On Golden Pond

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Introduction: “On Golden Pond,” the 1981 Academy Award Winner for Best Movie, Best Actor (Henry Fonda), and Best Actress (Katherine Hepburn) is a great example of the multiplicity of turmoil and difficulties affecting a couple and their daughter as the parents reach the twilight of their lives. Part of the affect of aging is done by using actors known to the audience for years. This helps the audience relate to the affect of aging by having a clear view of how the actors looked over many years in the public eye. Many members of the audience remember Henry Fonda and Katherine Hepburn from movies made 40 to 50 years ago, before this movie was made. They were young movie stars and sex symbols. In this movie they are older people, aged, gray, wrinkly, and with both mental and physical decline being apparent. According to Baltes (1987), these events of normative aging are common biological changes which people go through. The story addresses multiple aspects of the different developmental stages which people go through in their lives (Erickson, 1959). It views Norman in the old age stage where he is having personal conflicts between his integrity of being old and his despair for his inevitable death (Erickson, 1959). Chelsea, Norman’s daughter, is viewed as needing to resolve issues with Norman in order to progress from young adult hood to the maturity stages of development (Erickson, 1959). Issues such as one’s own mortality, marriage, and the multiple levels of family relationships are looked at in the movie. The story addresses such themes as, growing old, the bonds between father and daughter, daughter and mother, husband and wife, and dealing with the aging, decline, and inevitable death of a family member. Story Synopsis: The story takes place as a retired professor, Norman Thayer (Henry Fonda) and his wife Ethel (Katherine Hepburn) go to their cottage

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