I am almost finished watching the most recent season of Mad Men. The early episodes this season, Roger loses his 94 year old mother, and he’s not especially broken up by it. In fact, he has been seeing a shrink to try to find out why he’s become rather apathetic about life lately. Later on, Giorgio the shoeshine man dies and his family leaves the shoeshine kit to Roger because he was the only one that ever asked about Giorgio. Roger goes into his office alone with the shoeshine kit and breaks down crying.
Why? Your Thoughts?
I thought Roger was actually grieving for his mother in that scene. It was all bottled up and all poured out at once.
Nailed it in one.
I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a named trope for this.
I agree. I think Roger didn’t allow himself to feel grief initially, because he thought that he didn’t treat his mother so well. But when Giorgio’s family gives him the shoeshine kit, a symbol for Giorgio’s purpose in life and the medium for their friendship, all because Roger was the only one who showed that he cared some for Giorgio, not a man of high status in contrast to Roger. It’s a symbolic reminder to Roger of how caring and compassionate he actually is, the gift touches his heart, where all the grief for his mother is locked up as well, and he gets to grieve for the loss of two people that genuinely cared for him.