.

II. Attachment theory

Attachment is a special emotional relationship that involves an exchange of comfort, care, and pleasure. The roots of research on attachment began with Freud's theories about love, but another researcher is usually credited as the father of attachment theory.

John Bowlby devoted extensive research to the concept of attachment, describing it as a "lasting psychological connectedness between human beings" (Bowlby, 1969, p. 194). Bowlby shared the psychoanalytic view that early experiences in childhood have an important influence on development and behavior later in life. Our early attachment styles are established in childhood through the infant/caregiver relationship.

In addition to this, Bowlby believed that attachment had an evolutionary component; it aids in survival. "The propensity to make strong emotional bonds to particular individuals [is] a basic component of human nature" (Bowlby, 1988, 3).

a. Characteristics of Attachment

Bowlby believed that there are four distinguishing characteristics of attachment:

1. Proximity Maintenance - The desire to be near the people we are attached to.

2. Safe Haven - Returning to the attachment figure for comfort and safety in the face of a fear or threat.

3. Secure Base - The attachment figure acts as a base of security from which the child can explore the surrounding environment.

4. Separation Distress - Anxiety that occurs in the absence of the attachment figure.

b. Primary method

The central idea of the movie revolves around Gilbert's adoring and motherly relationship with his retarded brother Arnie (Leonardo DiCaprio). As the movie goes along we get to know a few more characters, and the most important is Momma (Darlene Cates) a 500-pound lady who hasn't left the house since her husband's suicide and pretty much dominates the house of the Grape family. In absence of Momma from her duties, Amy (Laura Harrington) Gilbert's older sister is acting as a substitute mother of the house.

iii. Strengths

Swedish director Lasse Hallstrom paints a portrait of small-town America with his 1993 film, What's Eating Gilbert Grape. Endora, Iowa is home to the Grape family: mother Bonnie (Darlene Cates) hasn't left her home in seven years, since the suicide of her husband; she has become morbidly obese and spends most of her time on the living room couch; sister Ellen (Mary Kate Schellhardt); sister Amy (Laura Harrington); and Arnie Grape (Leonardo DiCaprio) who, as the film opens, is preparing to celebrate his 18th ...