The significance of the title "Ordinary People" is that it is ironic because
there are not ordinary people in the book. It does not correspond with the novel itself.
As defined in Webster's Dictionary, ordinary means usual, common, or normal. To most
people, this is what they think they are. However, in the book being unordinary is
common for most of the characters. The author of this book, Judith Guest, probably
titled this book "Ordinary People" to make readers ask themselves, "What is ordinary? Am
I ordinary?"
The title describes the book as being ordinary when the characters are really unusual.
For example, most teenagers do not try to commit suicide. However, in this book, Conrad
Jarett tries to kill himself. He attempts suicide because he is depressed about his
older brother's death. He lost his brother in a boating accident and he blames himself
for his death. He believes that he could have prevented the accident by coming in from
the sea when the waters began to get rough. However, there was nothing that Conrad could
have done to prevent the boat from capsizing. His attempt to commit suicide is one of
the things that makes him unordinary from normal teenagers.
In the real world, many teenagers attempt suicide. But, this is not ordinary. It is
unusual for a teenager to attempt or commit suicide. Society does not look at this sort
of behavior as ordinary. If a teenager does attempt suicide, they are usually seeking
attention and looking for pity. As a result of these actions, they are seen as having
some sort of mental incapacity and are treated for it. Therefore, this is not ordinary
and Conrad was not either.
Another character in this book who is not ordinary is Beth Jarett, Conrad's mother.
Conrad feels as if she does not love him. She hardly talks to him. She also treats him
as if he does not belong in the family, like a stranger. For example, in one part of the
book, Conrad bends over to hug his mother and she just sits there and does not hug him
back. In another part, his father wants to take a picture of Conrad and his mother
together, but she suggests that she take a picture of all the men instead. This incident
makes Conrad feel as if his mother does not like him. Beth Jarett does not act like an
'ordinary' mother.
An ordinary mother does not act like Beth. An ordinary mother would show affection for
her son even if he tried to commit suicide. As a matter of fact, a mother would show
even more affection and love if her son tried to kill himself. Beth does not show the
type of affection that an ordinary mother would show towards her own children.
Not showing affection is not the only thing that makes Beth unordinary. At the end of
the novel, Calvin, Conrad's father, tells Beth that he is not sure if he loves her the
way he used to anymore. Beth has no reaction. Instead of talking with him and trying to
find out why he feels this way, she silently walks away. She goes up to her bedroom and
packs her bags. In the morning she leaves for Houston, to her brother's house while
Conrad is still sleeping. She does not even say good-bye to him. An ordinary mother
would not abandon her family like Beth does. Instead, an ordinary mother would try to
fix the problems in her family.
In conclusion, the book "Ordinary People" has nothing to do with 'ordinary people.' The
title does not correspond to the description that the author has given it, which is
ordinary. The examples given show how ironic the title of the book is in relation to the
book itself.
|