Plato
Paige Wild
Plato's traits.
Plato shows many strong signs of being insecure. The reason behind that is because he has no father. He is searching for that father figure and is doing everything he can to get that. He thinks that everyone is going to leave him and never come back. he clings onto Jim as if he were his father and that shows when Jim leads him out of the Planetarium. He also shows signs of being crazy when he is in the house and those guys are trying to find him, he shoots one of them. Also when Jim guides him out of the Planetarium and he tries to go get away which causes the cops to shoot him.
Cause.
Plato had some obvious problems and challenges. Plato did not have a father so he was searching for that man in his life. All he wanted was someone to love him and care for him. One of his problems were killing the puppies and I believe that reflects on having someone, in this case the puppies, to love him. Then Jim came along and accepted him for who he was and gave him everything he was looking for and formed this bond. Unfortunately that was not the end, he could not get over his problems and challenges and it ended fatally.
Changed?
Plato has not shown signs of progress or any change in the movie. He starts out as this guy who is making bad choices and ends doing the same. In the beginning of the movie he kills puppies and at the end he is shooting at people. Plato in my opinion just does not know how to express himself in the way that he wants and that causes him many problems. He just is searching for the love he never had.
Mismatched socks.
Plato's socks did not match and I think that that symbolizes his view on the world. He came from a family that was apart and had no father or a father figure at all. He defiantly has some issues of his own and is going about it by his socks. As if he was thinking that this world is so wrong and messed up. That nothing in his life could go right or right the wrong.
Theme.
One of the major themes in the story is about dysfunctional families. In Jim's case his parents blamed everything on him and his mother just wanted to move every time something happened. With Plato, his family was split and did not have a father figure. Judy was looking for attention. She had abandonment issues. So obviously family played a huge role.
Explain whether you thought it was right for Jim to go to the police.
I thing it was right even though his parents said not to. In the end he would benefit it because he is being honest and not running away. When someone comes forward and accepts their mistakes and takes responsibility, a person has respect for them. If he would have ran and they would have found him, he would be in so much trouble. So in the end he would get less consequences.