Running head: UNDERSTANDING STUDENT

Understanding Student Development Through Film:

Lessons from Good Will Hunting
Andrea De Leon
Loyola University Chicago

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Synopsis of the Film

Good Will Hunting (1997) is an Academy Award-Winning film that tells the story of a
headstrong young man from South Boston who struggles to find his purpose. In the opening
scene, Chuckie Sullivan (played by Ben Affleck,) who is Will Huntings (played by Matt
Damon) best friend, drives Will to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where Will
works as a janitor; a job that he received by way of his parole officer. There, Will discovers an
unsolved theorem on a chalkboard that MIT professor, Gerald Lambeau (played by Stellan
Skarsgrd) created as a challenge for his graduate students. Will uses his self-taught genius and
impeccable mathematical skills to anonymously solve the theorem.
Hours later, Will is arrested for initiating a fistfight with a bully from his childhood and
an arraignment is scheduled. In hopes to discover the mathematical genius, Professor Lambeau
puts another problem on the board and catches Will solving it. That evening, while at a bar, Will
displays his impressive intellect and attracts the attention of Skylar (played by Minnie Driver,) a
senior at Harvard who has plans to attend medical school at Stanford. Will goes home with her
phone number and a boosted ego.
The judge assigns Will jail time, but Professor Lambeau intervenes because he recognizes
the value of Will and wants to work with him. It is decided that Will can avoid jail if he agrees
to work under Professor Lambeau on mathematical problems and see a therapist. Will agrees
and Professor Lambeau selects a therapist his college roommate, Dr. Sean Maguire (played by
Robin Williams,) who grew up in the same impoverished South Boston neighborhood as Will,
and works as a college professor.
Will and Sean initially have conflict, but over time, Sean discovers how to push Will and
challenges him to think about who he truly is. Will and Skylar quickly fall in love, but when

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Skylar asks Will to move to California with her, Will becomes defensive and breaks up with her.
Through continued therapy sessions, Will begins to confront issues from his past and recognize
how his experiences have shaped him. Interactions with Chuckie and Skylar encourage Will to
reflect, and Sean challenges him through mutually beneficial conversations. The closing scene
shows Will spontaneously leaving his life in Boston to follow the love of his life to California.
The film depicts the psychosocial and cognitive development of both Will and Skylar.
A Theory of Identity Development: Chickering and Reisser
Chickering and Reissers (1993) Theory of Identity Development focuses on the
psychosocial development of college students, and is comprised of seven vectors that are not
sequential and are not to be treated as stages (Evans, Forney, Guido, Patton, & Renn, 2010). The
theory takes into account emotional, interpersonal, ethical, and intellectual aspects of
development, (Evans et al., 2010, p. 67) making it an excellent theory to apply to the
development of Will and Skylar in Good Will Hunting.
Developing Competence includes students acquisition of intellectual, physical and
manual, and interpersonal competence. Intellectual competence is developing ones mind and
mastering subject matter. Developing physical and manual competence means gaining strength
and self-discipline. Interpersonal competence includes developing leadership skills and the
ability to work with others.
Managing emotions consists of developing an awareness of emotions and learning how to
appropriately express and manage them. Development proceeds when students learn
appropriate channels for releasing irritations before they explode, dealing with fears before they
immobilize, and healing emotional wounds before they infect other relationships (Chickering &

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Reisser, 1993, p. 46). Some students enter this vector with emotions already freely expressed,
while others enter with emotions bottled up.
Moving Through Autonomy Toward Interdependence consists of first developing
emotional and instrumental independence, then developing autonomy and relationships centered
on interdependence (Chickering & Reisser, 1993). Students become self-sufficient, but also see
relationships as opportunities for teamwork and mutually beneficial experiences.
Developing Mature Interpersonal Relationships is a period in which students become
aware of differences, reduce bias, and increase empathy. As students develop their capacity for
intimacy, they are able to create and nurture relationships that cultivate feelings of
interdependence.
Establishing Identity is a vector in which students find comfort with identities, such as,
sexual orientation, cultural identity, and body image and appearance (Chickering & Reisser,
1993). Students engage in reflection to understand how life experiences, such as culture, family,
and education, shape their identities.
Developing Purpose is centered on thinking about the future, and setting goals for
oneself. It requires formulating plans for action, and a set of priorities that integrate three major
elements: (1) vocational plans and aspirations, (2) personal interests, and (3) interpersonal and
family commitments (Chickering & Reisser, 1993, p. 50). Students find congruence between
present and future self.
Developing Integrity consists of three sequential stages that can also overlap: (1)
humanizing values, (2) personalizing values, and (3) developing congruence (Chickering &
Reisser, 1993). Humanizing values consists of challenging rules and authority, and
independently deciding on values. Personalizing values occurs as students decide which values

