Relationships in As Good As It Gets

According to Bukowski and Sippola (2005), relationship development is a process akin to a ôdialectic or interface between self and otherö that involves ôbalance, conflict resolution, intimacyö and other aspects of interpersonal communication (p. 97). Wood (1982) maintains that there are a number of states or stages involved in relationship development and/or decay. Stage one relates to pre-relational issues, or the aspects of relating that individuals bring with them prior to forming a relationship. Stage two Wood (1982) defines as ôinvitational communicationö or ôauditioning,ö that is more often than not a result of ôproxemic happenstance,ö (p. 79). We see this is the case with the audition phase of the relationship between Melvin and Carol, for Carol is the only waitress Melvin permits to wait on him and she works in the only re

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tment to an extended future as a pairö (Wood, 1982, p. 80). Bukowski and Sippola (2005) argue that before intimate friendship develops ôthe challenges, stresses, and struggles that may be inherent to friendship, especially the challenge of negotiating a balance between oneÆs needs and those of the otherö must be overcome (p. 95). In As Good As It Gets, we see that Carol and Melvin must overcome conflict to arrive at a bonding and intimate friendship. When Melvin once again insults Carol without realizing it, he says ôForget I said that,ö to which Carol replies, ôIÆll never forget you said itö (Brooks 1997). Ultimately, through their desire to overcome the conflict in their relational styles, Carol and Melvin will forge an intimate friendship. Though their relationship suffers from decay or disintegration because of conflict, their communicative stagnation does not end in communication termination because they are willing to modify themselves to forge a stronger communal bond with each other. Carol compliments MelvinÆs appearance when he wears a suit and has her out to dinner. Melvin disclosed that his love for Carol has made him take the pills prescribed for his disorder. When Carol doesnÆt understand how that is a compli
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Approximate Word count = 1765
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)

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