The Spiral Model

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“The cycles of repetition take on an upbeat tenor; they seem to open up towards a view of one’s life as a forward-moving spiral. This can take form in genres, for example, that depict the course of a life as a succession of discoveries, revelations, or new variations of one or more themes” (Brockmeier, 2000, p. 65).

The spiral model is similar to the cyclical model, but rather than allowing for the same theme to occur, each repetition brings about change (Brockmeier, 2000). The individual learns with each new experience related to this theme, and new themes branch from it. In Groundhog Day, although Phil is constantly reliving the same day, the way that he carries about his day changes; for example, he changes his relationships with people even though they interact with him in the same manner (Albert, Ramis, & Rubin, 1993).