Table de matières
The previous chapter reviewed the existing literature on conflict analysis and thematic study. The present deals with conflict analysis in Housemaid. It tackles the conflict that the main character undergoes within himself and with other characters in the created fictional world of the movie. It also analyzes the conflicts among subsidiary characters. These conflicts are analyzed as they logically and successively appear in the movie .The chapter also analyzes how every one of the conflicts is resolved. It is worth mentioning that the movie under study has two parts: part I and part II. The conflict in both parts is analyzed in this study.
The movie Housemaid centers on Harris and Linda who are in love, but Harris’ family interfered in their love affair. At the beginning they were living in a good harmony. Later on, the conflict breaks their love affair. Linda thinks that Harris is in love with his receptionist, because when she goes to see Harris in his office, Edna wants her to be patient but Linda uses force and negligence to get in without waiting for the permission from the receptionist. She gets in and starts speaking angrily asking Harris why did not pick up her call when she called him, Harris tries to show her that he did not hear when the phone was ringing but Linda does not believe and says that Harris is in love with the receptionist Edna .Harris is not stable because he has been insulted by Linda. This makes him to dislike Linda. Linda goes after missing what she comes for.
The following dialogue proves it:
Linda: What’s wrong with you Harris?
You are not picking up my call,
I waited for so long at the reception.
Harris: I was busy working; I didn’t hear it ringing
The conflict can be presented as follows
Linda
To solve this conflict, Harris keeps quiet and simply listens to what Linda is saying. Because Harris told her to meet at home so that she may have what she came to take in Harris’s office, she decides to go back at home and waits for him at home.
The next conflict opposes Edna and Linda
When Linda arrives at the receptionist’s office, she gets in without permission and that makes the receptionist (Edna) hates Linda and follows her up to where Harris is sitting. Edna wants to know why Linda gets in without any permission and shows her to be patient but Linda is angry with the lady and starts calling her a prostitute girl.
The following dialogues support it:
Edna: Excuse me, sister! There are office rules and regulation. How come you storm in?
Linda: What regulations are you talking about? I’m talking to you,
I didn’t come here to see you
Edna: You are very wrong, this is not the first time you are doing it
That’s not the way we work here.
This conflict can be represented as follows
To put an end to this conflict Linda decides to leave Edna, as she sees that Edna does not reply to all that she says. Edna is preparing to join Harris in his office to tell him about her lover Linda, how impolite she is, but Harris says it is because of him that all those bad things happen. He apologizes to her.
The next conflict opposes Harris versus Harris’ mother
Harris is resting in his house after work; his mother is about to leave but Harris stops her and starts telling that he does not want to hear anything concerning Linda, and if he is in danger, it will be because of her mother, who forces him to continue being in love with Linda because Harris’ mother loves Linda too much but her son did not appreciate her behavior when they were in the office. Harris is also angry when his mother extrapolates in sending Suzzi to take many things from her bed room but she asks a thing a time for a long time even though she is her house girl. She could tell Suzzi to bring everything at once instead of sending her on any times but his mother does want to hear that because she pays her monthly. That is why she must be sent whenever and however. This makes Harris be angry with his mother but his mother does not mind because for her it is normal to send the housemaid again and again
The following passage from the script of the movie proves it:
Harris: I always tell you that Linda isn’t good, for me, marrying her will be suicidal.
Harris’ mother: Listen, your love affair with Linda has got nothing to do with me.
Harris: I know very well that I will be in trouble, if I marry her yet you support it.
Harris’ mother: You guys are used to each other that is why you always fight.
Harris’ mother: Suzzi bring me my bag .It is in my room
(After a little time)
Hurry up, gosh ….. Give it to me
(After a little time)
Bring me my watch it is in my room on the dressing table, hurry up. (After a little time)
Bring me my ring. It is there too
Harris: Mom, can’t you ask her to bring all stuffs at once?
Harris’ mother: Stop interfering; she has to be working because I pay her monthly.
