Alvaro Sorto
Professor Heather MacLean
English ESL 100
26 March 2014
Effects of Love
Groundhog Day is a movie about a meteorologist who becomes trapped in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Phil Connors, a sarcastic Philadelphia weatherman who is far too full of himself. He travels with the entourage of cameraman Larry, and his lust interest Rita. Phil lives through the same day, Groundhog's day, repeatedly with no consequences. Being trapped in “Groundhog Day” has three significant effects on Phil’s practice of Eros, Agape and Philia.
One effect on Phil being trapped on “Groundhog Day” was practice of Eros. Eros is essentially a passion for another, a desire to have them, to own them. In its sexual form, Eros by itself become fixated on the body alone, not on the person and treats the other as an object for use. Eros is basically all about itself. One effect on Phil practice of Eros is egocentric. Phil was a selfish, vain, fool who only cares about himself. All other people are there for him to use for his pleasure and his status. Phil is Eros out of control. The most obvious example is when Phil becomes to eat, drink and smoke every day. Because he notices that there was no consequence the next day. For him there was no worry of having lung cancer or cholesterol problems. We can see in the movie when Phil goes to the “tip top café” to eat lots of sugar, drink coffee, and even smoke at the same time. Another effect on Phil’s practice of Eros is eroticism. At the beginning uses the power of Eros to attract women. When he notice that everybody except him was not able to remember what happen the next day; he uses the power of Eros to attract women and then have sex with them. One example is in the movie he went and ask questions to this lady named Nancy, which he use the next day to let her think they knew each other so that way he can have sex with her. Phil asks blonde questions and uses them next day to his advantage. That is what he also did to Rita. Phil was using these girls for his pleasure.
Phil’s practice of agape is another effect on being trapped on “Groundhog Day”. Agape, in contrast, is love that focuses on the other, and seeks ways in which it may be a gift to them. Agape doesn’t treat others as an object, or a mere body, but looks beyond the physical to the fully personal. Agape is not all about itself and what we can get, it is about others, and how can we give to others. While time passes, one effect on Phil’s practice of agape is charity. Phil becomes to help others. One example on the movie is when Phil tries to help a homeless that is dying on the streets. At first he avoids the old homeless. After the fourth time of avoiding him he realizes that the homeless needs more help than him, and Phil gives all his money to him. Later that day, Phil follows the homeless and Phil takes him to the hospital where the homeless passes away. That nurse said that he was just old. Then Phil helps the homeless taking him to eat that way the homeless can have the best last day of his life. Another example we can see in the movie is when Phil buys health insurance from Ned Ryerson, even when Phil doesn’t need it. At first he ignores and avoids Ned, Phil even pushes and punches him in the face. But at the end Phil tries to help Ned buying insurance from him. Phil does all this without getting something back. Another effect on Phil’s practice of agape is sadness. It happens when Phil is turns his way of being and he is a good person with Rita, Larry and everybody in the town. Phil becomes a good person and starts to help the people in town. A good example in the movie happens when Phil brings coffee and doughnuts to Larry and Rita. He is being nice with his coworkers. Phil also helps a guy that was choking while he was eating in a restaurant. Phil also helps a kid that falls from a three, even when the kid never shows appreciation to Phil. Phil practice of agape is becoming a good way of being in the town, and everybody likes him.
The final significant effect of being trapped in “Groundhog Day” was on Phil practice of philia. The affection and love people feel towards their friends and family is philia love. Is love of family and friends because of connectivity and like interest. Philia love is what most people crave from each other, it is that wish to be accepted, connected and loved by their peers. One effect on Phil’s practice of philia is affection. It happens at the end of the movie we can see that Phil change his way of being with others, now everybody likes him and loves him like a friend or family. One example in the movie Phil takes piano classes. The teacher thinks everyday that is Phil’s first lesson, and she is so proud of Phil performance in piano. Phil shows affection to the piano teacher, and he gets it back; she sees Phil like a son she never had. Phil also shows affection to Rita, and Rita gives the feeling back. We saw almost at the end of the movie, Rita looks at Phil like a new man while Phil is at the piano. After that Phil volunteer to be auctioned to the public; that’s when Rita buys him. We can see Rita now loves him and wants Phil in her life. Another effect on Phil practice of philia is carrying. Phil becomes to care about the town and everybody in it. Now everybody likes him and treats him as a part of family. He help others, he cares about others, he is a gentleman, he even likes the town which Phil use to hate; this is why everybody loves him and treat him as a part of the town. Phil practice of philia becomes the best feeling that he ever had. Philia was the love that he was missing on his life, and that love help him go to the next day.
In conclusion being trapped in “Groundhog Day” and the three significant effects on Phil’s practice of Eros, Agape and Philia has a huge change on Phil’s life. Thanks to Phil practice of these types of love He learns contentment, and he learns forgiveness, and he learns kindness. We can learn from this movie to be a better person, and to realize that every day is a new day. Tomorrow will come, and whether or not it is always the same day for us, all we can do about it is be the best person we know how to be. The good news is that we can learn to be better people.

Works Cited
Happy Groundhog Day “Eros” http://blog.archny.org/steppingout/?p=110 February 2nd, 2009
Happy Groundhog Day “Agape” http://blog.archny.org/steppingout/?p=110 February 2nd, 2009
A Kiss of Bliss “Philia love” http://akissofbliss.wordpress.com/2012/02/13/philia-love/ February 13, 2012