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Ordinary People | Study Guide

Judith Guest

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Course Hero. "Ordinary People Study Guide." January 18, 2018. Accessed September 30, 2023. https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Ordinary-People/.

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Course Hero, "Ordinary People Study Guide," January 18, 2018, accessed September 30, 2023, https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Ordinary-People/.

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Check out this Infographic to learn more about Judith Guest's Ordinary People. Study visually with character maps, plot summaries, helpful context, and more.

Calvin, Chapter 11 hey are ordinary people, after all. Sources: Encyclopaedia Britannica, JudithGuest.com, World Heritage Encyclopedia Copyright © 2018 Course Hero, Inc. Symbols Christmas Tree Fake versus real; represents Beth and Calvin, respectively Sports Symbolize the Jarretts’ economic status and personalities The Color Blue Stands for Conrad’s progress from sadness to peace Perceptive psychiatrist; helps Conrad understand his problems and regain his mental health Dr. Berger Perfectionist homemaker; avoids real communication with her son Conrad and husband Calvin Beth √ √ X X X X X √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Successful tax attorney; cares deeply for his son Conrad and tries to understand him Calvin Sensitive high school student recovering from depression and attempted suicide Conrad Main Characters Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Guest is no stranger to the ordinary people of middle America. Ordinary People, her award-winning debut novel, is a stunning work of psychological realism about death and its effects on a family. It was adapted into a feature film, winning the Best Picture Oscar in 1980. JUDITH GUESTBORN 1936 Author Real openness and vulnerability can build bridges of trust between people. Communication Calvin and Conrad must find authentic ways of defining themselves. Search for Identity Clinging to illusions of normalcy and perfection alienates Beth from others. Illusion vs. Reality After 18-year-old Buck Jarrett’s accidental death, his family strugglesto cope. His surviving brother, Conrad, suffers from depression, and his parents’ marriage deteriorates. With the help of an empathetic psychiatrist, Conrad lets go of his guilt and comes to terms with his parents. A Journeyfrom Loss to Redemption THEMES English Original Language 1976 Year Published Judith Guest Author Ordinary People Drama Novel
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