Grandpa's Ghost story
Edwin learns that his grandfather, Charlie, very recently died in his sleep, yet that doesn't stop the old man from hanging around his apartment, playing the piano, and swapping stories with his grandmother. Directed by: Timothy Hutton. Story by: Timothy Hutton, Michael De Guzman.
9 total · 2 choice · 6 major · 1 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| coping with the death of a family member | choice | Edwin was crestfallen when his beloved grandpa passed away in his sleep during their trip to watch a baseball game. |
| coping with the death of a spouse | choice | Helen was so dismayed by her husband Charlie's death that she refused to accept it and went on as if he was still alive. Edwin impersonated Charlie in order to abet Helen's escape from reality. |
| escape from reality | major | Helen refused to admit the fact that her husband had passed away and went on as if he were still alive. |
| grandfather and grandson | major | Grandpa Charlie was all sunshine and rainbows in the presence of his beloved grandson, Edwin. Edwin was crestfallen when Charlie passed away in his sleep the night before they planned to set out on a trip to watch a baseball game. |
| grandmother and grandson | major | Edwin felt bad for his warm-hearted grandma because his grandpa dismissively brushed her off, before croaking in his sleep later that same day. Edwin subsequently went to extraordinary lengths to impersonate the grandpa in order to console her. |
| husband and wife | major | Charlie and Helen were an elderly married couple, living out their twilight years together. |
| old-age love | major | Charlie and Helen were an elderly married couple, living out their twilight years together. It was clear that they cared deeply for each other. Helen was devastated when Charlie died and refused to face reality. |
| to tell the truth vs. to offer a comforting lie | major | Rather than confronting his grandma with the reality that grandpa had croaked, Edwin went to great lengths to impersonate his grandpa, thus ensuring that his grandma could live out what would be her few remaining days in contentment. |
| the game of baseball | minor | Edwin planned to take Grandpa Charlie to see a baseball game in San Diego. |