Analyzing:The Goonies Caitlyn Schultz Small Group Communication
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Analyzing:The Goonies Caitlyn Schultz Small Group Communication 1 Within this analysis on The Goonies, one will learn about the movie, group definition, analysis and development if the group, and an analysis of roles that are fulfilled by different group members. It is important to understand how essential group decision making is and working in a cohesive manner to obtain a healthy goal of success. Mikey Walsh and Brandon Walsh are brothers who are preparing to move since their homes will soon be bought out by developer. The developer wants to turn all the houses in the area into a golf course unless the neighborhood can come up with enough money to stop the construction. One day on a late afternoon Mikey’s friends came by; Mouth, Chunk, and Data. They were messing around in the attic looking at old things when Mikey came across a treasure map made by One-Eye Willie. After finding this the boys decide it’s in their best interest to go out and try to find this treasure so that may be just maybe they will be able to save the neighborhood. When the boys, whom they call themselves the Goonies, get to the beginning of the map they realize that they have to start in the Light House. Little do they know that Mama Fratelli, who is an evil fugitive, and her two sons are using that facility as their hide out. In the basement of the lighthouse is where the adventure begins with the entrance to the cavern and the beginning of their treasure hunt. Going through different obstacles with booby tracks and being followed by the evil Fratelli family the Goonies eventually find the hidden treasure. But because they are being followed the Fratelli’s set off one of the final booby traps submerging all of the treasure into the sea. The Goonies make it to shore where they find their parents and explain to their parents what they have 2 just been through. While Mikey was talking to his parents he reached into his pocket and realized that he still had a small marble bag of fine jewels. These jewels were cashed in and used to save the land, so that the Goonies could stay together. The Goonies is a task based group because they are trying to solve the issue of saving their homes and neighborhoods. Some qualifications that the characters meet to be considered a task group would be meeting regularly because they are all friends. They have a particular task at hand and each individual brings knowledge and interest to the table to solve the problems that arise throughout the movie as well as the overall big picture. It is shown throughout the movie that characters, which call themselves the Goonies, fulfill their task duties by coming together to solve a problem, implementing a plan of action, and then finding a solution to the problem at hand. The overall charge or goal for the Goonies is to come up with the money to save all their friends and families homes. In order for them to complete this task the Goonies go on the hunt for One-Eye Willies hidden treasure to save the homeland development. Throughout the movie the Goonies experience the stages of forming, storming, norming, and performing. These stages are there to help a group get through a particular situation. It is important to understand each step so that the group as a whole is successful. Forming is the beginning step when people are excited, anxious, or nervous of what is coming of the situation. In relation to the movie, I would say the Goonies show 3 excitement during their forming stage. This happens when they decide to go find the treasure from the map that they found in Mikey’s attic left by One-Eye Willie. This starts the beginning of the adventure and the start of finding the solution to saving their families homes. As the movie continues the storming stage arises. Within this stage, the leader of the group is challenged of its authority. An example of this is when the Goonies reach the Fratelli house and break inside with the help of Chunk breaking down the door. The Goonies needed to go inside because that’s where the beginning of the treasure map said to start. While the Goonies are inside the Fratelli’s come back home without warning, which is when the Goonies run and hide. While hiding from the fugitive Fratelli’s they run into Sloth and he initially scares the gang because of his appearance and sounds he makes. They also find a dead body in the freezer while hiding which spooks all of them. Needless to say everyone was ready to give up and told Mikey he wasn’t thinking straight so he couldn’t make the decisions anymore. This example shows how during the storming stage authority is challenged. Following behind the storming stage brings the norming stage. The norming stage is where hierarchy comes into play. It is also where the team members respect your leadership role, as well as other group members showing leadership in specific areas. A prime example of group members stepping out in specific areas would be Data. Data does a great job of being aware of booby traps and saving different members of the group with his gadgets and knowledge of Indiana Jones. Another example of this stage would be when Mikey gives a speech about how it’s their time to 4 prove themselves, because if they don’t succeed it will be all over. There homes will be gone, they won’t go to the same school anymore, and everything will change if they don’t find the treasure. While Mikey gives this speech the Goonies realize that Mikey is right and they can’t give up. On this moment the Goonies respect level for their leader, Mikey, increases drastically. The final stage is the performing stage. During the performing stage hard work leads to the vision of the ultimate goal. For example, in the movie this happens when the Goonies’ find the treasure. It was a bitter sweet moment, with the realization that the adventure is over but they get to go home. Finding the treasure means they will ultimately be able to save their town, friends, and families. This is almost the last step in finding and succeeding in obtaining the proper solution to the overall problem. Another example is when the kids make it back up to land safely and realize they had succeeded in solving the overall problem and they all made it back home safely. With looking into the analysis of forming, storming, norming, and performing it really made me realize how effective the cohesiveness within group. “In cohesive groups, member generally pull together and agree on major issues such as the nature of the task and the goals they hope to achieve” (Youg, Wood, Phillips, and Pedersen 24-41). Meaning, that when a group works well together and feels very comfortable with each other that’s when people can pull together and agree on major decisions that are coming up while solving the overall problem. For example, within the movie the overall goal for the Goonies is to find the treasure so that no one has to move out of 5 the neighborhood. Throughout this task many small issues arise throughout the plot stated previously through examples. Moving on, it’s important to understand characteristics and what each character is all about or represents. Within the movie it is a group of seven kids going on this adventure. I decided that not all of those characters needed to be represented in the analysis so I am going to focus on the original Goonies. The Original Goonies is made up of the following characters; Mikey, Mouth, Data, and Chunk. Mikey Welsh is the leader of the goonies. Even though Mikey is easily persuaded he holds many strong characteristics of being a leader. As a leader Mikey is a “doer” he shows this when he takes charge in the beginning to go on this adventure, as well as the end when they find the treasure. In the end Mikey shows himself being humbled from the finding of the treasure, he thanks One-Eye Willie and even leaves him some treasure. Another example of Mikey showing leadership qualities is when everyone was ready to give up he persuaded them to all look at the larger picture, to see what they would accomplish if they kept on going. This is also why Mikey shows social power in leadership, he’s keeping everyone on track. Mikey also shares qualities in referent power for being kind hearted, and having the others think he is believable and trustworthy. Within all the power and leadership that Mikey holds throughout the movie, it really speaks on his democratic leadership style. Because Mikey is so laid back and doesn’t really have a whole lot of control over the group he shares this leadership style. Democratic leadership style fits him at best though because he does have some control but not enough to be authoritarian but way more than someone who is a 6 laissez-faire leadership role. These qualities and more make up why Mikey Welsch is perfect for caring out a leadership role in the Goonies Gang. Mouth is another character that makes up one of the four original Goonies. He lives up to his name and is someone that could be considered a chatterbox. “Mouth is obnoxious, loves to talk and could be conceived as a big of a trickster.