Good Will Hunting

What's in the name?

Do you think it reveals anything about his character arc?

A character arc is the status of a character as it unfolds throughout a narrative. A character begins the narrative with certain viewpoints that change through events in the narrative, in part because they must adapt to changes throughout the storyline.

Discussion questions:

1.  Will resists therapy until he finally sits in the park and listens to what the therapist, Sean, played by Robin Williams, has to say. What in this out-of-office encounter changes Will's mind?

2.  The scene in which Sean presses onto Will the notion that "it is not your fault" has a serious impact on Will and is a breakthrough in his therapy. Why is this?

3.  Chucky is a true best friend to Will. Which scene best shows this quality?

4.  Class differences can undermine a relationship between a man and a woman. What do you see in both Skylar and in Will that will cause their relationship to get past the distinctions caused by class?

5. Discuss adversity in relation to this film.

Interesting approaches to the film:

Attachment Theory

Read this information before answering the following:

What are the ways into this reading?

Describe attachment disorder and how it starts.

Character analysis according to the Attachment Theory.

What to do?

Consider the information above and analyse the characters of Will and Sean as trauma victims.

Consider the differences and similarities of how trauma has affected them and how they have dealt with their disadvantaged circumstances.

Analysis of the film techniques.

What to do?

Identify and discuss the film techniques that the filmmaker has used to represent the Attachment Theory and/or trauma throughout the film.