Self Disclosure in Communication

Self Disclosure in Communication






Self-Disclosure in Communication

BSHS/385
March 23, 2015

Self-Disclosure in Communication

In the world of Meet the Parents, the main conflict occurs between the two main characters, Gaylord “Greg” Focker and Jack Burns. Greg is in a relationship with Jack’s daughter which is the root of the main conflict between them. Jack doesn’t believe Greg is “good enough” for his daughter and Greg spends the majority of the movie trying to prove otherwise. Lack of communication comes heavily into play in this movie. The first example of this is when Greg’s girlfriend, Pamela, asks Greg to conceal that they are living together outside of marriage. This is an example of withholding information which ultimately will come out and cause further conflict. Another example of withholding is Greg choosing to withhold his true name, Gaylord, from everyone including his girlfriend Pamela. The third example of withholding is when Jack conceals his true career as a former CIA operative from Greg until Greg discovers the secret room in the house hiding his secret.
A lesser relationship in the movie is between Greg and Pamela themselves. In the beginning of the movie Greg intends to propose but stops when he hears Pamela say something about asking her father for permission. Instead of asking her despite that, he conceals from her that he was going to ask her to marry him. Throughout the movie he continues to tell lies and conceal information from her. This results in a breakdown of trust in their relationship which causes Pamela to question their entire relationship. This is only repaired when one of Greg’s “lies” about taking the MCATs is proved to be true from an outside source. Open and honest communication could have easily dissolved the barriers that were created.
The number one conflict in this movie is the secrets that are kept. No one is one hundred percent honest about anything. The lies vary from big ones to little ones that, while comedic, create major...

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