Analysis of Appraisal

 For those who have seen the film, the opening scene is a rather memorable one. As mentioned in my previous post, Lady Bird dreams of leaving Sacramento and attending college in New York. The opening scene features Lady Bird and her mother, Marion, who are in the car driving back from college tours. We see the two share a heartfelt moment while listening to an audiobook -- one filled with tears. This moment quickly comes to a close as Lady Bird goes to change the music, to which her mother protests. One thing leads to another, and an argument about where Lady Bird should go to college ensues. Her mother expresses that Lady Bird's goal to attend college in New York is an unlikely one due to her family's struggling finances. Aside from that, Marion makes a point to call Lady Bird selfish, and says that she only thinks about herself. 

At this point in the movie, the viewers have already witnessed a heated conversation between Lady Bird and Marion. This turns out to be the epitome of the relationship Lady Bird has with her mother. In this moment of heated debate, the viewers watch Lady Bird work through an appraisal process. What her mother has to say is important to her, because what she is saying relates to Lady Bird's personal dreams and interests. Lady Bird appraises her mother as a threat to those dream, and as a result, becomes increasingly frustrated. As Lady Bird listens to her mother share her negative thoughts regarding her dreams, she decides to take action. In the shocking scene, Lady Bird opens the car door and rolls out of the car while her mother is driving. 

Lady Bird throwing herself out of a moving car forecasts Lady Bird's rebellious nature for the rest of the movie. Additionally, it offers a prime example of the action tendency to avoid. Viewers watch Lady Bird evaluate her mother's words for relevance, appraise what is important, then act on the emotions that surface as a result. This is one of many appraisals to come in the rest of the movie as Lady Bird struggles with her personal identity.