Nancy Wheeler, As Perceived by Jonathan vs. Steve
Jonathan: "Nancy Wheeler. She's not just another suburban girl who thinks she's rebelling by doing exactly what every other suburban girl does" // "You want everything handed to you on a silver platter...What did you expect? That you would make star reporter in a month? Crack the big case?"
Steve: "Nancy's different. She's different than the other girls" "Yeah, she is [pretty special]" "You are beautiful, Nancy Wheeler" "You are so beautiful"
Ordinary vs. special; conventional vs. exceptional; diminishment of individual value vs. acknowledgment of individual value; belittlement vs. admiration; criticizing and condemning vs. complimenting and cherishing
Jonathan: “I felt this overwhelming sense of relief when she wasn’t there.”
Steve: “I missed you.” “It’s only been like an hour.” “Tell me about it.”
Sense of dread about reuniting after a very long separation vs. sense of longing after a very brief time apart; relief about a prolonged separation vs. elation/excitement about being reunited; absence creates emotional distance vs. absence makes the heart grow fonder
Jonathan: "She's incredibly ambitious"
Steve: "She actually cares about other people"
Head vs. heart; intellectual vs. emotional; focus on helping self vs. focus on helping others; emphasis on career vs. emphasis on interpersonal relationships
Jonathan: “But it’s just some stupid story.” “Oh, it’s stupid?” “It’s stupid to get fired over.” // “You weren’t there?” “Well I’m here now, aren’t I?”
Steve: “No, it’s too dangerous. You need…You need someone to…[protect and support you.]” // “I can’t do anything here, Nance. Maybe I can be helpful with this asylum director dude.”
Reluctance to support her in her investigation vs. eagerness to support her in her investigation; lack of faith/skepticism about her journalistic instincts and sense of intuition vs. unquestioning belief in her journalistic instincts and sense of intuition; invalidating vs. validating the significance of a case she feels strongly about
Jonathan: “What is your approach here, man? To just slow-motion breakup with Nancy?” “I guess.”
Steve: “I could be around for your senior year. Just to look after you a little bit. Make sure you don’t forget about this pretty face…Nance, I’m serious.”
Passive vs. active role in the relationship; willingness to let relationship run its course vs. willingness to put in the effort to maintain closeness; lack of communication and emotional investment vs. complete investment and transparency about feelings
Jonathan: "I told you over and over again to drop this story, that it was a bad idea. But you refused. And now I’m screwed."
Steve: "Thank you...For giving my head the biggest thump of its life two years ago. I needed it. It’s changed my life. And now I’m crawling forward.”
Assigning blame vs. expressing thanks; resentment vs. gratitude; weaponizing hurt vs. using hurt as a tool for self-improvement; loss vs. growth; cynicism vs. hopefulness; pessimism vs. optimism
Jonathan: "What was I supposed to do?" "Not lie!" "Not lie?" “Yeah!” “Not lie?” “Yeah!” “So I just tell her the truth?” “Yes!” “No!” // "I feel like life keeps throwing things in the way of our big plans." "Yeah, sure seems like that."
Steve: "Remember the dream I told you about? ... It's all true. Every last word. But I left one part out. It's the most important part. You're there. You've always been there."
Lies vs. truth; emotional suppression vs. emotional honesty; cowardice vs. bravery; avoidance vs. direct confrontation; uncertainty about the future he wants vs. complete clarity about the future he wants
