ordinary ppl
A detailed Summary of ordinary ppl
Ordinary People by Judith Guest is the story of a
dysfunctional family who relate to one another through a series of
extensive defense mechanisms, i.e. an unconscious process whereby
reality is distorted to reduce or prevent anxiety. The book opens
with seventeen year old Conrad, son of upper middle-class Beth and
Calvin Jarrett, home after eight months in a psychiatric hospital,
there because he had attempted suicide by slashing his wrists. His
mother is a meticulously orderly person who, Jared, through
projection, feels despises him. She does all the right things;
attending to Jared's physical needs, keeping a spotless home, plays
golf and bridge with other women in her social circle, but, in her
own words "is an emotional cripple". Jared's father, raised in an
orphanage, seems anxious to please everyone, a commonplace reaction
of individuals who, as children, experienced parental indifference
or inconsistency. Though a successful tax attorney, he is jumpy
around Conrad, and, according to his wife, drinks too many
Conrad seems consumed with despair. A return to normalcy,
school and home-life, appear to be more than Conrad can handle.
Chalk-faced, hair-hacked Conrad seems

study, the attacks on the self are revealed to be unconscious
"She had not cried at the funeral.... She and Conrad had been
me?" Conrad expresses a similar thought in remembering the
their development stage (Erikson), "ego integrity vs. despair".
emotion and denying emotional investment in a thing or person.
also turns his anger on himself and expresses in extreme and
situations in which they behaved selfishly (Conrad held on to the
me? My mother is a very private person." This sort of response
with Conrad, moving closer to him, while his mother goes off on her
Beth, Conrad's mother, is very self-possessed. She appears
Some common words found in the essay are:
William Helmreich, Beth Conrad's, Dr Berger, Calvin Jarrett, Encyclopedia Britannica, Judith Guest, Calvin Razoring, Calvin Conrad's, Safety Definitely, Dad Calvin, mad conrad, conrad moving, conrad feelings, conrad responds, feel guilty, mad conrad responds, express anger, conrad consumed,
Approximate Word count = 1418
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
Category: English
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