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Big Movie Essay Big (Movie) Big, a movie which stars Tom Hanks, is about a 13 year old boy Josh who wished to grow up and become â€Å"big. † He made this wish upon a fortunetelling machine in an amusement pier, which came true the following day when he woke up and became a grown up man. The conflict in the story revolves around his dilemma to cope with the abrupt changes which took place overnight. In physique, he looks like an old man, but he is still a 13 year old boy mentally and emotionally. Thus he had the difficulty to mingle with gown up people, including his problem in getting a job and engaging in romantic relationships (Internet Movie Database). Certain conflicts happened during the course of the story. First, is brought by the abrupt changes in his physique which would prompt the boy to act according to his new appearance. Second, his integration amongst the adults while he still continues to have his kid best friend also adds up to his identity dilemma. And third, due to these conflicts, he is torn between opting to remain as an adult with his found girlfriend, or whether he must return to his old kid self. To address these conflicts, one must look at the reason why it started. The conflicts all started with one wish. When Josh wished he would be a grown up, and it suddenly came true, ignited all the conflicts. Hence, the reason that pushed him into making that wish is essential in the story. What prompted the wish? His seemingly troubled character and the pressures that he usually gets from his parents made him wish to become bigger and independent. The crisis that he is experiencing as a childhood made him to want to become a grown up, and explore the world the way that he isn’t allowed to do while he is still a teenager. This only shows the great importance that parents play in a child’s development most importantly in his adolescent years. Families, particularly parents, hold a vital part in a child’s rearing. Their influences, serve as either an inspiration to their children; or it creates a negative impact, such as pressure for the child. Thus, it is necessary that they get a closer look into the child’s thoughts and emotions for them to be able to properly guide the child towards his adolescent years. Moreover, as shown in the movie, Josh’ struggle to fit into the new world of adults is a proof that the gap in his adolescent growth made him unequipped to cope with the more complicated world of adults. This gap in his growth, both in biological and emotional aspects, rendered him the incapability to properly adjust to the bigger world. This instance shows the utter importance of identity development during adolescent years. Hence this proves that the social transitions that adolescents encounter are rigid part of one’s identity. In addition, the dilemma of being an adult while continuing the childlike behavior that Josh still keeps in the company of his best friend is another facet for his dilemma. The crisis on whether he should act as an adult, or still maintain the inner kid that he really adds more to his identity problem. Given these situations and identity crisis that were shown in the movie, it is necessary to stress the absolute importance of parenting roles in the development of a child’s identity, most especially if he is in his critical adolescent years. First, the parents must avoid letting the kid feel pressured. Parents must always be there for constant reminders and guidance, but in such a way that the kid wouldn’t feel anxious towards the things that are being expected of them. In addition, power struggle between the parents and the kid shall be avoided. Implication of excessive authority from the parents towards their kids breeds awkwardness in the relationship and at most times, the kids would feel embarrassed, resented and bitter towards the role that they play in their family. Thus it results to feeling of inferiority and sometimes pushes the urge of being more independent and free from the scrutiny of their elders. It must be fully recognized that adolescents have their usual pursuits for independence. And the parents must fully understand that such thing is normal for the development of their kids, thus parents must not consider it as a gesture of rejection of kids to their parents, or a sign of them losing control over their kids. Instead, parents must take it positively as a growth and maturity stage of kids during their adolescent years. Therefore it is important that elders welcome this stage without dominating the way that the child should undergo his growth. Rather, they should pose as a consistent figure of a confidant for teenagers especially at their most critical stages. Moreover, as teens are normally in the stage of their increased curiosity towards the discovery of many things, they tend to become influenced by outside peers and may undergo crucial changes and adverse behavior. This would now require an even more challenging role to penetrate the development of a child. The parents and the whole family must make the child feel that whatever decisions and changes that he may undergo, the whole family shall always be there to offer a hand. The commitment of the family to support him will be a very effective guard that can help in developing a greater sense of responsibility and maturity towards the changes the he will undergo. Thus, as shown in the movie, the growth and development of a kid is dependent upon effective parenting. Though choices made by the kids are solely based on their own judgment, still, how they were brought up and how they felt inside the house with their families play a large part in coming up with such decisions. It is therefore an integral part of an adolescent undergoing his personal development that he constantly interacts with parents and family members. Personal relationships are indeed vital in the molding of someone’s personality, thus, how he chooses to mingle with other people and how he chooses options for growth are products of these closely knitted personal relationships. And as seen in the movie wherein the conflict started from a wish, and ended with a wish – it exemplifies that choices are made internally. Options are weighed based on the values that have been instilled within a person through the way he was reared up by his parents. Being a young boy made him impulsive in making his choices; skipping through his adolescent stage made him weary about his life and doubtful on the choices that he has made; and finally, the maturity he earned by closing in the gap of his childhood days and turning abruptly into an adult lead him to another choice – that is to start from where he had left off. He went back to his adolescent years, again from his own choices, and eventually learned from the mistakes he had through the help of his best friend and mother who was glad that he was back. Big at Internet Movie Database. Retrieved November 7, 2007