Just Talk it Out- Media Outtake #2

Miscommunication is what can either make or break a relationship. In Russell Bank’s “Black Man and White Woman in Dark Green Rowboat”, he writes of two people who are completely lacking communication. With what little words they do speak, it seems as though they’re talking about an abortion; an extremely serious topic, yet they can’t seem to get their feelings across the table.

After reading Bank’s short story, it instantly reminded me of the movie Hope Springs released in 2012. Hope Springs is about a couple who have been married for several decades and have lost not only the comfort in their relationship, but have a miscommunication issue likewise present in “Black Man and White Woman in Dark Green Rowboat”. In Russell Bank’s story he writes of how the white woman and black man have trouble speaking of their feelings towards the woman receiving an abortion. It is going to happen, yet they cannot speak, or communicate towards each other the feelings that they both inhibit. In Hope Springs the married couple have lost something sacred in their relationship, yet cannot even confront their issues. The wife in the movie Hope Springs, Kay, works on informing her husband about the issue, yet he just instantly turns her down every time. In Bank’s story the girl states, “Listen, I don’t know how to tell you this, but I might as well come right out and say it. I’m going to do it. This afternoon…”. You can tell the girl is trying to express her feelings towards getting an abortion, and confronts the black man, but he almost shuts her down, or doesn’t show much expression. This is exactly the plot in Hope Springs. The wife just wishes to reconcile their love, marriage, comfort, and communication, yet he constantly pushes her away, not wanting anything to do with the problem at hand.