Charlie And Raymond example essay topic

Barry Levinson brings us a Raymond, very moving character in the movie Raymond Babbitt. Raymond is a grown man that is Autistic. Raymond may be grown up but he lacks certain sociable skills, making communication very difficult. He has a hard time understanding and answer questions. Because of Raymond's handicap he is unable to progress into a new person.

Raymond's limitations give the movie boundaries. Levinson uses the idea of not allowing this character to change to affect the other characters in this story. The character that is most affected is Raymond's brother, Charlie. At the beginning Charlie is frustrated and short on cash, his father has died and Charlie received no inheritance, his father had left it all to Charlie's unknown brother, Raymond. When Charlie first meets Raymond he thinks it is a big joke, the way Raymond acts. Although, all he can seem to think about is why no one ever told him that he had a brother.

Charlie makes it out to seem like he really wants to take Raymond in with him and take care of him, at this point Charlie is taking Raymond from the institute where he is being taken care of in hopes of trading Raymond back for part of his inheritance. When he is refused, Charlie runs off with Raymond beginning a cross-country journey that would change Charlie completely. The beginning of the movie shows Charlie as a money motivated guy. He was only in it for the quick buck, you soon find out that his business is suffering and is having many problems. This symbolizes how people of today are greedy and driven by money. Charlie's initial impulse was to acquire his inheritance of 1.5 million dollars.

In order to obtain this money Charlie finds it necessary to remove Raymond from the institute that is taking care of him and in theory use him as leverage to get the money. In order for Charlie to do this he has to make changes and accommodate for Raymond's needs. Charlie isn't used to Raymond's requirements, such as watching TV shows are certain times, being asleep by a certain time, seating odd amounts of food and need for attention to make sure he doesn't get hurt. Charlie starts to get to know Raymond, and the more he does the more Charlie changes. Charlie completely alters his lifestyle to provide for Raymond. At the beginning when Charlie is still getting to know Raymond they to out for breakfast and there is no syrup on the table, and this is not what Raymond is used to.

He always had the syrup on the table before they got the pancakes. Raymond makes a be deal about it and Charlie tries to tell him that they will bring the syrup with the pancakes but Raymond doesn't like this and creates and issue about it. Charlie is frustrated by this is doesn't understand. This is another example of how Charlie is not able to change, he is used the repetition and a set procedure. If Charlie is going to get along with his brother he is going to have to adapt.

Charlie ends up spending about a week living with Raymond, getting to know him learning his likes and dislikes, his habits and so on. Every place that they stay, Charlie has Raymond's bed put by a window. When ever Charlie and Raymond are out it is always interrupted by a television show that Raymond wants to watch, he knows when all the shows are on and is eager to watch them. As Charlie begins to understand Raymond more and more he attempts to satisfy Raymond by buying him an expensive mini portable TV so no mater where Raymond is he can always see his shows and not cause an issue about it. Toward the end of the film, Raymond and Charlie go out to breakfast again. This time they sit down, they are very friendly to each other, and when Raymond goes to order he says "Can't have pancakes, without syrup on the table first".

Charlie moves his hands and reveals the hidden syrup that had already been placed on the table. Raymond realizes that Charlie made a joke and laughs. I believe at this part of the movie Charlie really feels connected to Raymond and doesn't want to let him go. One morning Raymond wakes up early and tries to make breakfast. He turns on the oven and its starts smoking, of course he has no idea what is going on and soon enough the smoke reaches the smoke alarm. When this happens it begins to alarm, scaring Raymond out of control.

Charlie quickly runs and attempts to settle Raymond down. At this point I believe that Charlie is beginning to realize that Raymond's limitations where now causing limitation on him. Charlie now understood that he had learned all he could from his brother and it was now time to let him go back to the institute. Raymond's limitations in this film have a huge impact on Charlie. Raymond's actions and habits have molded Charlie into a much more caring person. Charlie has learned something about himself, and that he has a brother, and he doesn't need the $1.5 million, and he can be happy without it.

I think Raymond helps Charlie see what he really has and shows him how lucky he is. Charlie is transformed into a very caring person by the end of the film, he knows the foods that Raymond likes and even gets him a video that he will enjoy. Charlie has really changed while Raymond is exactly the same person that he was at the beginning of the film. Charlie is no longer the greedy, selfish man that he was. He has grown to a more caring, respectful and loyal person, and it is all thanks to his time with Raymond..