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On Golden Pond

In Mark Rydell’s On Golden Pond, we encounter a family in the midst of dealing with the tensions and frustrations of moving through a phase of Erik Erikson’s “Life Cycle”. Erikson’s theory was based largely on the belief that life is a continuous development process, and, that, maturity is not the end of psychological growth. At each stage of the Life Cycle, Erikson believes there are challenges to be met in order to advance to the next stage of development in a whole and health manner. The stages of development often overlap and can vary to a large degree dependent upon the individual and environmental circumstances. Erikson’s stages are most applicable to the individuals portrayed in On Golden Pond. If we look at all five of the characters in the film, we see that each is struggling with the issues and challenges at different stages in Erikson’s life cycle.

Billy Ray, Jr. is a thirteen year old boy who is challenged by the issues inherent in Erikson’s fifth stage of the life cycle, adolescence. In this stage the individual is typically between 13 and 17 years of age and struggles with the challenge of forming an identity versus role-confusion. During this stage, the “individual begins to develop the ability to see things from others’ point of view. The youth must develop a sense of his or her own identity, as distinct from all others and personally acceptable, or he/she will be confused or settle on a ‘negative’ identity” (Erik 2). Billy Ray, Jr. feels he is being “dumped” on Norman and Ethel Thayer because he is in the way of his father’s and potential step-mother’s European vacation. He comes to learn this is not the case through forming a relationship with Norman. His interactions with Norman allow him to feel caring and fun, receive instruction and role modeling, and discipline. This makes him accept himself and form a perspective of himself that has a higher level of self-worth...

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On Golden Pond. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 05:22, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1686016.html