Between Chick and His Mother

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2. External Conflicts

Chick Benetto also has external conflicts in his life. This part discuses the external conflicts of Chick Benetto. The type of the external conflict is zero-sum conflict. Worchel and Cooper state that zero-sum conflict means that one’s winning is the other’s loose, since individuals think that if they cannot obtain the goal, the other side wins 463. The zero-sum conflicts are between Chick and his mother, Chick and his wife, and Chick and his sister. The zero-sum conflict is discussed below.

a. Between Chick and His Mother

Chick has a conflict with his mother when his mother picks him and his sister up from school. On that day, his mother is not in a good condition. Chick notices his mother’s condition. She does not look well. Actually his mother wants to have a time with them. She wants to buy ice cream for her children. However, Chick does not want to go. He wants to go the baseball practice. His mother asks him to skip the practice, but he refuses it. He is angry with his mother. He does not even want a fast ice cream. He does not care about her mother condition. He keeps insisting on going to the practice. They argue each other. He yells to his mother and his sister 83. Chick keeps arguing with his mother. Actually, it is a small problem but he makes it a big problem. He has to fight with his mother because of this. In this case, one side wins and the other side loose. In this conflict Chick wins. He does not go for a fast ice cream. However, his mother looses. She cannot have a time together with her children. 42 The second conflict between Chick and his mother is when she finds cigarette in his drawer. His mother finds his cigarette when he is fourteen years old. She does not like this. However, Chick does not feel that he is guilty. He says that his mother is a hypocrite. His mother does not like that word. She thinks that it is impolite for him to say that word to his mother. He says that word because his mother smokes but he is not allowed to smoke. His mother takes the cigarette away from him. Nevertheless, Chick keeps yelling to his mother. He even says that he is sick of her 85. Chick’s mother does not like the way he speaks, especially when he says that he is sick of his mother. She is very angry with him. She cannot believe that Chick speaks impolitely to his mother. Therefore, she slaps his face. She does it because she thinks that it is too much for her. Chick cannot do anything. He runs to the garage and waits there. When he gets back to his room, he hears his mother crying. He finds the cigarettes are still in the drawer and lights one up. They do not finish that problem well 86. Chick and his mother keep on their side. They say everything to convince that they are in the right side. Both of them think that they are in the right side. In the conflict between Chick and his mother, Chick wins the conflict. His mother does not punish him. She does not even take the cigarette from his drawer. His mother can only cry in her room.

b. Between Chick and His Ex-Wife, Catherine