Adam Braverman Character Analysis in Parenthood Essay Example

The world is filled with unpredictable events that can uproot our lives at any given time. Parenthood is comprised with characters living their different lives each with their share of conflicts. What is common amongst all these characters is their foundation: Adam Braverman. Everyone confides in him because he has excellent conflict management, “a problem-solving method” (Adler 339). Adam demonstrates this because he is able to listen and provide feedback that minimizes negative outcomes. However, for the man who stabilizes the family what will happen when he is faced with an obstacle that is bigger than him to manage. Adam displays superb interpersonal communication with others and intrapersonal communication with himself, but his methods need reevaluation after the diagnosis of his son’s Asperger's. This is due to his previous method of handling things by himself he must learn how to rely on others to overcome formidable difficulties.  

It is implied that Adam holds many responsibilities from the start, and he has great means for going about them. For example, when addressing Crosby’s spiraling life or Sarah’s new adjustment he uses conflict management, “a seven-step process that helps one find a solution to work to” (Adler 347). Adam is a family-oriented person, and he manages all these situations while keeping his emotional intelligence in check. Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage one’s own emotions and to be sensitive to others’ feelings” (Adler 228). He keeps himself calm by taking deep breaths and assessing each new situation brought to him with a clear head. One particular note is that he can be seen as the family’s rock meaning that he supports everyone by himself. There is no issue with his solitary since he is able to resolve issues that spring up such as comforting Sarah about her daughter's rebellious resistance to moving. Unfortunately, with the news of his son’s condition he is introduced into unfamiliar territory. Asperger’s requires special adjustments, no longer can Adam turn to his quick thinking resolving. 

Despite, just hearing about his son’s diagnosis he neglects to inform his family, and so his daily life resumes ignoring the issue at hand. He continues to advise his relatives on their conflicts as if nothing has changed. It can be assumed that the fallacy of causation has come into the equation “the belief that one should do nothing that can hurt or in any way inconvenience others because it will cause undesirable feelings” (Adler 249).  Adam is well aware of how chaotic his family’s lives are and it is transparent that he did not tell them the news about his to spare their feelings. This fallacy paves the way for avoidance which is the conflict style that “occurs when people choose not to confront an issue directly” (Adler 328). He chooses to bottle up his emotions which grows harder as indications of Max’s Asperger's become more existent.  Eventually, he shares his predicament with his father which initiates the conflict management process starting with the first two steps: “define your needs [and] share your needs” (Adler 345). Adam acknowledges that there is something wrong with his son and he needs his father’s help. As the episode progresses, we can see the now informed family working with Max and it is logical to assume that Adam no longer fends the burden of this new conflict alone.   

I respect Adam’s handling of his new situation in the show. All at once his entire life was beginning to change, and I believe that the timeframe he took to recognize his limitations and establish a support was excellent. He did not wait until he reached a destructive outburst nor did he try to handle the entire conflict past his breaking point. In today’s media it is common to see characters try to do more than they can handle only to be met with an even worse result and I am glad that Adam breaks the norm by being able to see his situation through a logical lens which prevented negative outcomes.