Ilise Rosen; Kramer vs. Kramer Sheet #2

 

There were many things that Ted Kramer could have done better in his relationships with his wife and his son. He was oblivious to his duties as a husband and father at the beginning of the movie. He would have been a better husband if he had listened to Joanna and paid attention to her needs. Joanna was very unhappy for a long time during her marriage to Ted. She tried to express this but he didn’t try to understand at all. Ted Kramer was narcissistic before he had to take on responsibility for Billy. When Joanna left him he was forced to reconsider his actions and to realize that in order to have a family you can't ignore your spouse or children. As soon as he realized this he became a better father. Before he didn’t pay any attention to his son or take into account how hard it might be to raise a child. If he had balanced his work and home life he would have had time to put more effort into his family. This would have made Ted Kramer a much better father and husband.