Jack Reacher, Military Communication, and Human Development

Jack Reacher, Military Communication, and Human Development

Having been in the Navy for over 7 years beginning my 18th birthday to age 25 I thoroughly enjoy Le Child and his fellow screen writers’ dialogue between the characters. The script captures the camaraderie, clear communication, commitment to the mission, loyalty, pride, and witty repartee characteristic of military service and relationships I both loved and hated at the same time in my early adulthood.

In Reacher, Season 2, Episode 5, Burial, which came out yesterday (12/29/23) Jack Reacher (played by Alan Ritchson) and David O’Donnell (played by Shaun Sipos) are at O’Donnell’s home packing while O’Donnell’s wife, Lily O’Donnell (played by Andrea Grant) packs for herself and the kids. The idea is that O’Donnell’s family would go out of town as “tourist” in another state and stay out of harm’s way as Reacher and O’Donnell embark a dangerous mission pursuing dangerous people. Lily is notably cool under the pressure.

Reacher said to O’Donnell regarding Lily, his wife,

She doesn't panic.

Accepts reality on reality's terms.

O’Donnell responded:

Daughter of an ER nurse, Chicago fire chief. Tough as they come.

Reacher replied:

Beautiful, tough, smart. She lose a bet?

O’Donnell gives him the finger --

they both laugh—I laughed too—classic military repartee. 

Psychological Construct Illustrated

Reacher said of Lily, “accepts reality on reality’s terms” That’s powerful. It constitutes one of three ways out world view expands and develops as humans: “Development is facilitated either when the person’s view of the world [world view] becomes more valid, extended, and/or differentiated, or when the person becomes more motivated and able to act in ways that are more effective in managing or living in the environment.” (Shelton, Lawrence (2019). The Bronfenbrenner primer: A guide to develecology. New York: Routledge at p. 17 commenting on Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The Ecology of Human Development: Experiments by Nature and Design (9th ed.). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press at p. 27, bolding added for emphasis)

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