Second Hand Lion Essay

Submitted By charmingal85
Words: 611
Pages: 3

1. The first display of self- disclosure was when Walter ran away. Garth and Hub went to that abandoned store (it looked like an abandoned store) to pick him up. Walter admitted to Garth through tears that he had been to an orphanage and didn’t want to go back there. This example from the movie falls under the principle “We disclose a Great Deal in Few Interactions”. The text in the book says we disclose a large amount in a few interactions. Walter hadn’t been with them very long for him to admit that.

The second display of self-disclosure was the last scenes at the lake when Hub was sleep walking. Walter woke him and asked about what happened to Jasmine. Hub told him that she died giving birth. In return, Walter asked him where the stories true and that all he hears around his mom are lies. Hub then gives a speech about love. I believe this example falls under two principles. The first principle is “Self Disclosures are Reciprocal” which is the the tendency to reciprocate in kind to another’s self-disclosure. They both shared an intimate moment. Also, I believe this example falls under “Self disclosures occur over time”, too. Self-disclosure over time generally happens incrementally over time. Before that scene at the lake, Hub was a little standoffish to Walter. Hub didn’t talk to him like Garth did often. But after they shared that moment at the lake, Hub came around and eased up on Walter. I believe that’s why Garth got Walter to ask Hub about what happened to Jasmine. That emotional wall he had up came tumbling down when they shared that moment at the lake.

2. Initiating- At the breakfast table, Walter breaks the ice by asking where they been for 40 years. Garth replied by saying Africa, Moroccan, and other places. Initiating is when two people notice each other and indicate to each other that they are interested in making contact.
Experimenting- two people become acquainted by gathering information about each other. Walter and Garth were in a lot of scenes were they engaged in small talk about stories from his past.
Intensifying- development in which the intimacy between the partner intensifies. I believe the more stories Garth told Walter they became fonder of one another.
Integrating- relationship development in which two