the theme of rules in the movie `the cider house rules`

Relevance of the theme of Rules in the movie Cider House Rules to reality

Based on a novel by John Irving , the movie The Cider House Rules ' has screenplay by the original author and is directed by Lasse Halstrom . It revolves around the character of Homer and is set in the 1920s . Young Homer Wells lives in an orphanage , having been adopted and returned twice . He was returned the first time because he didn 't cry and the second time , because he was a victim of child abuse . Dr . Wilbur Larch at

the orphanage shelters Homer and he grows up learning how to deliver babies and perform abortions from the doctor . However , deep in his heart , Homer never approved of abortions . Homer watches the other children get adopted and move on with their lives . He too longs for a life with a stronger framework . Unfortunately Homer has a heart defect that prevents him from joining the armed forces . Homer while assisting a young woman named Candy Kendall in an abortion is offered an opportunity of moving out with them . Candy is engaged to Wally Worthington who is a military person on leave and helping in the harvesting of his family 's apple orchard . Homer leaves the orphanage with them to live in the cider house . In the cider house , Homer finds a lot of solace though he has to work hard in the orchards . Once Wally leaves for war , Homer and Candy develop a relationship . Here , at the cider house , Homer learns that rules do not make up life and each person needs to make his own rules as life goes by

The film has many scenes that show that cider house rules mimic real life . Initially , Homer feels that life in the orphanage has no rules This is because Dr . Larch often does abortions on women . Homer considered abortions are wrong and hence his apprehensions in assisting Dr . Larch with abortions . However , the doctor felt that sometimes abortions are necessary . That there are no strict rules at the orphanage is evident when the doctor 's voice says in the first scene , Here is St . Cloud 's , we don 't regard the sordid facts of life as problems . He goes on to say that here in the orphanage at St . Cloud 's , promises are rarely kept and the war is not against evil but against ignorance and one does not aspire to be successful in life , but mainly useful . Dr Larch 's opinion is that women should be helped to have abortions so that they can be safe

At the Cider House there are rules but no one really tries to know them because no one is keen on having any rules . Homer , on entering the Cider House is given time only to read the first rule Don 't smoke in bed This seems insignificant and yet Mr . Rose does not allow him to read any further . This shows that life outside the orphanage may be based on rules . But...