Psychological Concepts in Fireproof - Essay Example

Fireproof (2008) by directors Nick Zano and Alex Kendrick is based on the concept of the degenerative spiral and the importance of communication in marriage. It tells how a firefighter named Caleb (Kirk Cameron) uses a plan of forty days called The Love Dare to save his marriage with Catherine (Erin Bethea). The arguments between them regarding finances, interests, and everything else have been on the rise, and they decide to separate. So, the degenerative spiral is there which means that both of them have been showing disgrace and discord in communication with each other. This built up the negative pattern of communication based upon disharmony. There was no compromise from either side until Caleb’s father tells him to try the 40-day experiment in which he was supposed to commit wholly to his life partner no matter how much anguish it might bring to him. So, Caleb gains a self-disclosure regarding how much he can do and was not doing due to his ignorance. This time, he commits himself to God, as his father tells him that this is how God loves mankind no matter how forgetful mankind is about God’s blessings. So, Caleb starts communicating with his wife even though she is committed to filing for divorce. Caleb does not lose heart and sticks to the communication, commitment, and dedication approach, which finally changes his wife’s heart for him. So, the basic concept that gets clarified here is that communication is the key to successful relationships as it works on the psyche of both partners. Through communication, they reveal to each other their personalities, good or bad, and accept each other’s flaws. Read More