Detailed description of some relationships

Relationship between Auggie Wren and Paul Benjamin

This relation is the most important one in the whole film. The relation between these two characters reflects the development of the film. At the beginning it is a normal relation between a customer and a shop owner. Nearly every day Paul visits the shop to buy his shimmelpennicks. They talk about the weather and about football teams. The first time the relation changes is when Auggie opens the shop for Paul. They go into the shop and after talking for a while Auggie tells him that he takes photos as a hobby. Auggie goes to a cupboard and takes out some albums with photos. When Paul looks on the photos, he is surprised. The photos are all the same! He wonders about all these pictures and asks Paul what they mean. He explains Paul how to look at the pictures to understand what he wants to show. He explains his intention to show the fleetness of life with his photos. While doing this, he creates a contect with Paul. He realizes that Paul is an artist, like him, and hopes Paul will understand and respect his work. Paul is the first and only man who has ever seen these photos. This is a great honour for Paul and shows how important it is for Auggie to tell his hobby to someone special. After this meeting the relation completely changes. In Pauls life come a lot of problems and he always goes to Auggie to talk with him about his problems. Also Auggie has a lot of problems and Paul is always there to talk with him. In one scene Paul askes Auggie wether a friend from him could work in Auggie’s shop. Auggie doesn’t hesitate and agrees at once. In the end of the film you can say that Auggie’s and Paul’s relation is as good as a relation could ever be.

(by Moritz Wilking, Gerrit Mayer)

Relationship between Thomas Cole and Paul Benjamin

Thomas and Paul got to know each other, because Thomas saved Paul’s life. While crossing the street Paul didn’t realise that a truck was coming, in order to rescue him, Thomas pulled Paul away from the street. After being rescued, Paul wanted to return the compliment. The two introduced each other, but Thomas didn’t told his real name, he call himself Rashid. He invited Thomas to a coffee and offered him to stay a few days in his flat. At first Thomas was a little sceptical therefore he declined Paul’s offer but he took his address. Suddenly one day Thomas stood in Paul’s door, although Paul has not reckoned with him, he allowed him to enter his apartment. While living in Paul’s flat, Thomas hid a stolen packet of money in Paul’s cupboard. Thomas stayed at Paul’s flat until the day Paul realised that he couldn’t concentrate on his work. In order to be able to work again, Paul kicked Thomas out of his house. After Thomas left Paul’s flat, nobody heard from him for a few days. His aunt was worried about Thomas therefore she went to Paul, because she found his address in Thomas’s trousers pocket. During the conversation it is revealed that Rashid’s real name is Thomas and that he told Paul lies about his life all the time. Thomas’ aunt guessed that Thomas wanted to find his father, who he hadn’t seen for twelve years. Some days later, Thomas came back to Paul’s flat with a gift for Paul in order to thank him. But Paul now wanted him to confess that he lied all the time and asked him to tell the truth about his life. During the conversation Thomas told nearly everything about the bank robbery but he missed out that he took all the money. After Paul listened carefully he forces Thomas to contact his aunt. Afterwards Thomas and Paul watched a football match on TV. On Thomas’ birthday he and Paul went to a bar where they met Auggie. Auggie offered Thomas a job in his cigar store. Paul allowed Thomas to live in his apartment again where he eventually found the money of the robbery in his cupboard. Paul, who is now very interested in the whole truth of the robbery, forces Thomas to tell him everything about it now. This time Thomas really told him everything about the robbery and even confesses that he took the money the thieves lost during their escape. Paul insisted on giving the money to Auggie, who’s cigars Thomas destroyed by his inattentiveness.

In base of this summary, you can see that Paul likes Thomas very much.

Paul: Paul tries to help Thomas. He offers him a place in his flat, looks for a job for him and occupies the position of a father. Furthermore he wants to show him the right way of life, to enable Thomas to manage his future life. Although Thomas tells Paul lies about his life, all the time, nevertheless Paul always gives him a new chance.

Thomas: At the beginning Thomas takes just advantage of Paul. Later on however, Thomas notices, that Paul wants to help him and that’s why Paul gets Thomas’s confidence.

All in all the two have a good relationship which developed during the film.

(by Karina Großestrangmann, Judith Miele, Leonie Föbus)

Relationship between Thomas Cole and his father Cyrus Cole

The family had and accident, in which Thomas’s mother died. Cyrus was drunken and drove the car, without thinking about the consequences. After this horrible accident his father let Thomas down, although Thomas was only four years old, because he felt very guilty. That’s the reason why, Thomas grew up by his aunt. When Thomas was 17 years old, his aunt told him that his father ran a gas station a few miles away from Brooklyn. After hearing about his father, Thomas began to search the gas station of his father. Thomas found his father and he sat in front of his gas station for hours to observe him. Cyrus thought that Thomas wanted to steal his money and so he told him, that there was no money in his cashbox. The two started a discussion, and Thomas asked Cyrus for a job. Cyrus got angry, because he had no money to hire a worker. He didn’t want Thomas to observe him any longer and devoted on his work, but Thomas went on staying in front of the gas station. A few hours later, Cyrus began to talk to Thomas again. They introduced each other, but Thomas didn’t tell his father his real name. Cyrus offered Thomas a little job, he had to tidy up a room above the gas station. Thomas accepted the job and worked very hard, until Cyrus told him to have a little brake. They sat down on a truck and Cyrus told Thomas the whole story about his prothesis. A few moments later, Cyrus’s wife came to take him home. Thomas stayed and went on with his work. He took with him an old TV-set as payment for his work and left the gas station. A few days later, Thomas came back. Suddenly Paul Benjamin and Auggie Wren arrived at the gas station and asked Thomas to tell his father the truth. Thomas didn’t want to tell his real name, but after doing it, Cyrus noticed that Thomas was his son. Cyrus got very angry, as he didn’t want to believe it. Cyrus beat Thomas till his wife intervened. After the argument they all sat together picnicking and saying no word.

(by Leonie Föbus, Karina Großestrangmann)

In base of the summary you can see that the relationship between Thomas and his father is a little bit complicated. It’s the broken relationship between a father and his son, who haven’t seen each other for twelve years.

Cyrus: Until knowing that Thomas is his son, Cyrus trusts him, therefore he tells him the story about his crippled arm. When he finds out that Thomas is his son he feels deceived. Moreover he doesn’t want to confess. It was a period of his life, which he had already completed in the past. The memories of his wife are so painful for him, that he doesn’t want connections to people, who remind him of his wife.

Thomas: Actually after the death of his mother, his father was no longer existing for Thomas as well, because his father had let him down. He hasn’t seen him for more than twelve years, but after being informed by his aunt, where his father works, Thomas is so curious that he wants to see him soonest. Caused by working together, Cyrus and Thomas get to know each other a little bit better. During the time Thomas works at the gas station, he conceals his real name from Cyrus. It seems, that Thomas wants to get to know his father better, because he always comes back to his gas station. However he is still afraid to tell his father the truth. After telling his father his real name, Thomas is a little bit frightened of Cyrus, because he gets very angry and beats him. Later on, as they all sit together picnicking, Thomas feels relieved.

(by Judith Miele, Karina Großestrangmann, Leonie Föbus)