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fit them and the situations and experiences that they encounter. Developing congruence is when
students values naturally inform the decisions that they make.
A Theory of Womens Ways of Knowing: Belenky et al.
Belenky, Clinchy, Goldberger, and Tarule (1986) published a book, Womens Ways of
Knowing: The Development of Self, Voice, and Mind, that presented the results from research on
women and their developmental processes (Evans et al., 2010). The research led to a theory that
explains perspectives that women experience as they cognitively and intellectually develop.
The five perspectives are not exhaustive, universal, nor only applicable to women (Evans et al.,
2010). Given its focus on cognitive and intellectual development, this theory can be directly
connected to the characters in Good Will Hunting.
Silence is categorized as a perspective in which individuals feel voiceless and trapped.
Clinchy (2002) says It is not a step in normal development, but a failure to develop (p. 506).
Those who live from this perspective see themselves as powerless, voiceless, and are
characterized as mindless and obedient (Evans et al., 2010).
Received Knowing is a perspective that includes the ability to be strongly influenced
because of a lack of self-confidence in ones ability to produce knowledge (Evans et al., 2010).
Individuals who live with this perspective are quick to obey authority and adopt information at
face value. They want others to provide them with the answers and knowledge that they seek.
Subjective Knowing is a perspective in which individuals begin to see the importance of
self. They rely on their own ideas and they grapple with past experiences. In this perspective,
A frequently cited contributing element is a failed male authority figure, such as a father who
commits incest or an abusive husband (Evans et al., 2010, p. 122). Individuals with this
perspective are self-sufficient.

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Procedural Knowing includes Separate Knowing and Connected Knowing. Individuals

who experience Separate Knowing seek truth and often experience doubt throughout the process.
They develop the ability to think critically and see themselves as separate from the issues at
hand. In Connected Knowing, individuals see value in relationships and seek knowledge
through personal experiences. Here, individuals move from knowing to believing.
Constructed Knowing is when individuals are able to think both objectively and
subjectively (Evans et al., 2010). They are able to consider the thoughts of others, while staying
true to themselves. Individuals search for wholeheartedness and authenticity, and eventually
reach a state of balance and tranquility.
Developmental Characteristics of Characters
Will Hunting is a twenty-year-old troublemaker who grew up in foster homes where he
habitually suffered physical abuse. The challenges that came with being an orphan led to the
development of defense mechanisms, which resulted in his inability to fully invest himself in
anything meaningful, such as a full-time job, or a long-term romantic relationship. While Will
does have a very close group of friends, he has no family members to support or challenge him.
In one scene, Wills therapist, Sean, asks him, Do you feel like youre alone, Will? Do you
have a soul mate? Somebody who challenges you? Im talking about someone who opens up
things for you, touches your soul (Bender & Van Sant, 1997, 1:34:36). In response, Will rattles
off a list of philosophers, all of whom are dead. This scene provides insight into the lack of
relationships that Will has and it helps viewers make the connection between Wills past and
present struggles. In terms of Wills cognitive development, it is clear that he is very smart. He
is a self-taught genius who acquires knowledge from reading books. He is quick to recite facts
and figures, that he has memorized, as showcased in a scene where he humiliates an arrogant

