Summary
Back at the grocery store, Gilbert gets a call to make another delivery to Mrs. Carver. When he arrives, he encounters an angry Betty; it is clear she is envious of the time he is spending with Becky. She tricks Gilbert into calling her husband, and he is forced to meet Mr. Carver at his insurance office. Although Gilbert is expecting Mr. Carver to confront him about his affair, Mr. Carver has requested to see him because his family doesn’t have an insurance plan. During their meeting, Betty calls Mr. Carver and demands that he come home at once.
Betty has the car, which makes Mr. Carver stranded at his office and incapable of returning home. He then asks if Gilbert can drive him to his house. This situation makes Gilbert visibly anxious. Gilbert and Mr. Carver arrive at Betty’s home to find smoke leaking from the kitchen window. Mrs. Carver is sitting on her porch, visibly distraught.
After attempting to reassure the entire family, Mr. Carver begins hysterically asking his children to play with him in the kiddie pool. Meanwhile, Mrs. Carver confronts Gilbert and explains that she will not tolerate him rejecting her. Gilbert leaves the scene and heads home. At home, he watches an old romantic television show with Bonnie and Arnie. His peaceful evening at home is soon disrupted by Ellen’s abrupt entrance.
Ellen bursts through the front door proclaiming that Mr. Carver has suddenly died. Gilbert and Arnie drive to the Carver house, which is currently being investigated by the police. Outside of the house, they see Tucker, who informs them that Mr. Carver drowned in the kiddie pool. The next day, Bobby, Tucker, and Gilbert discuss Mr. Carver’s death over breakfast at the diner. While Tucker is convinced Betty murdered her husband, Bobby, the coroner, insists that he had a heart attack and then fell into the pool.
From within the restaurant, Arnie sees Becky riding her bike. At Arnie’s initiation, he, Becky, and Gilbert go to the lake for a swim. After their swim, Becky and Gilbert lay down together on the lakebed. Becky asks Gilbert to talk about what he wants from life. All of his responses revolve around his family—Gilbert wants a new house for his siblings to live in, a new brain for Arnie, and for his mom to lose weight.
After Becky asks Gilbert what he wants for himself, he tells her that he desires to be a good person. Caught up in conversation, Gilbert fails to notice that Arnie has, once again, run away to the water tower. The police, frustrated by this recurring incident, arrest Arnie and bring him to jail. Gilbert returns home, exasperated and exhausted by Arnie’s arrest. Bonnie, even more aggravated with the news, decides to take matters into her own hands.
For the first time in seven years, she leaves the house and demands that Gilbert drive her to the town center. After she screams at the officers for arresting her son, townspeople congregate and gawk at her. This experience clearly takes a toll on Bonnie, as she appears forlorn and doesn't want to eat during family dinner. Later, Gilbert visits Becky, who is impressed by Bonnie’s bravery. She asks to meet Gilbert’s mother, but he is hesitant. At the end of the scene, Gilbert and Becky share their first kiss.
Analysis
As we observe Betty Carver’s actions, we understand that she is consistently seeking risk and adventure in order to compensate for her boredom and unhappiness. When she tricks Gilbert into calling her husband, it is clear that Betty is very different from her young lover. To a certain extent, Betty enjoys feeling powerful while Gilbert craves stability and normalcy. Although she is aware of the stresses that dominate Gilbert’s life at home, Betty continuously pushes her young lover into more stressful and provocative situations. The looming threat of being chastised or punished by Mr. Carver intensifies Gilbert’s pre-existing anxieties.
When Gilbert finally enters Betty’s husband’s office, we get more of a sense of Mr. Carver as a character. Up until this point, Gilbert and Mr. Carver are depicted as enemies. Though no drama has actually materialized between them, their different relationships with Betty pin the two as foil characters--Gilbert is the young, promiscuous lover, while Mr. Carver is the steadfast partner who works and provides for the family. However, during the confrontation scene in Mr. Carver’s office, we learn that he is actually oblivious to Betty’s infidelity. Ironically, he demonstrates a vested interest in Gilbert’s well-being, his family dynamics and his finances.
The smoke leaking from the Carver home symbolically demonstrates Betty Carver’s emotional, fiery, and destructive nature. We learn that many of Betty’s actions are driven by her reactive emotions. Like other characters in the film, Betty craves attention and affection. However, her methods for fulfilling her feelings displace her emotions onto others. As Mr. Carver approaches the inflatable pool, we see how he, like Gilbert, is weighed down by the duties and pressures of providing for his family. In this regard, we learn that Mr. Carver and Gilbert are more similar than they are different.
Mr. Carver’s sudden death is deeply symbolic. Firstly, it develops the recurring motif of the futility, spontaneity, and fragility of existence. Secondly, it is ironic, as it parallels the speech Mr. Carver gave to Gilbert earlier that day about the need for insurance in case of tragedy. Thirdly, it demonstrates how the pressures to provide for and maintain the family can bring about negative consequences. Mr. Carver’s death greatly impacts Gilbert. From this moment forward, he understands that he must balance living a life for his family with living a life for himself.
When Becky asks Gilbert what he wants out of his life, she demonstrates, to a certain extent, her role in the story as a stock character. As a new woman removed from the politics and dynamics of Endora, Becky’s refreshing presence provides Gilbert with a sense of escape. She awakens Gilbert’s qualities of introspection and adventure when he has previously felt claustrophobic, self-conscious, and despondent. However, Gilbert’s goal to be a “good person” demonstrates the limits of his own morality. How does one define “being a good person,” and how does Gilbert’s current life path either contribute to or distract him from this abstract goal?
It is both ironic and fitting that Arnie runs away during Gilbert’s introspective discussion with Becky. Through this action, it is evident that Arnie and Gilbert share a somewhat parasitic relationship. As Gilbert matures and begins to understand his own autonomy, he loses his control of Arnie. In some ways, this change is positive, as Arnie is able to gain a taste of his own freedom. However, due to the voyeurism and expectations of the Endora community, Arnie and Gilbert are both punished for deviating from their expected roles. Arnie’s arrest marks a major turning point in the film’s plot.
Although Bonnie sees herself as a burden upon her children, her decision to leave her house and advocate for Arnie demonstrates her genuine interest and care for her family. Specifically, Bonnie is particularly tender and considerate of Arnie and his well-being. While Bonnie effectively frees Arnie from the grips of Endora’s bureaucracy, this doesn't give her any sense of pride or happiness. Although Bonnie is aware of her obesity and self-conscious of her lifestyle, the ridicule and torment that she faces while demanding for Arnie’s freedom alters the course of her life trajectory. From this moment forward, Bonnie recognizes that she has transformed into someone that she never intended to be. She is deeply depressed and ashamed of her existence, and her passivity and sadness leave her unenthused about life itself.
