Gilbert Grape

8 Pages 1985 Words

Family Ties

In the movie “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” it is clear to see that Gilbert’s unhappiness roots in his family. He never once smiles when the whole family is together eating, or planning arrangements for Arnie’s birthday party. During every dinner scene there is arguments between Gilbert and his family, or the whole family arguing with each other. At one point in the movie he mentions his older brother Larry, “ I had another brother Larry, but he got away.” The way he says that Larry got away shows how he feels jealousy for his brother being able to escape the family. He never tells how his brother got away but directly after he says this the camera shows a graduate picture of his brother implying that he advanced in school resulting in moving forward, something Gilbert has not been able to do. Although these scenes show the immediate effects of the family troubles, the roots of these problems are much deeper, and further in the past of the Grape family.
In the movie Gilbert has trouble relating and getting along with his younger sister Ellen. She is fifteen years old and sees things in her life from an immature perspective compared to Gilbert. She complains to her mother and tells on Gilbert repeatedly in the movie. Gilbert shows his dislike for Ellen in the beginning of the movie when he says, “ Ellen is fifteen she just got her braces off and for days now she is been walking around going ohh ahh like she doesn’t know the feel of teeth.” He says this with a sarcastic tone and this is evident when he uses the word “like” sarcastically. When they are in front yard Gilbert tells Arnie not to go anywhere and that nobody is going anywhere. As soon as he finishes his sentence Gilbert jumps into his truck. He turns on the ignition and sees Ellen in the background playing her trumpet. They stare at each other for a couple seconds and Ellen flips her older brother off. Gilbert proceeds to put the truck in...