What led to the blowup between Eddy Bollen and his parents?
Directions: Read the text below, and then answer the following questions.
The Bollens
Jimmy and Angie Bollen have been married for almost thirty years, and they are the parents of three children who have been out of the house for years. But, a recent layoff at the company where their son Eddy worked has forced the 24-year-old to return home until he can get another job.
At first, Eddy’s parents were glad that he was home. His father was proud of the fact that his son wasn’t embarrassed about returning home, and his mom was happy to have him help her with some of the mundane chores at home. In fact, Eddy showed both Jimmy and Angie how to instant message their friends and also put together a family website. His parents were especially happy about having a family member who was “tech savvy” hanging around the house.
But the good times surrounding Eddy’s return soon ended. Eddy brought his laptop to the table each morning, marring the Bollen’s once-serene breakfasts. Jimmy and Angie’s walks at night were complicated because their son often wanted to join them. At night, when they went out bed, the parents could hear Eddy talking on his cell phone, sometimes until 1:00 AM. When Eddy’s parents thought about communicating their frustration and disappointment, they quickly recalled the difficulty of their son’s situation. They didn’t want to upset him any further. The Bollens tried to figure out a way to communicate to their son that although they love him, they wished that he would get a job and leave the house. They simply wanted some peace, privacy, and freedom, and their son was getting in the way. It wasn’t a feeling either one of them liked, but it was their reality.
They considered a number of different approaches. In order to get the conversation going, they even thought about giving Eddy a few website links related to local apartment rentals. Recently, the couple’s frustration with the situation took a turn for the worse. Returning from one of their long walks, they discovered Eddy on the couch, hung over from a party held earlier at his friend’s house. When Jimmy and Angie confronted him about his demeanor, Eddy shouted, “Don’t start lecturing me now. Is it any wonder that none of your other kids call you? It’s because you don’t know when to stop! Look, I got a headache and I don’t want to hear it from you guys! “Jimmy snapped, “Get out of my house. Now!” Eddy left the home, slamming the front door behind him. Angie stared out of the window, wondering whether they would ever hear from their son again.
Questions:
1. What led to the blowup between Eddy Bollen and his parents?
2. Do you believe that Eddy and his parents were trying to handle his situation in an ethical way? Why or why not?
3. Do you believe that all slips of the tongue, conversational faux pas (which means an embarrassing or tactless act or remark in a social situation), and unintentional nonverbal behaviors should be considered communication? Why or why not? What examples can you provide to justify your thoughts?
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