The present conflict can be represented as follows:
Harris’ mother
As the resolution to this conflict, Harris keeps quiet and lets his mother go because she was about to leave. Then he decides that she will no longer be in love with Linda because she is a suicidal girl, she always misbehaves, and therefore she does not deserve to be his future wife.
The following conflict in the movie opposes Harris father and Harris mother
When Harris’ mother leaves, she does not inform anyone where goes. She only tells Harris that she leaves without specifying exactly where she goes. When Harris’ father is from work, he takes rest in the sitting room waiting for her wife, unfortunately, he cannot see her .Harris father tells Harris how his mother is giving him a hard time. When it is already dark, Harris’ mother comes from where she went and meets her husband waiting for her in the sitting room. Harris father wants to know where his wife comes from at such a time. Harris’ mother does not reply to the question; she simply says that Harris’ father should not be interfering in her business. Harris’ father gets angry and wants to beat her but Harris’ mother shows how she respects him too much and he continues pushing her ,telling her to go back where she was, from that time up to now, but Harris’ mother resists and they start pushing one another.
The following dialogues support this:
Harris’ father: Where are you from at this time? Are you a sentinel on a nightshift?
you don’t have even uniforms
Harris’ mother: I’m trying to respect you but you are losing it
Harris’ father: You have to inform us where you are going
Harris’ mother: What have my activities got to do with you?
Harris’ father: Of all people you give me such an answer? Where are you coming from at this time?
Harris’ mother: I have nothing but respect for you, stop making noise
Harris’ father: where are you coming from this time?
Harris’ mother: what has it got to do with you?
Harris’ father: go back to where you come from.
The conflict can be represented as follows:
Harris’ father
To resolve this conflict Harris’ father chases her from the house because she does not want to say where she spent the whole day up to now. Harris’ father pushes her from sitting room until outside.
The next conflict opposes Linda and Harris
While Linda is sitting in the sitting room reading a book, Harris comes to visit her in order to talk about what happened in his office but Linda does not want to see Harris visiting her because Harris did not talk to her much when she went to his office, where Harris was busy and Linda reacted in impolite way. This made Harris not talk to her very much. He wants to show Linda that she misbehaved in the office, but she starts insulting him. Harris shows her that they are two different persons and they have to react differently but Linda starts speaking angrily and chases him from her house, threatening to call the policeman.
The following extract from the script of the movie proves it.
Harris: You have to decide to read a book as if there is nobody else in this sitting room.
Linda: What do you want me to do? Listen, we will never get long unless you as I say.
Harris: We are different, I will always be Harris not Linda, is there anything wrong I have done to you?
Linda: Don’t you know what’s wrong with?
Harris: I don’t, if I know I would have solved it ready.
Linda: Get out my house, either I call policeman.
This conflict can be represented as follows:
Linda
To resolve this conflict, Linda stands up and chases Harris from her house and she tells him that, if he insists, she will call the police. She goes back to continue reading her book.
The next conflict in this movie opposes Harris and Linda
Harris gathers his family one evening and Linda is there. He wants to tell Linda in front of his parents that they are no longer lovers. In the sitting room, he tells them that he saw Linda kissing another man outside during the day. Linda had told Harris before time that Daniel was her young brother, Harris accepted and started schooling him from the first form up to the last form knowing that he was schooling his brother in law, but actually Linda is in love with Daniel. They exchange love for money; Daniel gives Linda love and she gives him money so that Linda may be satisfied. Linda starts weeping trying to convince the family that she and Daniel are not lovers but siblings. She adds that Harris must be saying so because he has already got another girlfriend. She denies everything that Harris says. Harris wanted to tell her in front of his parents because those parents always support Linda, and oblige Harris to get married to her.
The following dialogue proves it:
Harris: I respect you guys, that is why I’m here but I don’t want to hear anything concerning Linda
Linda: Be honest with your parents, why you are embarrassing? He is my brother.
