I just suggest that everyone view that scene again (or possibly for the first time). From a verbal description, I am sure many of those explanations could apply but it really isn't a case of the hero and heroine not being able to stand one another. She actually really likes him and he likes her but he doesn't want to get stuck in this small town forever. He wants to see the world and his mom (of all the Freudian possibilities) is trying to get him to go down and see Mary. It is also humorous the way that Mary's mom is pulling for her to marry the rich guy who is calling. It is quite a complex scene with George falling in love against his will. I wouldn't classify it as one of the many "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I love you" story lines but he does say he doesn't want to marry her because, I believe, he sees her as a symbol of him being stuck in this hick town forever and he wants to see the world (which he never does). I don't know if it is an excellent example of a reaction formation but I wouldn't hesitate to use it as discussion fodder if you wanted to discuss the concept of reaction formation. It is not a very long scene and it really is a classic.
Rick Dr. Rick Froman, Chair Division of Humanities and Social Sciences Professor of Psychology Box 3055 John Brown University 2000 W. University Siloam Springs, AR 72761 [email protected] (479)524-7295 http://tinyurl.com/DrFroman "Pete, it's a fool that looks for logic in the chambers of the human heart." - Ulysses Everett McGill -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2008 10:08 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: Re: [tips] It's A Wonderful Freudian Life Michael Britt first made this comment about "It's a Wonderful Life": > Okay, how's this for Reaction Formation: remember the scene > where George goes to Mary's house (before they are married)? > We know he's in love with Mary but at first he pretends not to > care for her. In fact, he's even a little bit rude to her. Then they > get that telephone call (from that rich character whose name > I forget) and by the end of the call Mary and George are kissing. to which Allen Esterson contributed: > But from Michael's description my first thought was that George's initial > behaviour could be put down to nervousness. (Some young people in that kind > of situation shy away from revealing their true feelings, presumably to > avoid possible rejection.) And to which I demur: Such a scenario has little to do either with reaction formation or reality. It's a well-worn literary device, standard fare in countless books and films that the hero and heroine first can't stand each other, and then they can (and how!). Cases in point: _Pride and Prejudice_, _Anne of Green Gables_ and, of course, _The African Queen_. Stephen ----------------------------------------------------------------- Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology, Emeritus Bishop's University e-mail: [email protected] 2600 College St. Sherbrooke QC J1M 1Z7 Canada Subscribe to discussion list (TIPS) for the teaching of psychology at http://flightline.highline.edu/sfrantz/tips/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([email protected]) --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([email protected])
