Jim Stark
Rebel Without A Cause
Background Information
Jim Stark is a high school senor in a brand new town. He has a history of rebellion and trouble making. His family is a rich family, but not a happy family. His mother is a controlling woman who does not respect her husband at all. At the same time, Jim's father does not stand up to his wife at all and allows the abuse. Needless to say, Jim is not happy with his parents.
The Rebel's Cause
The Rebel, Jim Stark, actually does have a reason behind his behavior. His father is anything but a real man, let alone the man Jim wants him to be. His mother is a controlling woman who get nothing but her own way. His grandmother starts and encourages arguments between Jim's mother and father. His parents always run away from situations or throw money at them, but not once have they listened to what Jim has to say. The cause behind his rebellion is that Jim doesn't want to end up like his father but he doesn't know how to show he is a man. He does not understand how to be a man because he has no role model. Jim's fear of being a chicken is similar to the way his father backs down to Jim's mother and displays "being a chicken."
My Reflections
I think that Jim finally realized what it means to be a man at the end. He put his life at risk to save another persons life. He was willing to die to prevent other people from being harmed and to help his friend realize what he was doing. I also think that Jim's father realized what was going on and saw that his son was more of a man than he had ever been. If the story was to continue, I feel like Jim's father would begin to be somewhat of a father figure, but at this point its to late to really do what needs to be done in raising a son. The mansion played a role in Jim's discovery as well because in the fantasy that they played out was a way for him to live what he imagined being a real husband would be like and it was a chance for him to be the father he wanted his dad to be. The main theme I get from the film is that there is always a reason that someone does something. All you can do is help them through it.