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Harvard student in front of Skylar (18:15), or the scene of his arraignment in which he attempts
to defend himself by quoting the United States Constitution (24:00). Unfortunately, Will does
not use his valuable intellect for anything worthwhile. This is why Professor Lambeau and Dr.
Sean Maguire step in to challenge Will and push him into further development. They both see
the potential that Will refuses to acknowledge himself.
While there is far less known about Skylar, including her last name, there is no doubt that
she experiences development throughout the film. In a scene in which Skylar and Will argue,
Skylar discloses information about her past. She says, My father died when I was thirteen and I
inherited this money. You dont think every day I wake up, and I wish I could give it back? That
I would give it back in a second if it meant I could have one more day with him, but I cant and
thats my life, and I deal with it (1:24:51). The film sends the message that Skylar is not
particularly close with her family. In one scene, she expresses interest in meeting Wills family
when she says, Do you have lots of brothers and sisters? [] Id like to meet them (1:02:00),
however, she does not offer to allow Will to meet her family. This suggests that Skylar also has a
rocky past and that like Will, she might not have a great support system of people who love and
challenge her. Skylar also does not seem to have many close friends, which might explain why
she so quickly falls in love with Will. He appears to be the first person to give her the attention
that she desires, and she immediately reciprocates the attention and love. Cognitively, Skylar is
also very smart. Unlike Will, however, Skylar has to work very hard in order to succeed
intellectually. She spends hours studying, while Will can simply read a book and understand
organic chemistry. In a scene where Skylar is studying, Will says You want some help? and
Skylar responds, No. It is actually important that I learn this. Its really important (1:19:35).

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Connection to Theories

While Chickering and Reissers (1993) Theory of Identity Development and Belenky et
al.s (1986) Theory of Womens Ways of Knowing are relevant and applicable to both characters
in the film, how they apply looks different for each character. This signifies the importance of
paying attention to the individual stories of students because no two students are the same. If
higher education and student affairs practitioners hope to be successful, is vital that students are
treated as unique individuals.
A Theory of Identity Development: Chickering and Reisser
Developing Competence is a vector that is experienced by both Will and Skylar. Wills
intellectual competence is revealed in a scene where Will and Professor Lambeau discuss a math
problem and Will says, Do you know how easy this is for me? Do you have any fuckin idea
how easy this is? This is a joke (1:29:23). His physical and manual competence is
demonstrated as he provides manual labor on a construction site, and in another scene where he
engages in a fistfight with a peer from his childhood. His interpersonal competence develops as
he experiences a mentoring relationship with Sean, and a romantic relationship with Skylar.
Skylar develops intellectually as she studies for her courses. In a scene where Will visits her at
school to ask her to go out, she says, I just cant right now. Ive got to assign the proton
spectrum for ibogamine (1:00:24). Will then leaves, solves the problem himself, and returns to
offer Skylar the answer and ask her to go out again. She says, No, Ive got to learn this
(1:01:11). This scene shows that intellectual competence is very important to Skylar. There is
no clear evidence of physical and manual competence for Skylar, but she does develop
interpersonal competence through her relationship with Will.

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Managing Emotions is a large part of Wills development. In several scenes, such as the
fistfight and argument with Skylar, he displays the inability to control and appropriately express
his emotions. Fortunately, Sean helps him through this development, and in one critical scene,
Will is invited to express emotions that he has had bottled up for years. While meeting with
Will, Sean shares that he has experienced similar hardship. Sean says, Will, I dont know a lot,
but, you see this? (Wills case file) All this shit? Its not your fault (1:48:58). Sean repeatedly
tells Will that it is not his fault until Will breaks down and begins to cry. This is a pivotal
moment in Wills development, as it is an opportunity for Will to recognize and fully express the
feelings that he has suppressed for years. Sklyars experience with managing emotions is less
apparent than Wills, but it is clear in a scene where Will breaks up with her that she is capable of
appropriately expressing how she is feeling.
Moving Through Autonomy Toward Interdependence is seen as Will develops his
relationship with Sean. Will initially sees the relationship as meaningless, but over time, Sean is
able to create a bond with Will by being patient and allowing Will to open up as Will is ready.
Throughout the film, their relationship becomes mutually beneficial as Sean works through some
of his own issues. The film does not provide any clear examples of Skylar moving through this
vector. She likely develops as she pursues her relationship with Will, but her development is less
explicit than his.
Developing Mature Interpersonal Relationships is one of the central vectors that the film
emphasizes. As the story develops, Will learns how to create and nurture relationships. While he
initially dislikes his meetings with Sean, he eventually moves past their differences, recognizes
their similarities, and develops the capacity for empathy and connection. Will also develops
intimacy in his relationships. The intimacy with Sean is demonstrated in the scene where he

