Rainman의 Charlie character 분석

The Journey of Charlie Babbitt

 

In “Rain Man”, Charlie Babbitt was branded as a car thief by his father and then, he ran away from home at 16 years old. He is now a Los Angeles car dealer, but his business is in trouble and he needs money badly. So, his character seems to be a short temper, selfish, strong. Also, Charlie discovers that his father has left the money to his older brother Raymond. When the brothers meet, it's the start of an adventure that will change them both. Charlie kidnaps Raymond in order to gain half of his father’s estate, but the journey across America with Raymond changes his life. Charle realize that Raymond is Rain Man after that he loves him. Certainly, Charlie at the beginning is different from at the end. There are two example.

First, Charlie needs to get money to save business. He’s in Cincinnati, attending his father’s funeral. Charlie Babbitt thinks he will get a lot of money when his father dies. However, at the reading of the will, Charlie is shocked to discover that his father has cut him out of his will. And then, he receives another shock. His father has left his entire estate to a brother he never knew he had. He is Raymond, who lives in a special hospital. At result, Charlie kidnaps his brother, although he refuses to admit to his girlfriend that this is what he has done. He tells her, “I’m keeping him until I get my money.” During their journey, Charlie gets to know Raymond, who has some extraordinary skills. For example, he can count 246 toothpicks in a second, and he can memorise a page of telephone numbers in a minute. More importantly, Charlie takes Raymond to Las Vegas. He has decided to solve his money problems by using Raymond’s unusual skills to win at cards. Raymond indeed wins $90,000.

Second, Charlie gradually change as he engage with his brother deeper. For example, He and his brother drive across the United States to Los Angeles, where he plans to live with his brother. During the course of the journey, Charlie learns about Raymond's autism. He also learns about how his brother came to be separated from his family, as a result of an accident when he was left alone with Charlie when Charlie was a baby. Raymond also sings "I Saw Her Standing There" by The Beatles like he did when Charlie was young. Charlie to realize that Raymond is the protective figure from his childhood, whom he remembered as an imaginary friend named "Rain Man." As a result, the end of their trip Charlie finds himself becoming protective of Raymond and grows to truly love him. Back home in Los Angeles, he finds Raymond’s guardian waiting for him, and they offers Charlie $250,000 “to have Raymond back now”, but Charlie refuses. He says, “I don’t want your money, Dr Bruner. I want my brother”. He has changed. By now, Charlie loves Raymond enough to want what is best for him. “Can I visit him?” Charlie asks in the end.

In conclusion, in seven days of the journey, the selfish Charlie Babbit learns about that there are some things more important than money. Charlie realizes that his father left three million dollars to Raymond. Also, he learns to love someone who can’t give him anything in return. Now he is a different person than in the beginning. Raymond has a lot he can teach Charlie Babbit about acceptance, even if it is the solitary thing he knows.