What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?

Introduction
Growing up is the process of maturing physically and emotionally. It helps develop a sense of individuality and identity. Lasse Hallstroms 1993 film ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?’ shows the stages of growing up such as childhood, life experience, maturity and family and friends. Growing up is a significant part of our lives.

Childhood
Childhood is an important factor of growing up as children begin to develop their sense of identity. This occurs during the period of birth and puberty in a person’s life. Arnie Grape, from the film ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?’ (1993), is the definition of childhood. He is turning 18 years old but has developmental disability where he is stuck in a childhood state forever. A high angle shot of Arnie when he climbs the water tower is used to show how he was unsafe and helpless. The reverse shot shown while he was climbing the tower highlights his innocence and child-like manner. The montage of Arnie at the beginning of the film shows snippets of Arnies behaviour and attitudes. This give the audience an insight and brief understanding of his everyday life. Repetition/motif of Arnie playing hide-n-seek in the tree shows that he still has the playfulness in him as he did at the beginning of the film. The personality of an individual emerges through the stages of childhood and continues to develop as they grow.

Maturity
Maturity is influenced by the different factors of growing up such as childhood, life experience and family and friends. Different experiences create different levels of maturity. Maturity is the process of accepting responsibilities for ones’ own actions. The eldest son, Gilbert Grape has matured throughout the film “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?’. Dialogue of Gilbert saying “I want you to meet somebody…please, just this once for me …I want this. I’m not going to hurt you anymore” to mamma shows his change of attitude towards his family because of Becky, it shows that he has matured. “Get my coat” – this quote said by Mamma demonstrates how she would finally leave the house after 7 years to save her son. The director has used a low angle shot to emphasise Mammas size and her determination to get her son back. At the end of the film, Mamma makes an attempt to walk up the stairs like her kids wanted her to earlier on in the film. Extreme close up and sound effects of the floor boards creaking and heavy breathing emphasises how much of a struggle it is for her but she’s willingly to do it for her kids. As an individual grows up, they mature, however, different experiences and influences throughout their lives develop different levels of maturity.

Life experience
Life experiences can have either a negative or positive lasting effect on our lives. Dialogue of Arnie saying “I don’t want to go down there” shows that the father’s death had a long term effect on everyone in the family as well as Arnie who refused to go down into the basement. Gilbert is forced to support the family financially because the rest of his family cannot. If Gilbert were to leave Endora his family would not be able to cope financially because Momma cannot work due to her obesity, Amy is forced to stay home and look after the family and Ellen is still at school. A long shot of Arnie sitting by his father’s tombstone shows that even though with his disability he is aware of the absence of his father. Another example of life experience shown in the film is Gilbert meeting Becky. Symbolism is used in the film when Gilbert was in Becky’s caravan looking at the map. The map symbolises freedom and leisure, something Gilbert didn’t have due to the responsibilities he had. At the end of the film, freedom is expressed through a wide shot angle of the house burning. Gilbert made a wise decision by burning the house down after his mother’s death. It creates freedom and independence. Different life experiences people have throughout their lives, whether it’s negative or positive, affect the way they grow up.

Family and friends
Family and friends are both important influences on a person’s identity. Both family and friends have different influences, they could be a negative or positive influence. Repetition dialogue of Arnie screaming “Dad’s dead” followed by film cuts of the family’s body language and facials highlights the frustration the family is going through and the responsibilities Gilbert has to handle with. Facial expressions and body language of Gilbert while he is around his friends Tucker and Bobby is as if he is disengaged and seems sadder. This shows that Gilbert doesn’t enjoy being with his friends. However, natural and warm lighting is used to show that he is more happy and calm around Becky. Another technique used is music when he is with Becky. Acoustic background music is used to show his changing personality ever since Becky entered his life. An individual growing up can be significantly influenced by family and friends.

Conclusion
Growing up is the process of maturing physically and emotionally, these can be affected by the experiences in life and the people who have an influence on an individual’s life. The four aspects of growing up include childhood, maturity, life experiences, and family and friends. Each aspect can affect and influence an individual positively or negatively.