Mean Creek George Tooney Character Analysis

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With themes of vengeance and heroes and villains, 'Mean Creek' is a story told with a series of complex layers. When the shy Sam confides in his protective older sibling, Rocky, about the bully in school named George, Rocky and his friends devise a plan to humiliate and exact their revenge on his brother's tormentor during a boating trip. When their plan goes too far, they must deal with the unexpected consequences of their actions. Portrayed by Josh Peck, the complex personality traits of character George Tooney is apparent in this film, where the audience forms conflicting opinions on him. Clever film techniques are used to shift the power of the characters and the audience’s emotions to determine whether he is a bully or not. Bully or Victim? Set at school is the opening …show more content…

Behind George’s impulsive enigma you can see just how much he wants to be accepted and make friends. Isolated and lonely, George bullied children who were smaller than him and appeared as ‘easy targets’ because deep down he didn't feel good about himself and wanted to be accepted due to his learning difficulties and other assorted problems. George readily agrees to the invitation to Sam’s birthday, seeing the trip as an opportunity to finally make friends. You see a glimpse of his caring nature when he gives Sam a birthday present, using all his savings to purchase him a water pistol, and ensuring he likes it. However, he was unaware of the true purpose of his invitation by the resentful Sam, forcing you to sympathise further on George and expressing his innocence and desperation to form friendships. This is further demonstrated later in the film where he lies and tells the group that he smokes cigarettes in hopes to be accepted in the group and appear as ‘cool’ by doing the things they

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