What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)

Cast overview, first billed only:
Johnny Depp	....	Gilbert Grape
Leonardo DiCaprio	....	Arnie Grape
Juliette Lewis	....	Becky
Mary Steenburgen	....	Betty Carver
Darlene Cates	....	Bonnie Grape
Laura Harrington	....	Amy Grape
Mary Kate Schellhardt	....	Ellen Grape

Themes:

Responsibility, guilt, love (all kinds), coming of age, big dreams in a small town, change, old replaced by new, health, who are the parents, death/Life redemption, purification by fire/water, Developmental Disabilities, Travel/motion vs. stasis/stability, Whose life is it anyway?

Draw a web or webs or an outline showing how the themes connect to the characters.

Please answer all the questions in your best writing. Use complete sentences, obey grammar rules. We will be doing two drafts of this assignment. The second draft will be typed, double-spaced in a 12 pt. Font, with 1” margins. So you may type the first draft if you wish, as well.

1. CHARACTERIZATION

Discuss the acting in this film in terms of realism. Which actors portrayal was most realistic. Discuss aspects of their performance; specific scenes, actions, etc. Include moments that touched you/made you think.

2. SYNTHESIZING INFORMATION

In a multi-paragraph response discuss one of the themes of WEGG? Use examples, quotes, events cited from WEGG to show how is it represented. How did the characters lives/stories represent the theme? How does it relate to real life?

Adapted by Rob Slater from original ideas of Darin Detwiler