Johnny at his work
I am surprised there are no comments about the scenes with Johnny at his work
he is like a different person happy and confident and well normal and nice with his colleagues
HBO_Junkie wrote:
I am surprised there are no comments about the scenes with Johnny at his workhe is like a different person happy and confident and well normal and nice with his colleaguesActually, there are. I've commented on that several times to posters who do not understand that Johnny's behavior around his family, particularly as mother, is related to being around his mother.Johnny grew up being constantly compared to his older brother who always succeeded whereas he always failed. It was not his brother's fault, but Johnny hates him because of it, I believe because Peg was always commenting on it.Get Johnny away from his family, and he's a completely different person. You can understand how Ashley fell for him. share
Thank you for having a brain and explaining family dynamics which seem to be Greek to most posters on here.
shareI don't think we need to drag Greek family dynamics into the discussion.
shareNot only Greek, but Biblical. I got a big whiff of Cain and Abel in the scene in which Johnny suddenly hits George on the head with a wrench, with no preliminary conversation or fight. The hideousness of the envy and despair Johnny feels are protrayed in that moment, which could well have killed George.
shareida96 wrote:
I got a big whiff of Cain and Abel in the scene in which Johnny suddenly hits George on the head with a wrench,Yes, exactly. One of the most basic elements of family dynamics. Cain kills Abel because their father prefers Abel. A commentator on the biblical passage said that God does not understand the first rule of parenting: You have to treat both of your children equally. Peg did not understand that either, and I believe she constantly compared the always successful George with the always unsuccessful Johnny.
with no preliminary conversation or fight.Johnny knows that he should have comforted Ashley but he couldn't do it. Once again, he has failed and his brother has exceeded.Imagine what Johnny's reaction would be if he had heard the conversation between George and Ashley. I don't believe it was a sexual relationship, but Ashley is very close to George, and that would destroy Johnny. Ashley is the one thing that Johnny has, and he would always have the suspicion that she really wanted George.
The hideousness of the envy and despair Johnny feels are protrayed in that moment, which could well have killed George.Look at Johnny's face while George is singing at the church supper and is the center of attention and admiration.There is no way that Johnny could compete with the perfect child, George. You can argue that he is in rather good shape under the circumstances. He is remarkably good-natured when you get him away from his family.George cannot afford to provide a home for his wife and himself. He is about to become a father, and he is really not ready for that. And then his very successful brother with his very elegant wife come to visit.And once again, Johnny fails and George succeeds. share