Grief in Look Both Ways

4 Stages of Grief

SHOCK & DISBELIEF

Julia goes through shock and disbelief when she is walking home with the groceries when her and Robert’s dog runs over to her and she realise what has gone on at the train line with Robert dying.

DENIAL

Nick’s Dad was In denial about his cancer shown by him always changing the subject in the flashbacks from Nick throughout the film.

BARGANING
Phil bargains with god in the way that if he stops smoking and becomes healthier his life would be longer and better.

GUILT

Nick feels guilt towards Meryl in starting a relationship with her just after he has been diagnosed with cancer, he feels that he is only starting a short term relationship where she may be thinking of a long term one because she is unaware of Nick’s cancer situation.

By Jon

Shock and Disbelief, Denial, Bargaining, Guilt

‘Look Both Ways’- Seven Stages Of Grief

· Shock & Disbelief- when Meryl sees Julia’s husband trips over the train lines and gets run
over and dies. This illustrates shock as Meryl is getting interviewed by the policeman and
she’s getting questioned about the accident and the sheer shock in her face and voice.

· Denial- is shown when nicks dad is denial about his cancer and try’s to live his life normal.

· Bargaining- when Phil says he’s going to quit smoking so he can have acceptance from his
family and change his life he bargains.

· Guilt- is shown when Meryl is told by nick that he has cancer and she doesn’t give him any
recognition about it, she feels bad later after yelling at him.

By Brogen

Who experiences acceptance, depression, anger and guilt in Look Both Ways?

Acceptance- Joan shows acceptance with the death of her husband, Meryl how she accepts Nick into her life even though he has cancer and when Julia builds a memorial.

Depression – Andy

Anger- Shown in Julia when she sees the memorial that Meryl had made for Rob and she kicked it down.

Guilt- The train driver feels guilt over the death of Rob. Nick feels guilt about telling his mother he has cancer.

By Erin

Seven stages of grief

It is widely accepted that there are seven distinct stages in the grieving process. The seven stages of grief are:

1. Shock or Disbelief
2. Denial
3. Bargaining
4. Guilt
5. Anger
6. Depression
7. Acceptance and Hope

Research and write what you understand your allocated stage of grief to mean. Consider and record which characters you can apply this stage of grief to. Explain their reactions and behaviours in the film that show they are experiencing that stage of grief. Pigeonhole your responses.

Despair, Survival and Love in Look Both Ways

Despair- Meryl is sick of living her life in despair and longs for change. When Nick comes into her life she feels complete.

Survival- Nick’s battle with cancer is a true survival story, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer but fought on, with the help of Meryl, his mother and friends he is able to fight it off.

Love - Nick and Meryl first come across each other by accident, they stumble upon each other once again and start talking more and more, their relationship blossoms and shortly after have a sexual encounter. The liking to each other turns into love and after a few set backs with Nicks cancer, they eventually marry and travel the world.

By anonymous student

Themes in Look Both Ways

Spirit- Nick shows his spirit with his battle with cancer. He proves he can beat his cancer and be with Meryl.

Desire-desire is shown in the film with the character Andy, his desire to get his point across and gets caught up in it. It is also shown at rob and Julia’s house their desire to build a life together.

Anxiety- anxiety is present throughout the film with a number of the characters. Meryl’s anxiety is shown in her animations, when she sees herself being killed all the time. An example of this is when her and nick are having sex and she is thinking about getting aids and having triplets that are sick. Nick also shows anxiety in the film when he thinks about the cancer and his fathers struggle with it too. Anna also show it when she is contemplating her unborn baby.

By Erin

Anxiety, Desire and Spirit

ANXIETY
I see anxiety in both Nick and Meryl. Meryl’s anxiety is shown through the animations of people killing her during her everyday life, an example is when she is having sex with nick and she imagines her getting aids and dieing, Nicks anxiety is shown when he is searches about his cancer and how it could of come to him, It is shown when they have a photomontage of him taking photos as a young photographer at the radioactive place.

DESIRE
Desire is prominent in Andy character, by him being so caught up in his work about people accidental deaths being suicide because he believes that everyone has an gender and he has a desire to get this point across.

SPIRIT
Spirit is shown in Look Both Ways through Nick’s spirit to go through the hardest days of cancer and still recover to marry Meryl and live a happy life travelling around the world.

By Jon