-
Essay / Critical Analysis of the Film Stand by Me and the Issues It Explores
“Stand by Me” is a film about a group of four twelve year old boys growing up in Oregon in the eighties. The film is narrated by one of the boys turned author, Gordie Lachance. He is the calmest of the group and enjoys reading, writing and spending time with his three friends: Chris, Vern and Teddy. Chris Chambers is Gordie's best friend. He is a rather kind and intelligent child, but he is also brave and considered by the townspeople to be a bad child. Then there is Vern Tessio, he is the most naive of the group. People generally perceive him and his family as less than brilliant or just plain stupid. And last but not least Teddy Duchamp, he is very eccentric. He wears a hearing aid and also wears these huge glasses. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay The boys one day hear about a person who was accidentally killed near their home. They then embark on an adventure to see his body. During this adventure, the boys discover new places like a junkyard with a vicious dog from which they must escape. They also discover on their way a swamp filled with leeches. During this adventure, the boys discover many different things about themselves and each other. Such as the problems they all have at home, with their family. Gordie has an older brother who recently passed away, he was a much loved and respected man. Gordie has all the pressure to follow in his footsteps and become like him. He has problems with his family because they always compare them by saying things like "why can't you be more like your brother?" » His family also accuses him of no longer being there with the family due to the death of his older brother. Then there's Chris Chambers, he comes from a family with its fair share of problems. He has an alcoholic and abusive father who he tries to get away from to prevent something bad from happening. He also has an older brother, but he is neither loved nor respected by others because he did not follow the best path. Chris is often seen as a troublemaker, even though he isn't one at all, he is simply standing up for himself and his friends. Vern Tessio is the friendliest of the group, a little naive and very trusting. People in the town view his family as stupid and he also has an older brother who is part of a group of teenagers who aren't the nicest, or in other words, bullies. And finally, we have Teddy. He's the most eccentric of the group with a hearing aid and huge glasses. When he was younger, his father, a war veteran, was sent to a mental hospital due to mental illness and since then Teddy has been sensitive to words such as looney or crazy. This movie has a lot of problems when it comes to family and the relationships between them. They can all love each other but not show it in a logical way. Like abusing your child. Chris Chambers has an alcoholic and abusive father. He physically abuses Chris and doesn't realize the effect it has on him and their relationship. According to PE Mullen, any abuse will affect the victim's health and mental functioning. Studies show that people who abuse their children were most likely abused in some way growing up. So it's almost as if they are abusing to feel in control or even, in some way, to "get back" at the original abuser. That being said, the child may even grow up to abuse those close to them as well. Which in this situation did not happen. Another way in which love was not expressed, 46(3), 308-327.