Genderlect and Good Will Hunting

Deborah Tannen’s theory of the Genderlect poses that men and women essentially come from separate cultures, and the discourse between these two cultures will reflect entirely different motivations and thought processes. More specifically, she discusses the innate female “desire for connection” versus the male “desire for status” as well as “rapport talk” versus “report talk,” suggesting that each gender not only has a different method of speaking or arguing but often a completely different agenda, as well (Griffin 438). By examining the tendencies of each gender, Tannen posits that we can more fully understand the interworkings and expectations of each gender; the cultural differences between the groups should be recognized in order to communicate effectively.

                Gus Van Sant’s classic 1997 coming-of-age drama, Good Will Hunting, displays many of Tannen’s observations about each gender. The film features an underprivileged genius named “Will” who works as a janitor at MIT. After getting into a fight, Will is ordered by the court to attend a counseling session each week as well as work one-on-one with a mathematics professor in an attempt to turn his life around. After a thorough search for the appropriate counselor, he connects with Sean Macguire, a therapist who shares a similarly rough background with Will; through their sessions, we learn about Will’s history of being abused by his foster parents and various other atrocious events. Over the course of the film, Will eventually learns he needs to reevaluate what is important in life, ultimately deciding to leave his home town in search of a better life.

Here's the really cheesy '90s trailer for the film.

                A secondary plot within the film revolves around a female student at MIT, Skylar. She serves as a foil to Will, showing the audience Will’s flaws; where Will hides his past about his family in order to shy away from serious subjects, Skylar prods at him, hoping to achieve a deeper connection. Paralleling Tannen’s work, one scene in particular shows the male’s drive for status versus the female’s desire for connection. When Skylar’s character is first introduced, she is at a bar being hit on by numerous men. At one point, a student begins reciting some information about history in an attempt to show his intellect. Will–who is somewhat aggressive by nature–calls the student out on the fact that he is simply reciting another scholar’s work, not thinking for himself or giving the appropriate credit. The scene continues, and Will eventually tears apart everything the student has to say, making him look incredibly unintelligent; the student is defeated, and he leaves. Although Will impresses Skylar with his impromptu debate, Will is significantly more interested in dominating over his opponent than he is connecting with Skylar, and Skylar is the one who eventually has to re-approach Will to ask him out on a date. This scene illustrates Tannen’s argument that women strive for connection while men strive for status.

                Skylar and Will continue demonstrating Tannen’s ideals after they have been dating for quite some time. The ways through which they each show affection for the other matches Tannen’s concept of “rapport vs. report talk.” Tannen states that women tend to chat, discussing intimate details about their lives, but men tend to give information and remain solemn. Whether or not I agree with Tannen’s suggestion that these tendencies are associated explicitly with gender, the affection between Will and Skylar reflects Tannen’s theory of the Genderlect. Throughout much of the film, Skylar simply attempts to connect with Will on a deeper level. In a few scenes in particular, she and Will discuss his family, and he lies to her, making up a story about ten brothers and telling her that she can meet them one day. While Skylar’s rapport–attempting to get Will to open up to her–was her way of showing her affection (that is, she wants to know about his personal life), he finds it threatening. Instead, his way of showing affection is demonstrated when he does Skylar’s homework for her in order for her to have a free afternoon–a very concrete way for him to show that he wants to be close to her. This difference in relational mechanics demonstrates Tannen’s theory of the Genderlect.

                Tannen’s theory of the Genderlect shows some of the differences between the way men and women talk and get along, and Good Will Hunting backs up her theory rather well. Where she suggests that men don’t want to open up, Will illustrates this trait throughout the majority of the film. In fact, one of the major underlying struggles presented by the film is the clash between what women want and what men want. The film ends after Will comes to understand that Skylar is the deepest connection he’s ever had, and he determines he should leave his life behind in order to chase after her. While Van Sant may not have necessarily had Tannen in mind when he made his film, her theory of the Genderlect proves strong throughout the film, making a cast of relatable, understandable characters.

Works Cited

Good Will Hunting. Dir. Gus Van Sant. By Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. Perf. Robin Williams, Matt Damon, and Ben Affleck. Miramax Films, 1997. DVD.

Griffin, Emory A. A First Look at Communication Theory. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print.