In Littlejohn, Foss and Oetzel’s Theories of Human Communication (2017), the first chapter introduces a basic understanding of why theories are developed and how they assist in predicting and understanding human behavior. Two terms, epistemology and ontology, are applicable to Far from Heaven (2002).
Epistemology is the study of knowledge, or as Littlejohn et al. state it, “how people know what they claim to know” (2017, pg. 8). Knowledge is gained through four possible positions: Rationalism, Empiricism, Constructivism, and Social Construction. To address the presence of rationalism, which posits that knowledge is developed through reason (Littlejohn et al., 2017, pg. 9), Mona sees Cathy and Raymond going into a restaurant together and immediately reasons that they couldn’t just be friends having lunch because she knows there has to more going on between the two (Allen & Haynes, 2002). Furthermore, empiricism implies that knowledge surfaces from perception (Littlejohn et al., 2017, pg. 9), for example, Eleanor is discussing the upcoming art exhibit with Cathy and discloses that Mona and her uncle, Morris, will be attending and further implies that Morris is gay. Cathy responds with shock and uncertainty but Eleanor reasons that he is because he is “a little lighter on his toes” and then jokes about how she prefers all …show more content…
Because it was set in that decade, it is an example of how society reacted towards social issues like racism and homosexuality. Another interesting point is that it was released in 2002 which may suggest that we are still struggling with embracing the same social changes. This movie encourages a conversation on how society may believe they are accepting of those outside of the societal norms, yet still reject them throughout their personal interactions which fails to truly adopt the social
Epistemology is the study of knowledge, or as Littlejohn et al. state it, “how people know what they claim to know” (2017, pg. 8). Knowledge is gained through four possible positions: Rationalism, Empiricism, Constructivism, and Social Construction. To address the presence of rationalism, which posits that knowledge is developed through reason (Littlejohn et al., 2017, pg. 9), Mona sees Cathy and Raymond going into a restaurant together and immediately reasons that they couldn’t just be friends having lunch because she knows there has to more going on between the two (Allen & Haynes, 2002). Furthermore, empiricism implies that knowledge surfaces from perception (Littlejohn et al., 2017, pg. 9), for example, Eleanor is discussing the upcoming art exhibit with Cathy and discloses that Mona and her uncle, Morris, will be attending and further implies that Morris is gay. Cathy responds with shock and uncertainty but Eleanor reasons that he is because he is “a little lighter on his toes” and then jokes about how she prefers all …show more content…
Because it was set in that decade, it is an example of how society reacted towards social issues like racism and homosexuality. Another interesting point is that it was released in 2002 which may suggest that we are still struggling with embracing the same social changes. This movie encourages a conversation on how society may believe they are accepting of those outside of the societal norms, yet still reject them throughout their personal interactions which fails to truly adopt the social