Career and Life Development in Erin Brockovich

The movie Erin Brockovich (2000) is a perfect illustration of the life-long and unceasing developing of every individual and the surprising ability with which a cleaning lady confronted by social and familial constraints is able to build her agency to be relevant to society.The film, directed by St counterbalance Soderbergh, stars Julia Roberts in the lead role as Erin Brockovich and was based on the real life write up of Erin Brockovich and her leadership in the Hinkley towns fight against the water polluting activities of the energy giant peace-loving Gas and Electric Company (PG & E).More importantly, the film reveals the tremendous capacity of kind beings to rise above their individual and personal hardships and pursue causes that often see impossible or even unattainable.At first, Brockovichs narrative is one that seems to be predetermined. Twice divorced and left wing to fend for her self and three young children, Erin appears to be in a disparate situation as her occupa tional group prospects are constrained by single motherhood and unemployment.Things go even worse when she figures in a car accident and her lawyer, Edward Masry, fails to land her a settlement for a personal injury suit. Thus, Erin is portrayed to be a victim of ill-starred events beyond her control and which have often left her helpless to change the course of her life.Erins identity is therefore complete as a single mother and a woman whose experiences of failed marriage, unemployment, and unfortunate accident define the unconventional ways with which she copes with her difficulties.On the other hand, it is these clearly by dint of these experiences that Erins individual capacities are honed and strengthened, reflecting Erikson & Eriksons (1996) belief that encounters with periodic crises modify individuals to build up their resources for resolving problems. In Erins case, the absence of prospects labored her to ask for assistance from her lawyer by hiring her at his law fir m.This follow out would later prove to be both an opportunity and a gainsay for her and a turning point in her career as she stumbles upon matter to medical records of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG & E) placed in the real estate files.Her later decision to continue investigating the participation between real estate and the energy giants medical records and to be involved in the prosecution of the PG & E after she disc all overs that it has been toss out toxic waste that threatens the water supply and health of the town of Hinkley live a major shift in Erins narrative and in turn, her identity, from the disparate single mother to an individual concerned with social and honorable issues.Thus, Erins involvement with the case fight backs another important development in her life, one that could possibly result in gains or in losings for herself and the community she chose to be identified with. (Baltes, 1987 Elder, 1998)In retrospect, Erins unlikely triumph over an in fluential and moneyed adversary is the outcome of her individual persistence and square sense of ethics and responsibility as well as the availability of social support that enables her to pursue her own development despite the itchy reality of previous failures and frustrations and the presence of constraints.It is in this aspect that Erins story resonates with the lived realities and experiences of its audience, especially in basis of fulfilling their need for development and coming to terms with changes in career, relationships, and life in its entirety, as it shows that learning and human development does not stop with divorce, single motherhood, or failure. On the other hand, they represent new opportunities and challenges with which individuals can draw meaningful lessons to grow from.Works CitedBaltes, P. G. (1987) Theoretical Propositions of Life-Span developmental Psychology. Developmental Psychology, 23 611-626.Elder, G. H. (1998) The Life Course and Human Development, Handbook of tike Psychology, William Damon (Ed), 5th Ed. New York Wiley, Volume I, 939-991.Erikson, Erik & Erikson, Joan (1996) The Life Cycle Completed. New York W.W. Norton.Soderbergh, S. (2000). Erin Brockovich. fall in States.