Ordinary People | Themes
Psychology plays a key role in the novel, as young Conrad Jarrett learns to express rather than repress his emotions with the help of a psychiatrist. In contrast, his mother Beth's inability to confront her feelings leads her to leave her husband Cal and son. Guest has been especially praised for her insight into the feelings and experiences of her adolescent male protagonist, Conrad. A principal theme of Ordinary People is grief over a loved one's death. As Beth, Cal, and Con struggle to cope with Buck's fatal accident, they turn inward, causing conflicts within the family. It is...
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