The Process of Acceptance

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Recommended: Elizabeth Kubler-Ross' 5 stages of grief

The road to acceptance is long, complicated, and composed of several stages necessary to finally reaching any healthy results. The progression to the feeling of acceptance is a key connection between the film Groundhog Day, Adam Zagajewski’s “Try to Praise the Mutilated World”, and Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’ Grief Cycle. Though all are diverse, they share the same idea of understanding and admitting to the elements of reality that we cannot change, which in turn, can provide us with inner-peace and freedom.

The full process of acceptance is examined thoroughly in Groundhog Day, the 1993 film that depicts protagonist Phil Connors’ experience becoming stuck in a time loop, and thereby forced to re-live the same day over and over. Elements of the Kübler-Ross Grief Cycle are evident all throughout the film, while the wisdom shared in Zagajewski’s poem becomes evident near the end. At the beginning of his experience, Connors enters into a stage of shock that also occurs during the Grief Cycle: not understanding a new reality that has taken hold, and possibly needing to be reminded several times because it hasn’t sunk it yet. This is proven to be true in the film when Connors is finally forced to acknowledge that something is wrong after repeating the same day twice. He struggles to cope with his newfound reality asking himself and those around him, “Didn't we do this yesterday?”, and after the initial shock, he faces temporary denial and confusion, which are other stages included in the Grief Cycle. He exclaims, “I need someone to give me a good hard slap in the face!” and, “What if there is no tomorrow? There wasn't one today.” Of course, Connors initially attempts to deny that anything out of the ordinary is happening, and is confused....

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...e and Groundhog’s Day, acceptance can be achieved as well as the ability to praise the troubles that were faced, and the strength and perspective gained from them. I order to find the ability to praise the mutilated world one must first accept its flaws and imperfections. By doing this, beauty can be found in “gathered acorns in the park in autumn, and leaves eddied over the earth’s scars…and the grey feather a thrush lost, and the gentle light that strays and vanishes and returns.” (Zagajewski)

Works Cited

Kübler-Ross, Elisabeth, and David Kessler. "The Five Stages of Grief." www.grief.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2012. .

"The Kübler-Ross Grief Cycle." www.changingminds.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2012.

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