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breaks down in Seans office, and the intimacy with Skylar is exhibited in the physical and
emotional connection that they share. Skylar displays her development in this vector as she
experiences meaningful intimacy, both emotionally and physically, with Will.
Establishing Identity is not a very large part of Wills development in the film. There is
no evidence to suggest that he thinks about identities beyond his socioeconomic status and level
of intellect. He simply recognizes himself as a smart kid from a rough part of town. Skylar
experiences identity development as she sees herself as a woman, who also happens to be very
smart and hardworking. She uses her sexuality and intellect to attract Will, as evidenced in the
scene where she gives Will her phone number even though he did not ask for it.
Developing Purpose is a significant developmental experience for Will. Sean challenges
Will to think about his aspirations in saying, But you can do anything you want. You are bound
by nothing. What are you passionate about? What do you want? (1:35:43). Will cannot
provide an acceptable answer, but he continues to think about the question. In another scene,
Chuckie tells Will that Will needs do something with his life. He says, Itd be an insult to us if
youre still here in twenty years (1:43:00). Chuckie also says that the best part of his day is
when he picks Will up from work cause I think maybe Ill get up there and Ill knock on the
door and you wont be there (1:43:26). Will is offended by Chuckies comments, but does not
forget them. Eventually, it is clear that Sean and Chuckie inspired Will to think about who he
really wants to be. Will decides to spontaneously move to California and pursue what he truly
values his relationship with Skylar. Throughout the film, Will discovers that his purpose is
much more than working part-time jobs and hanging around South Boston. Skylars
development of purpose is not a vector that she experiences in the film. Instead, she enters the

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story already having a defined purpose. Skylar plans to graduate form Harvard and pursue
medical school at Stanford, and she does just that.
Developing Integrity is noticed toward the end of the film when Skylar leaves for medical
school and Will decides to follow her. For Will, there is a process of decision-making in which
he realizes that what he really values is his relationship with Skylar. The recognition of this value
allows him to make a decision that aligns with what he truly wants at this point in his life.
Skylar values her education and opportunity to pursue her passion, so she innately decides to
move to California for school, not knowing that Will will ultimately join her.
A Theory of Womens Ways of Knowing: Belenky et al.
Silence and Received Knowing are not perspectives experienced by Will or Skylar. Will
does not have any trouble speaking his mind and Skylar also seems to be very confident. For
example, Skylar gives Will her phone number without him asking for it, and she is the one who
initiates difficult conversations. When Professor Lambeau doubts Wills work on a math
problem, Will says, Thats right. Its right. Just take it home with you (1:28:30). Fortunately,
neither character feels voiceless in the film.
Subjective Knowing is most certainly a perspective through which Will and Skylar
engage. Each grapples with past experiences and realizes that the past no longer matters; Will in
thinking about the abuse that he suffered, and Skylar in processing through the loss of her father.
In one scene, Skylar communicates that her father is gone and that there is nothing that she can
do about it. She moves on from the tragedy and realizes that it no longer matters. Both Will and
Skylar experienced the loss or inadequacy of a positive father figure during childhood, which led
to each of them becoming incredibly self-reliant and self-sufficient.

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Procedural Knowing is exemplified in the way that Skylar and Will make decisions
throughout the film. Skylar shows Separate Knowing through her ability to decide to move to
California even though she still loves Will. Will displays Separate Knowing in the first half of
the film as he lives his life as if issues from his past do not matter. Both Skylar and Will
experience Connected Knowing, in their relationship with each other. Will, especially sees
through this perspective as he decides to follow Skylar to California.
Constructed Knowing is a perspective that Will and Skylar are working toward as the film
ends. Will especially considers the thoughts of Skylar while staying true to himself in making the
decision to follow her to Stanford. Will leaves Boston in search for wholeheartedness and an
authentic and meaningful life with Skylar.
Practical Applications
In working with Will and Skylar, a Career Counselor could use theory to effectively
support the students. Through understanding the vectors and perspectives described in
Chickering and Reissers (1993) theory and Belenky et al.s (1986) theory, a practitioner could
engage the students in reflective activities and meaningful conversations to move them along in
their psychosocial and cognitive development.
In thinking about Chickering and Reissers (1993) seven vectors, a practitioner could
design specific exercises that could facilitate movement to another vector. For example, if the
goal is to help Will learn to Develop Mature Interpersonal Relationships, it could be beneficial to
engage Will in an exercise in which he writes down the names of individuals with whom he has
conflict or differences. Next, Will could be asked to write down the differences and similarities
that he has with these people. Finally, a practitioner could engage Will in a conversation about

