Interpersonal relationship Essay Example
Interpersonal relationship Essay Example

Interpersonal relationship Essay Example

Available Only on StudyHippo
  • Pages: 3 (707 words)
  • Published: October 6, 2017
  • Type: Review
View Entire Sample
Text preview

Interpersonal Communication

In the opening scene, Harry and Sally's differences are evident when they first meet.

They have opposing views on opposite-sex friendships, but they discuss and eventually become close friends after sharing personal details. However, their relationship becomes uncomfortable following an unexpected sexual encounter.

In the terminal, Harry discovers his love for Sally and reveals his true feelings. Throughout the film When Harry Met Sally, Knapp's phases of interpersonal communication evolve and change. Knapp categorizes the initial stage as induction, which involves conversation openers. Harry and Sally initially encounter each other in an unpleasant manner.

Sally catches Harry kissing his girlfriend, and it becomes evident that they initially lack any interest in one another due to Harry being already involved with someone else and Sally being friends with his girlfriend. Consequently, they do not acknowledge eac

...

h other while in the car. Sally clarifies to Harry that their relationship is solely based on carpooling.

During their drive to New York City, they engage in a conversation about opposite-sex friendly relationships, which occurs during the experimenting phase.

Harry and Sally come to know each other better and understand their different qualities. However, Harry believes that establishing a genuine opposite-sex friendship is impossible because sexual attraction always interferes. Sally counters this by stating that she doesn't have any romantic interest in her male friends. One of the purposes of the experimenting phase, according to Knapp, is to potentially test a future friendship or expand the boundaries of an existing relationship. Despite this, Harry and Sally's relationship does not progress beyond the experimenting phase after five years because they do not find each other physically attractive.

Harry and Sally initially crossed paths at the airpor

View entire sample
Join StudyHippo to see entire essay

and boarded the same plane. Harry was about to get married, while Sally was already in a relationship. He invited her to dinner, but she declined politely. Surprisingly, their paths intersected again after five years.

Meeting in the book shop, they find themselves no longer together as a couple. However, as they exchange this information, their relationship embarks on a new stage of experimentation.

As their bond strengthens, they are becoming closer and their relationship is growing deeper. The advancement of their relationship is influenced by the act of self-disclosure. When they first encountered each other at the airport, Sally hesitated to engage in conversation with him.

While at the bookshop, Sally and Harry shared personal information with each other. Sally discussed her recent break-up with her partner, and in turn, Harry revealed details about his divorce. This reciprocal sharing enabled them to connect on a deeper level as they expressed their emotions and the anguish of having a broken heart.

Their relationship advanced through self-disclosure, but they went through a phase of avoidance because they misunderstood their feelings for each other.

Harry and Sally confirm their genuine friendship by dancing together at the New Year's Eve party.

In the end, they discover themselves in a romantic mood but their deep friendship makes them hesitant to progress as they worry about losing one another. Eventually, Sally invites Harry to her place because her ex-boyfriend is getting married.

Suddenly, they engage in unexpected sexual activity, causing discomfort for both parties. Sally's desire to spend time with him diminishes due to the complications arising from their sexual involvement, making it challenging to rebuild their friendship. Consequently, Sally persistently attempts to evade him until finally.

Harry

and Sally develop a strong bond in their relationship, but when they face difficult times, Sally attempts to create distance between them. Despite the challenges they encounter, Harry eventually recognizes his profound love for her. He chooses to seize the chance at the New Year's Eve party to express his genuine emotions.

Harry and Sally's romantic relationship develops in a unique way that does not fit into the conventional phases of interpersonal communication as described by Knapp. Their unconventional progression ultimately leads to their marriage.

Traveling back and forth, the movie does not adhere to Knapp's stages of interpersonal communication. However, I believe that it is exceptionally well-made as it effectively portrays the contrasting perspectives between men and women. Upon viewing this film,

In my opinion, honesty is the key to any relationship.

Get an explanation on any task
Get unstuck with the help of our AI assistant in seconds
New