Harris: Do you think I’m stupid? I saw you doing the nasty stuffs with your so called brother.
Linda: I can’t lie, Harris, just be honest and confess, if you have another woman.
Harris: Daddy, l have never seen a wicked woman like this one. I have been paying tuition fees for her so called brother.
The present conflict can be represented as follows:
Harris
To put end to that conflict Harris decides to leave the sitting room angrily without listening to the different interventions from the family members’ .He left Linda weeping and carried by his mother.
The following conflict is between Daniel and Linda
When Linda comes from Harris’ family and is taking rest in her sitting room, her so called brother comes and wants to know how Linda goes but Linda shows her eyes and how she has been weeping since she left Harris’ place. Linda tells him how Harris saw them kissing in the afternoon. She shows Daniel that she convinced Harris’ parents that the one we had been kissing with is my young brother but Daniel is not sure with all what Linda is talking about. He angrily tells her angrily that Harris cannot believe that he is her brother. Daniel adds by showing that she wants to put him into trouble but the lady tries to convince him by saying that Harris will not take it into account and she will know how and what to do concerning that problem. Daniel is regretting how they have been going to his office to collect money and how Harris schooled him but Linda tells him to keep quiet and promises to solve the problem.
The following dialogue supports it:
Daniel: What is it?
Linda: Can’t you see how my eyes are red? Harris saw us kissing; He told his parents about it, but I denied it?
Daniel: He saw us kissing; what’s wrong with you?
Linda: Real love isn’t like it.
Daniel: No, you want to put in trouble; I’m sure you will be happy the day I get hurt.
The conflict is represented as follows:
Daniel
The resolve this problem Daniel keeps quiet after being told that Linda convinced Harris’ parents. Linda touches him and tell him that it is not the moment of quarrelling again; It is now the time to sit and see how things will go.
The next conflict opposes Suzzi and Harris’ mother.
When Harris mother comes from work, no one is in the house. After a moment Harris’ mother gets in Suzzi’s room to see whether she is there. Fortunately, Suzzi is there folding her clothes. When Harris’ mother sees some new clothes, she is more interested in them and wants to know where they come from. When she hears that it is Harris who bought them for her while they were both shopping, Harris’ mother gets angry and starts insulting her saying because of shopping, she comes back home late and no work was done in this house. So, she decides to beat Suzzi and collect those new clothes bought by Harris and put them away. She continues beating her up until Harris gets in Suzzi’s room and stops his mother and ask her why she is beating Suzzi. Harris’ mother gets out of Suzzi’s bedroom angrily, but comes back to take those clothes and burns them.
The following passage from the script of the novel proves it:
Harris’ mother: This is the biggest of all time; the reason why you didn’t do the chores today is because you guys went shopping, isn’t? And then you bought us chips, want a grown like me to eat that?
Harris: Mother, what are doing?
Harris’ mother: Leave me alone, otherwise it’s going to get ugly.
Harris: Fight
Harris’ mother: Hit me.
This conflict can be represented as follows:
Harris’ mother
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To end this conflict Harris comes and stops his mother from beating the lady. He tells his mother that it is he who bought those clothes for her. His mother goes out and Harris carries Suzzi promising that, after a moment, he will introduce her to his parents as her beloved one.
The following conflict opposes Daniel and Linda.
Daniel meets Linda in her house for what they said before; the latter promised the former that he would give him some money. So, he goes and borrows some money from another person expecting that Linda would give him money to pay back. Unfortunately, Linda has not given him any money yet, whereas the man who lent him the money wants to have it back already. Linda wants to spend the whole day with Daniel but he does not want to hear that because all that he needs is only money. Linda shows that it is she who paid for him the school tuition
Hereafter is the dialogue which proves it:
Daniel: What’s it with you these days? I don’t get it.
Linda: I’m always honest with you when I have money. As I don’t have, do you want me to steal.
Daniel: Listen, you shouldn’t have told me to borrow money
How am I supposed to pay back?