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what it means to be in relationship with those who are different from you. Conversation topics
could include empathy, diversity, and mutually beneficial relationships.
Having knowledge of Belenky et al.s (1986) perspectives could allow a Career
Counselor to effectively work with Skylar. For example, if Skylar is engaging with the world
through Received Knowing, a practitioner could be strategic about changing Skylars view to one
of Subjective Knowing. If Skylar were struggling to make a decision about whether or not to
pursue the pre-medicine track, a Career Counselor could give Skylar an assignment to do her
own research and make her own decision. Skylar will want the practitioner to make the decision
for her, but in order to facilitate Skylars development, it would be beneficial for the practitioner
to challenge Skylar with making her own decision. For example, a Career Counselor could ask
Skylar to go home and write down all of the reasons why she wants to pursue the pre-medicine
track. Skylar would also be instructed to write down all of the reasons why she doubts the
decision to pursue the pre-medicine track. Finally, Skylar would be instructed to write down a
list of her values and try to make connections between her values and the pre-medicine track.
This would likely be very challenging for Skylar, but it could be effective in helping her to
change her perspective to one of Subjective Knowing.
Positionality and Critical Lens
I analyzed Good Will Hunting (1997) from my perspective as a woman of color. One of
the first things that I noticed about the film is that Skylar is the only major woman character.
Furthermore, Skylar is the only character who is not given a last name in the final credits. This
challenged me to think about what message the filmmakers might be trying to send. I wondered
if this was intentional, or simply the way that the story unfolded. The writers of the story were
two White, heterosexual, and masculine males, which may have impacted how they decided to

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depict Skylars character. Additionally, Skylars only real role in the film is to act as the love
interest for Will, who is a White, heterosexual, and masculine male. The film sends an
underlying message that women can be smart, but they have to work incredibly hard to succeed
intellectually, and they must also be willing to be sexy if they want to be romantically pursued.
Lastly, I could not ignore the fact that the film is played by nearly all White actors and
actresses. Even the extras who only show up in one scene are White. This sends the false
message that the city of Boston and its southern neighborhoods have no people of color. The
only character of color is a MIT student who is accused of solving the theorem that Professor
Lambeau put on the board a scene that perpetuates the stereotype of the model minority. It is
important to recognize this nuance, as it can affect the ways in which people of color interpret
the story of Will Hunting and his journey toward self-discovery.
Conclusion
Good Will Hunting (1997) is to this day, a celebrated film. It tells the story of a young
man who overcomes challenge and adversity in pursuit of the development of his own journey.
Applying Chickering and Reissers (1993) Theory of Identity Development and Belenky et al.s
(1986) Theory of Womens Ways of Knowing allows viewers to better understand what student
development looks like in characters like Will and Skylar. While an analysis of the film and
several student development theories can help inform the way that higher education and student
affairs practitioners work with students, it is important to remember that no theory is all-inclusive
and that every student is unique. Additionally, film must be viewed through a critical lens that
challenges assumptions. It is vital that practitioners continue to educate themselves on the best
practices for helping to facilitate student development so that the Wills and Skylars of today can
write their own stories and live meaningful and memorable lives.

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References

Belenky, M. F., Clinchy, B. M., Goldberger, N. R., & Tarule, J. M. (1986). Womens ways of
knowing: The development of self, voice, and mind. New York: BasicBooks, Inc.
Bender, L., (Producer) & Van Sant, G. (Director). (1997). Good Will Hunting [Motion picture].
United States: Miramax Films.
Chickering, A. W., & Reisser, L. (1993). Education and identity (2nd ed.) San Francisco: JosseyBass.
Clinchy, B. M. (2002). Revisiting womens ways of knowing. In B. K. Hofer, & P. R. Pintrich
(Eds.), Personal epistemology: The psychology of beliefs about knowledge and knowing
(pp. 63-87). New York: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., Guido, F., Patton, L., & Renn, K. (2010). Student development in
college: Theory, research, and practice (2nd Edition). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.