Comparing Dan In Real Life 'And The Leaving'

Sometimes, it’s the ones closest to us who we hurt the most. They can be your colleagues, friends, or even family members. We often make the mistake of being rude to them because we think they will accept us as we are. But any relationship, even that of family, can be shattered by one’s incautious and impetuous attitude. The movie “Dan in Real Life” and the short story “The Leaving” address the method and importance of constructing a positive family relationship. Dan from “Dan in Real Life” and Elizabeth from “The Leaving”, both initially oppressed by fear and responsibility, find their true selves after being motivated by an epiphany which leads to a profound change in character. Dan, a widower with three daughters, is hiding his grief by
keeping busy and running the household. His duty as a parent doesn’t leave him time for self-reflection which eventually creates many conflict between himself and his family. He oppresses himself when he discontinues the activities that used to give him pleasure such as playing the guitar. On the other hand, Elizabeth does not know that there is more to life than being a homemaker. She’s also busy taking care of four sons, a daughter, and a verbally abusive husband. She does not complain, but “she smiled so rarely” and “her mouth tended to be held in a set straight line” (Page 1, Paragraph 5). Neither of these characters complain about their vacant lives until a motivation triggers them to pursue change.