Linda: Be patient .
Daniel: Give me money so that I can pay back the money I owe.
Linda: How many times do I give you money? Who paid your tuition fees?
Daniel: You are being unfair to me; you always give me money in exchange for my love.
This conflict is presented as follows:
Daniel
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To end this conflict, Daniel decides to go and refuses to spend his day with Linda because she does not have money to give him.
The next conflict opposes Harris and his mother
Harris wants to let his family know that soon he is going to get married. The parents are happy to hear that their child is going to get married. Now they want to know the girl he is going to get married to. As Suzzi is also present in the sitting room, while Harris’ mother does not want her to hear what Harris will say, she chases her from the room. Harris refuses; he wants Suzzi to hear because she was called by Harris. Now Harris says that he will marry Suzzi. Her mother does not want to hear about Suzzi, because she is a house girl. But Harris insists that he himself will pay the dowry to her family, and he does not want any contribution from anybody. That is why they must not interfere in their love affair. His mother immediately pours water on Suzzi, her prospective daughter in-law, and chases her from sitting room. Harris’ mother thought that Harris would marry Linda. She starts saying may be Harris has been bewitched and that she is familiar with house maids. They usually use magic power so that they may be loved. Harris is angry and reminds his mother that she was ugly and saloon-worker but in spite of that she was married by his father. The mother gets very angry to hear and sees that her child is insulting her. Harris leaves the sitting room angrily and still keeps his decision to marry his beloved Suzzi
The following extract from the movie prove it:
Harris’ mother: This clown? You must be running mad.
Harris: Why are you pouring water on your daughter-in-law?
Harris’ mother: you are mad; she will never be my daughter-in-law.
Harris: I’m in love with her.
Harris’ mother: I know you and I know what house maids are capable of; you must be bewitched. What I can say as your mother is that you will not marry her; the matrimony will not work.
Harris: Listen, I’m the one who is getting hitched. I will use my own money. I will not ask help from anybody. He was rich and you were a saloon worker.
This conflict can be represented as follows:
Harris
As a resolution of this conflict, Harris stands up and leaves them sitting in the sitting room. He keeps the decision to marry Suzzi.
The next conflict opposes Harris and his father.
During the introduction of Suzzi to Harris’ family in the sitting room, when people started quarrelling, Suzzi went outside and left the family debating about her marriage to Harris. When Suzzi was still in the room, Harris’ father makes as if Suzzi has no problem. But after she has gone out, he starts saying that everyone knows Suzzi as a house maid. How can a normal and handsome man get married to a house maid? Harris’ father does not also want Suzzi to get married to his child because he always wants to make love with Suzzi. So if Suzzi gets married to his son, he will have to keep away from her. Harris tells his father that he will be responsible of his marriage and no one is allowed to interfere in his affair.
The following extra it from of the script movie supports this:
Harris’ father: That’s a foul language. You are gown up now, are you?
My family knows that she is a house maid; there’s no way that you are going to marry her.
This conflict can be represented as follows:
Harris
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As a resolution of this conflict, when Harris’ father starts insulting him, Harris leaves the sitting room and lets his parents alone.
The next conflict in this movie opposes Linda and Suzzi,
When Linda hears that Harris wants to get married to Suzzi, Linda gets angry and decides to go and see Suzzi at Harris place. When she arrives at Harris’ place, no one inside is, even the Housemaid. After a moment, Suzzi comes from her friend’s place. She meets Linda standing up in the sitting room. Linda wants to know where Suzzi comes from but Suzzi does not want to tell her the truth. Linda asks her if it is she who is going to get married to Harris. Suzzi refuses because she knows that Linda will surely not be happy to hear such things. They can even quarrel because of that. Linda is not satisfied with the way Suzzi is replying. Suzzi knows that there is no relationship between Linda and Harris. Linda starts beating Suzzi and pushing her to the armchair. Suzzi starts weeping.
