NAVEA,NicoleDaneL.

PYSCH101
201113107 September10,2014

1. Summarizethestoryplotfromthelensofanytwoschoolsofthought.

Behaviourism

Behaviourisminvolvestheideathatbehaviourisacquiredthroughconditioning.It
alsoimpliesthatbehaviourisoftenshapedbyenvironmentthepersonisexposedto
meaningthatourresponsestostimulishapesourbehaviour.BabersTalesisafilm
directedbyJunLanawhichnarratesthestoryofahumblehousewifenamedMarilou
whosehusbandjustdied,leavinghertheroleofbecomingthesmalltownsbarbershop.
ThestoryissetinasmallprovincialtownduringtheendofPresidentMarcosregime.

Behaviourismisshownthroughoutthestorybythecharacters.Marilou,for
example,issubmissivetothewhimsofhisdominanthusband.Sheisintroducedinthe
storyasthetypicalsubmittinghousewifewhowouldpreparefood,setthetable,and
massageherhusbandsshoulders.Herbehaviourofbeingsubmissivemaybe
accountedtothewayherhusbandistreatingher.Herhusbandshoutshis
disappointmentatherwhenevershefailstomeethisexpectations.

WhenMariloushusbanddies,sheisleftlostandunsure,notusedtoan
environmentwherethereisnodominantfigure.Throughoutthefilm,hernatureofbeing
submissivechangedgraduallyassheopensherroutinelifetoamoremeaningfulone
ofbeingtheresidentbarberintownandforgingstrongrelationshipswithnewpeople
suchasJose,hernephew,andCecilia,themayorswife.

TheplotthickensasMarilouinvolvesherselfwithJosesentanglementwiththe
surgingresistanceagainstMarcosandthegovernment.Inrelationtobehaviourism,Jose
showednegativestimulustothepunishmentheexperiencesthroughthehandsofthe
leaders.InsteadofstudyinginManila,heoptstojointherebelstofightfortheirrightand
tostopthepowerabuse.Marilouopensherbarbershopformeetingsofthemutiny.

MariloufindsafriendinCecilia,themayorsbatteredwife.Ceciliaappearstobe
verydodgyandunstable,alwaysdrinkingfromhersmallflaskofwine.Thismaybeher
behaviouralresponsetotheabuseshereceivesfromherhusband.Intheend,she
commitssuicideinfrontofMariloubyjumpingoffacliff.

ThestorycomestoaclosewhenMariloumurdersthemayor.Themayor
spreadsliesaboutherwifesdeath,revertingthefaulttorebelsandnothim.Hismoral
developmentbecomesmoreconstruedashepreparesforthecomingofthePresidentto
hishome.Themayorispossiblyconditionedbytheconstantpowerhungryofficialsthat
surroundhim.Marilouescapesthetownwiththehelpofherfriends,joiningthemutiny
fulltime.

Humanistic

Humanisticapproachassumesthatpeoplehavetheirownsenseoffreewill.It
alsoemphasizesthatpeopleareinnatelygoodandhaveaconstantneedtomake
themselvesandtheworldbetter.Justthesame,BarbersTalesisafilmwithaplot
embeddedwithhumanisticconcepts.

Marilou,theprotagonist,isportrayedassomeonewhoisinnatelygood.She
attendstoherhusbandsneedsasbestasshecan,goestochurcheverySunday,and
remainsagoodfriendtohertwoclosefriends.Sheishumbleandrespectfultoeveryone
intown.BehaviourismisinMarilouscharactersinceshefeelstheneedtodevelopher
fullpotential.Eventually,shedoes,herselftransformingfromsomethingsubmissiveto
somethingmorebraveandfirminherdecisions.

MarilousnephewJosealsoappliedthehumanisticapproachbyattemptingto
maketheworldheislivinginbetter.Heassociateshimselfwiththerebelsofthe
resistanceintheabusiveregimeofMarcosthenandhefightsalongsidewiththem
againstMarcosmen.Hisfreewillenableshimtodowhathethinksisrightandthatisto
fightforhiscountryandfreedom.

ThestoryendswithMarilouescapingtheplaceandjoiningthemutiny.Shehas
thechoicetojustliveasavagabondbecauseofmurderingthemayorbutinstead,she
optstoherlifetobemeaningful.Sheisseentobewiththerebels,wearingasmileonher
face.

2. Doyouseeyourselfandourcountry(past,presentandfuture)inthefilm?Howwould
yourelatethegoalsofpsychologyandevenyourownlifegoalstoBarber'sTales?.
Incorporatethedirector'smessage(duringthefilmshowing)inyouressay.

IseemyselfinthefilminawaythatIfeellikeIamverysimilarwithMarilous
character.Admittedly,justlikeher,Iamquitesubmissiveandmeek.Likeher,Ifeelthe
needtopleasetheonesItrulylove.Inthesameway,Iwanttobelikeherinthefuture.I
wanttobeabletostepupwithcourage,asshedidwhenshechosetoleavethetown
andjointheresistance.Iwanttotransformmyselfandbeabletostandfirmwithmy
decisions.

IbelievethatthePhilippinescanbecomparedtoMariloussituation.Ourcountry
hassomuchpotential,justlikeMarilouincuttingmenshair.Iwanttoseeourcountry
developandprogressjustasshedidinthefilm.IwanttoseethePhilippinestobeableto
competewithcountriesinternationally,justasMariloustruggledwiththecircumstances
thatlandeduponher.

Oneofthemajorgoalsofpsychologyistoimproveonesbehaviour.Barbers
Talesexudethisgoalsinmanypointsthroughoutthefilm.Marilouimprovedher
submissivebehaviourbystandingfirmwithherdecisionsinlifeandbeingstronginthe
midstoftrials.Intheend,shebecamebraveenoughtojointherebels.Shebrokeher
mundaneandsimplelifebygivingitmeaningthroughherprinciplesandbeliefs.

Afterthefilm,weareveryfortunatetohavebeengracedbythepresenceofthe
directorofthefilm,Mr.JunLana.Duringhisexplanationofthefilm,heemphasizedthat
heaimedtoempowerwomeninthefilm.Hewantstoseewomentakedarin,leadroles
tostayoutofconventionandtogivelighttowomenthattheytrulydeserve.

IbelievetheoutofallthewonderfulinsightsIwouldbegettingfromthefilm,the
onethatwilltrulysticktomymindwouldbehowwomencanagentsofchange.Thefilm
openedmyeyestohowwomencanstepuptotheglassceilingthesocietyisimposing
tothem.AsIwitnessMariloutakingheartandherfemalefriendssupportingherallthe
way,Iamenamoured.ItwillbesomethingIwouldrememberforever.

ItismyfirsttimewatchinganindiefilmanditismypleasuretosaythatBarbers
Talesdidnotdisappoint.Itevenexceededmyexpectations.Everyoneshouldseeit.