Interpersonal Conflict in Film
Crash
LaToya Jones
COM 200
Jacey Saucedo
August 8, 2011
Crash When we do not listen effectively to what others have to say, we leave ourselves open to misinterpret the point of others are really trying to make. Also, assuming what another is trying to say without letting them actually finish saying what they want. This can cause confusion in others leading them to jump to conclusions. In the movie “Crash”, not listening to others and communicating effectively can have serious consequences that cannot be reversed. In the move “Crash” a guy was walking down the highway trying to hitch a ride. Someone pulls over and asks him where he was going. He says anywhere away from here. The guy that gets in the car is an African American; the driver of the car was a Caucasian police officer. As they are talking the African American mentions he likes the music that is playing. It is a country song. The police officer laughs like he does not believe him. He also sees a figurine on the dashboard and started laughing. The officer then asks what he was laughing at assuming he was laughing at him. The African American then says “people” so the officer assumes he means white people. The driver then tells him angrily to get out of his car. They began to argue back and forth for a minute about not pulling over. The passenger is also unaware that the driver is in fact a police officer. The passenger then reaches into his pocket to show the driver something and the officer told him to keep his hands where he can see them. He keeps trying to get something out of his pocket. The driver assumes it’s a gun or a weapon so as he began to pull it out of his pocket the driver shoots him in the chest. The driver leans over to see what is in his hand and it turns out to be the same figurine of Saint Christopher that was on the dashboard. He realizes he has just mistakenly shot and killed someone for assuming the wrong thing. This conflict was handled ineffectively because the police
LaToya Jones
COM 200
Jacey Saucedo
August 8, 2011
Crash When we do not listen effectively to what others have to say, we leave ourselves open to misinterpret the point of others are really trying to make. Also, assuming what another is trying to say without letting them actually finish saying what they want. This can cause confusion in others leading them to jump to conclusions. In the movie “Crash”, not listening to others and communicating effectively can have serious consequences that cannot be reversed. In the move “Crash” a guy was walking down the highway trying to hitch a ride. Someone pulls over and asks him where he was going. He says anywhere away from here. The guy that gets in the car is an African American; the driver of the car was a Caucasian police officer. As they are talking the African American mentions he likes the music that is playing. It is a country song. The police officer laughs like he does not believe him. He also sees a figurine on the dashboard and started laughing. The officer then asks what he was laughing at assuming he was laughing at him. The African American then says “people” so the officer assumes he means white people. The driver then tells him angrily to get out of his car. They began to argue back and forth for a minute about not pulling over. The passenger is also unaware that the driver is in fact a police officer. The passenger then reaches into his pocket to show the driver something and the officer told him to keep his hands where he can see them. He keeps trying to get something out of his pocket. The driver assumes it’s a gun or a weapon so as he began to pull it out of his pocket the driver shoots him in the chest. The driver leans over to see what is in his hand and it turns out to be the same figurine of Saint Christopher that was on the dashboard. He realizes he has just mistakenly shot and killed someone for assuming the wrong thing. This conflict was handled ineffectively because the police
References: Sole, K. (2011). Visual elements of interpersonal communication. In Making connections: understanding interpersonal communication. Retrieved from https://content.asford.edu/books/AUCOM200.11.1