The following part of the movie proves it:
Linda: You are a villager; you are still new to the city; I will harm you
Suzzi: You should fight with him not me.
Linda: Stop flirting with him; you are a village whore.
This conflict can be represented as follows:
Linda
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To overcome this conflict Linda tells Suzzi that she has to stop being in love with Harris, otherwise she will bear the consequences. Linda goes outside after warning her.
The next conflict in the movie opposes Harris’ father and Suzzi.
When Harris’ father knows that everyone is absent from the house, except him and Suzzi and as he knows that Harris is going to get married to her, he decides to go and meet Suzzi in her chamber. No one else is there; Harris has gone to work and so has his morher. Harris’ father wants to have sex with Suzzi. He wants her to remove her clothes herself without being forced by anyone. When she refuses, he removes them by using force. Suzzi starts weeping. Suzzi respects him as father and his wife as her mother but Harris’ father does not want to hear Suzzi calling him father, because he did not give birth to her and he tells her that he does not need two things; the only thing he needs is to be satisfied by having sex. He succeeds in raping Suzzi.
Hereafter is the dialogue which proves it:
Harris’ father: I’m tired of asking the same thing and there are only two of us in the house now.
Harris’ father: we have to do sex.
Suzzi: Daddy.
Harris’ father: I’m not your daddy. Remove your clothes voluntarily before I use force.
Suzzi: I can’t do that.
Harris’ father: What have you said?
Suzzi: Stop that, leave alone.
This conflict can be represented as follow:
Harris’ father
To overcome this conflict, Suzzi pushes Harris’ father who unfortunately is stronger than her. She starts weeping and is raped by him. When he is sexually satisfied, he leaves her but as the lady feels so much pain; she is taken to hospital for treatment.
The present conflict opposes Harris’ mother and Suzzi.
Harris’ mother comes from work and meets nothing was done at home since she left in the morning. She goes to see Suzzi in her bedroom and meets her sleeping as if she was ill. She asks why Suzzi did not cook or take care of the house. Suzzi answers that she ill but Harris’ mother is careless and tells her that she cannot understand such things because if she is ill, she should call her and inform that she is ill, but she did not. Harris’ mother does not believe that Suzzi is ill because, when she left her house in morning, Suzzi was very well. She is surprised to hear that she now ill.
Harris’ mother also thinks that it is because Suzzi is planning to get married to Harris that she starts behaving so. Harris’ mother wants to eat and no one is ready to cook apart from Suzzi, who is unable to cook because of the pain of being raped by Harris’ father. Suzzi does not want to tell to anyone that she was raped. She knows that if she tells that to anyone else, it can bring disorder and misunderstanding in the family.
The following extract from the movie supports what is said above:
Harris’ mother: There is not tranquility in this house; I’m not happy; you haven’t done the chores since morning.
Harris’ mother: I’m talking to you.
Suzzi: I’m not feeling well, I’m sick.
Harris’ mother: Thanks, you can say whatever you want because you are a bride to be.
Suzzi: Forgive me, mom, I’m not feeling well.
Harris’ mother: You have nothing to worry about, do you? All I want now is for you to cook for me.
Harris’ mother: Whether you will get a helping hand from your so called boyfriend I don’t care I want it done.
The present conflict can be represented as follows:
Harris’ mother
Suzzi Suzzi has not cooked or done any
As a resolution of this conflict, Harris comes to Suzzi’s room and finds that she is suffering. She took painkiller pills and she feels much better. When Suzzi tells her that his mother wants to eat but no one will cook for her because she is unable to cook, Harris encourages her and promises to go to cook for his mother on behalf of Suzzi.
The next conflict opposes Harris’ mother and Linda
Linda invites Harris’ father to tell him about Harris and to see how he can help her to be in love with Harris again. Harris’ father says that is going to help her, then starts touching herself to attract him sexually. They have sex but Linda had put a camera which is filming them without Harris’ father knowing it. She did so to have a film to show to Harris. She has been regretting and suffering when she heard that Harris is in love with Suzzi. So she also wants Harris to regret and suffer like her. Linda goes to show the film to Harris. Harris gets angry and takes that camera by using force but Linda thinks that Harris will not show it to anyone else.
