What's Eating Gilbert Grape

Amy worries that they cannot top this day when it comes to Arnie’s birthday party. Gilbert reassures Amy, and she, in turn, thanks him for always being supportive and wishes he could find someone to love. Gilbert recalls that Amy once had a boyfriend, a truck driver, who stayed at their home quite often and was friendly with the whole family. However, Amy caught him kissing Janice and ended the relationship.

Amy and Gilbert return home and tell Bonnie about the day, but she’s angry they didn’t take pictures. They have one last birthday meeting, and Amy drives Janice back to the airport while Ellen goes to a Bible meeting. When they return home, Gilbert is annoyed that Amy took Arnie to Burger Barn for dinner. Gilbert argues that Amy should make Ellen help around the house more. He also expresses distaste for Janice. Amy attempts to correct him, but when Gilbert brings up Amy’s former boyfriend, she slaps him. Amy then takes a large bowl of ice cream to her room for some alone time.

Gilbert puts Arnie in the bathtub and gets a call from Tucker asking for help. Tucker and Bobby arrive outside and convince Gilbert to go home with them: They want him to help them get girls. Gilbert has little advice for them. When Gilbert arrives home, Bonnie is awake. They talk for a minute about Lance’s award for Arnie. Gilbert suggests Bonnie get some sleep, but she insists she stays awake all night to keep the home safe. Bonnie says that she must protect all that she created. She calls Gilbert “my knight in shimmering armor” (187), insisting he doesn’t shine but shimmers.

Gilbert wakes early in the morning and goes to use the bathroom, where he finds that Arnie spent the entire night in the bathtub. He dries him off and helps him dress. Arnie is angry, accuses Amy and Gilbert of allowing him to drown, and runs off. Ellen has no sympathy. Gilbert goes to console Amy and promises to look for Arnie on his way to work.

Gilbert is about to mop the floors of Lamson Grocery when Lance comes in looking for him. They share small talk until a group of young people comes in looking for Lance. He sneaks out the back and goes around to the front, demanding that Gilbert get him out of there. Gilbert drives Lance around for a few minutes, and they go to Ramp Café for lunch. Lance orders only a milkshake, helps himself to Gilbert’s fries, and even takes a bite out of his burger. He comments that Gilbert must like Endora since he never left. Becky arrives and informs a growing crowd outside that Lance is there. The same group from the grocery comes inside, and Lance runs out the back door. Arnie is among the crowd. He sees Becky and begins to touch her. Gilbert attempts to stop him, but Becky allows his touch.

Arnie refuses to take a bath, so Gilbert is in the yard attempting to get him to play with the hose to get him clean. Mr. Carver drives up and begs Gilbert to go home with him. He again believes Mr. Carver discovered the affair, but he simply wants Gilbert to play on his new trampoline to show his children that it is better than a pool. They are unimpressed, which causes Mr. Carver to become angry and attempt to drag his children toward the trampoline. One of them escapes, but Mr. Carver picks up the other one and throws him across the yard. Gilbert yells at him to stop. Mr. Carver goes inside the house, leaving Gilbert to walk home.

Gilbert gets a ride from a neighbor and arrives home to find Arnie attempting to open a package addressed to Gilbert. It contains a signed picture from Lance and a note thanking Gilbert for lunch. Arnie runs off with the picture. Later in the afternoon, Ellen tells Gilbert something happened to Mr. Carver. Gilbert drives around town and finds Arnie. He stops the Byers twins, and they tell him that Mr. Carver had a heart attack and drowned in a wading pool he purchased for his boys. Tucker calls later to tell Gilbert that the police suspect Mr. Carver was murdered. Tucker also says he is the new assistant manager at the Endora Burger Barn.

The medical examiner determines there is no proof of murder in Mr. Carver’s death. On the day of the funeral, Lamson Grocery is open until noon. Mrs. Carver stops by and allows her children to buy all the candy they want. She tells Gilbert that she plans to take the children to St. Louis. She also talks about the things in her marriage that made her unhappy and wonders if Gilbert thinks she murdered her husband. He admits it occurred to him, but Mrs. Carver claims her husband died years ago.

Gilbert keeps a Coke can that Mrs. Carver put out her cigarette in, and he puts it on a shelf with the seeds from Becky’s watermelon slice. Gilbert takes a shower, thinks about his lack of grandparents, and dresses nicely before going to Mrs. Carver’s. He tells her he would like to go to St. Louis with her, but she explains that they broke up a long time ago. Gilbert goes to Tucker’s, where he and Bobby tell him they are angry with him for not sharing his secrets for getting girls. Gilbert suggests they join Cindy’s Bible study class. Gilbert drives by Becky’s house and finds her admiring the moon. He goes to the cemetery and walks among the tombstones.

Preparations for Arnie’s birthday are in full swing, with Larry sending extra money and Mr. Lamson giving Gilbert extra time off work. While Gilbert is mopping the kitchen floor, a truck pulls up. The driver has a delivery for Arnie: Mrs. Carver gave him the trampoline her husband bought for the boys. Gilbert falls asleep on the trampoline while the family has dinner. He is awakened by Amy's screaming and runs into the house to find Bonnie choking on food. He beats on her back to clear her airway, but it doesn’t work. Ellen calls Dr. Harvey. Moments before the doctor arrives, Gilbert hits the back of Bonnie’s head, and the food pops loose. Dr. Harvey examines Bonnie and says she’ll be all right, although she has a sore throat. Bobby arrives in his father’s hearse. Gilbert rushes outside and screams at him to go away, thinking he’s there for Bonnie, but he discovers Bobby is Ellen’s date for the night.

Becky comes over in response to Gilbert’s call. They sit in the backyard, and she dances while Gilbert sits on a tire swing Larry hung years ago. They walk, and Becky accuses Gilbert of not talking about or feeling his feelings. When she leaves, Gilbert finds Bonnie asleep at night for the first time in years. Amy comments that they’re all getting older, and Gilbert points out that they no longer do family-oriented things. They decide to make Arnie’s birthday extra special for everyone. Ellen comes home late, smelling of beer. When Gilbert goes upstairs, he hears her getting sick in the bathroom.