Alan Berliner's Nobody's Business (December 7th--Snow Day Response)

            In Michael Renov’s article, Family Secrets, a domestic ethnography is defined as “a very particular sort of autobiography---It is always relational, a pas de deux between a self and a familiar other rather than an outright self-examination.”(57) In Nobody’s Business, Alan Berliner attempts to learn more about himself through the interrogation of his father, Oscar Berliner. Through Alan Berliner’s domestic ethnography a question arises as to whether it is a person’s birthright to know where they come from. Alan Berliner believes that family history should not be hidden because it reveals clues to an individual’s personality. During the film, Oscar Berliner refuses to divulge certain information to his son because he is trying to protect himself and Alan from painful memories.

Should we fight our parents for answers to our past or are they trying to protect us from painful experiences?

In particular, the boxing scene when Alan asks Oscar to help him make sense of the divorce reveals how Oscar is trying to protect himself and Alan from painful past experiences. Oscar shouts “Leave me alone...I’m not going to tell you anything...what are you trying to get out of me?” to Alan. The raised tone of Oscar’s voice alludes to the torment of his divorce. Alan is asking his father to divulge memories that will cause great distress to his father. At this point, I disagree with Alan Berliner’s insistence to collect information from his father. Oscar’s viewpoint on the past would help Alan to better understand where he came from, but the reminiscing will cause a certain deal of pain to Oscar. Alan is fairly insensitive in this section of the film because he should realize that he would be hurting his father through his quest for answers. Later in that scene when Oscar tells his son that “It’s nobody’s business what went on between your mother and myself”, he is clearly protecting himself and Alan. In contrast to Oscar’s lack of information, Alan’s mother, Regina Berliner is more than willing to give Alan information pertaining to her divorce. Regina’s ability to give information and Oscar’s lack of ability reveals that the divorce had a greater impact upon Oscar. Alan does not need to get Oscar to reveal certain aspects about the divorce because through Oscar’s reaction, Alan can see how the divorce affected his father.

The question of if it is a person’s birthright to know where they come from can only be answered by their family. Oscar decided for Alan that it is not important to know where you come from. I often ask my parents tough questions about their pasts and they refuse to answer me. I find that their reaction to the question reveals a lot about where I have come from. An answer to a question is not always needed because a reaction usually says all. Through the reactions of both Alan and Oscar Berliner, viewers can tell a lot about the two men’s personalities. “The pitched battle between father and son...is grounded in deep affection and an awareness of their core connectedness” (Renov, 59) and Oscar’s sheltering of Alan from past experiences (i.e. divorce) shows how Oscar is a kind and caring father.