Character Study Assignment

Character Study

Prior to completing this assignment, review the required resources for the week. Many of you may be familiar with the classic tale of George Bailey (James Stewart) in It’s A Wonderful Life. George Bailey portrays a young man who encounters many major life events. Although he has ambitions to go to college and travel the world, the death of his father crushes his dreams. He decides to stay in his home town to manage the family business, The Bailey Building and Loan. Over the years, Henry F. Potter, George’s nemesis, tries to overtake the family business as it struggles with financial difficulties. As time passes, George Bailey marries and has four children. George’s major stressor presents itself, and the way he perceives and reacts to this stressor, paves the way for the outcome of the movie. While George tries to run away from this stressor, the support of his family and friends help him through it.

To get a brief overview of the movie, go to YouTube and search for It’s a Wonderful Life Official trailer (3:32). Be sure to watch Frank Capra’s 1946 version of the film. Then search for the following clips that depict some of George’s stressful moments:

“Bank Run” (4:01)
“Speech to Potter and the Board” (2:00)
“Potter’s Offer” (2:30)
“George Bailey and Family” (1:42)
“Show Me The Way (Links to an external site.)” (4:08) Available at Wingclip
Address the following elements in your Character Study:

Identify four of George’s stressors. These can be distressful or eustressful events.
Assess George’s physiological, social, and emotional reactions to these stressors. Use the course text and one additional scholarly resource to support your response.
Throughout the movie, George encounters many stressors, but there are two major stress events that he must decide whether to “fight or flight.” The Fight-or-Flight Response is a way the body reacts to stress. When faced with a stressor, the body prepares to fight it or run away from it. View the clips “Bank Run” and “Show Me The Way”.
After viewing these clips, explain
George’s reaction to each stressor (fight or flight).
Why you feel George reacted differently in each situation (also think of his perceptions to each stressor).
Analyze the relationship between stress and health by identifying three illnesses George may be putting himself at risk for as a result of chronic stress. Use the course text and one additional scholarly reference to support your response.
(Please note, while YouTube states it offers the full version of the film, it does not due to copyright issues. It is unlikely you will find the full length version of the film on the Internet due to this reason).

SAMPLE SOLUTION

Character Study
The film “It’s a wonderful life”, is one that helps its viewers understand the human response to the various stressors in life. Throughout the movie, George Bailey experiences multiple stressful events, which help shape his decisions (RMI Movies, 2020). They also help shape the outcome of his life because they play a significant role in determining his physiological, social, and emotional responses.
Stressors and Reactions
One of the major stressors George experiences is the impending doom that faces…