Each member of the Jarrett Family has a different way of controlling his or her life. Beth thinks that if you ignore the problem, everything will be fine. On the other hand, Calvin wants to share what is bothering him and why. Stuck in the middle of them is Conrad, who, at the beginning of the novel is closed minded and hides his emotions much like his mother, and then learns to talk about his feelings much like his father. Ordinary People by Judith Guest shows that the key to control, whether it is self-control or control of another person, is communication. Without some sort of communication, nothing can be solved.

One kind of communication is emotional communication. Beth is "an emotional cripple" and does not show what or how she is feeling. She tries to control her life by being a perfectionist. Also she tries to control...