Harris also goes to show it to his mother because it is his mother who supports Linda in everything that she does. After watching the movie, Harris’ mother gets Angry and goes to wait for Linda in the beauty saloon. Linda comes happily without knowing that Harris showed that film to his mother. While they are talking, Harris’ mother pours acid on Linda’s face.
The following extract from the script of the movie supports this:
Harris’ mother: I can’t believe that Linda has betrayed me.
Linda: Am I late? I can see you talking to the gossiper.
Linda: Hi! What’s up?
Harris’ mother: You better die; you are a whore, a lunatic of people. You slept with my hubby.
Linda: No, it’s a fabrication.
Harris’ mother: I will never forget you in my life.
This conflict can be represented as follows:
Harris’ mother
|
Linda
As a resolution of this conflict Harris’ mother pour acid on Linda’s face. While Linda is weeping, Harris’ mother receives a phone call from her family telling her that Harris has become foolish. She quickly leaves the saloon and goes to her place to see her son.
The next conflict opposes Harris’s father and his wife.
While Harris mother is surprised by what has happened to his son, her husband comes in the house. Harris’ father is not informed that when he was having sex with Linda, there was a camera which was filming them and that his wife has already seen the film. Then, his wife shows him the film. He apologizes to his wife saying he has been mistaken by the devil, but his wife does not understand him. She is very furious.
The following dialogue extract proves it:
Harris’ father: What are we going to do about Harris? I’m talking to you let’s forget about the past.
Harris’ father: Let us focus on the future! I blame it on the Devil
Harris’ mother: Shut up, you are blaming it on the Devil for fornicating Is the Devil your pal?
Harris’ mother: You are a terrible grown up man who can’t think at all.
This conflict can be represented as follows:
Harris’ mother
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Harris’ mother
To overcome this conflict Harris’ father stops speaking, and when Harris comes in the sitting-room with Suzzi, they start discussing how to treat Harris’ illness. They decide to take him to hospital for treatment.
The last conflict in the movie opposes Linda and Daniel
When Linda reaches home, after acid was poured on her face, Daniel, her so-called brother, tell that he cannot remain in love with a girl like Linda. He wants Linda to go back to her village because he has already paid a ticket for her but the lady wants stay until she finding out the destiny of her life.
Now, Daniel shows her that he is very tired of feeding and taking care of her while they are no longer lovers. Daniel adds that he has to prepare for the exam and does not want any disturbance. Linda weeps and shows how much she contributed to Daniel’s life by paying for him the school tuition but he tells her that they were exchanging money for love and sex.
The following extract from the movie supports it:
Daniel: I have already bought a ticket. Tomorrow at 6 you have to go back to the village.
Linda: I can’t go back to the village, I wait until I find out what the destiny of my life is.
Daniel: What’s it that you want to know? Let me be honest with you. I’m tired of talking care of.
Daniel: I also have an exam to do, so I waste a lot of time coming here to take care of you. I’m fed up. I’m never your lover.
Linda: Don’t say that. I’m the reason why you are who you are now.
Daniel: Don’t cry; your face is burned because of your idiotic behavior. It is true that you made me, who I am, but you did it to get my love, I have another girl that I love. I’m in love with my college mate. Look at the how messy you look.
The present conflict can be represented as follow:
Daniel
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Linda
As the resolution of this conflict, Daniel decides to pay for her a ticket to go back to her village to be treated in presence of her father and mother. Daniel leaves and tells her to be ready tomorrow at 6 pm.
This chapter has dealt with analysis of the different conflicts among the different characters in Housemaid. It studied the origins, effects and resolutions of the conflicts that result from actions of the characters in the movie.
The next chapter will discuss the different themes conveyed in the movie understudy
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