Be You, Not Someone Others Want You To Be.

 When a disfunctional family has a sudden, unexpected event arise in a time where it is not needed. Sheryl (Mom) and Richard (Dad) seem to be at a difficult piint in their marrigae. Their budget is tight, tension between eachother is high, and the Dad constantly puts an immense amount of pressure on his kids, especially Olive. Olive was choosen to compete in a beauty pagent in California. The family, Sheryl, Richard, Olive, Dwayne, and Grandpa Ediwn, as well as Unlce Frank all go along for the ride, although it was not and ideal situation for them all. This was a dreadful trip for all passengers, as their van broke down many times, and the only way to get it to start was by everyone giving it a push before they left their current location. Thbroughout this trip, their family expericences several more setbacks, and realizes the need for eachothers support. 

As the family arrives to the pagent, they are told they are late and unable to participate, but I kind soul named Kirby offers to register Olive on his own time. Olive looks at her competition, and realizes that she is an amauter among the rest of the pre teen girls. Richard and Dwanye realize Olive is not going to perform at the level of her opponents and will get embarassed, so Dwyane and Richard try to talk her out of performing. Olive's performance shocks everyone, as Grandpa taught her to perform a strip tease. Olive was removed from the stage by the pagent organizers. 

Little Miss Sunshine seems to be about the struggles about a dysfunctional lower class family, but could also be about gender roles and societal norms. Richard seems to be causing a lot of problems, maomg the family increasingly disfunctional, but also targets Olive and influences to be more like "the regular" pre teen girl, while Sheryl encourges "Olive to be Olive."

Why would a parent encourgae their child to be someone they are not?