Let's say the hero has obsessive compulsive disorder and the father-in-law has had enough because he considers the hero's actions to be embarrassing in front of relatives. Then all is needed is for the hero to do something which embarrasses the father-in-law in public or in a grand event which will be the final straw. Can you help suggest to me an action which the hero does which makes the father-in-law really angry? All I can think of is him not wanting to shake hands with important people on stage because of germ phobia or tapping the microphone compulsively but I don't think that is enough to cause anger in the father-in-law.
He washes the father-in-law's lucky football shirt (jersey) without permission and then Manchester United or the Los Angeles Rams lose the next day.
Obsessive compulsive disorder is largely about a desperate need to establish and maintain order, because the person is afraid of the chaos that life consists of. So they clean, organize, count, talk all the time and never let anybody else talk, or whatever form their particular compulsion takes. It's about needing to feel in control, often because in childhood they felt absolutely not in control and it felt (probably was) dangerous. So now they have to do whatever their rituals are in order to feel like they have some kind of control (an illusion, but illusions can feel pretty good). And it can really get annoying, especially when they're stressed out and double down on the rituals. Maybe he insists on cleaning the father's house, in ways the father doesn't like. Maybe the father is kind of a slob, he likes the house comfortable and 'lived-in', but the son-in-law is going through a rough time and can't help organizing and cleaning everything all the time, even immediately after the father-in-law just told him to stop. I've known a few people like this, and it really starts to feel like a constant criticism of you and your way of living.
Okay, I'll be that guy: You're asking about a father-in-law kicking out a son-in-law. That means that, somewhere, there should be a daughter who is married to the aforementioned son-in-law. Where is she and what part does (or doesn't) she play in this? If the FIL evicts the SIL, does the daughter get tossed with her husband? Off the record: What kind of hero suffers from OCD?
maybe the father-in-law gives a speech at an important family dinner (an annual event or special event to announce his success or some major decision) and accidentally knocks the salt shaker. Everyone ignores the accident, because it is a minor thing. As the son-in-law observes horrified the salt grain jumping out of it on the table, feeling the tension of the situation (it is really an important moment for the father-in-law) he goes in full-mode obsessive-ritual distracting everyone from the speech. The father-in-law doesn't like his son-in-law ruining his "moment" once again. . . ?
I agree with Bruce Johnson's approach. The reason for the FIL's hatred and anger would be more compelling if it seems irrational to everybody else. Perhaps the SIL's behavior that angers the FIL is that the behavior is uncomfortably similar to the FIL's own father, who he hated. That could be tapping the microphone or refusing to shake hands. Maybe the FIL struggles with the same issues. Quirks that wouldn't alarm most people could send FIL into an uncontrollable rage.
Perhaps he’s constantly cheating on his daughter and the daughter turns to her father every time this happens. Then he sees she’s forgiven hubby for it the next day. This happens again. And Then finally it’s the last straw (for dad).
In my life experience, it typically isn't a big thing that ends up being the last straw, but something very small. You tend to overlook or rationalize the big things to try and save your sanity or not harbor ill feelings toward the person you are supposed to care for, but when they do/don't do that one small thing, you go off on them.
If this is an adult child, lack of contribution to financial resources and a sense of entitlement to whatever the parents' resources could create a foundation for the anger. Not shaking someone's hand may be the final straw, but when it comes to adult family staying with family, you could write a whole book on the power struggles and dynamics of people who have to live with each other,because they can't survive alone. Given recent house-price explosions, your narrative will definitely strike a chord with people in similar situations. What if the person is insulted and pulls a major contract from the father-in-law's business? Or the daughter accidentally breaks something of emotional value to the parents.
No. If you've seen the TV series Monk, then the hero is a detective(?) who suffers from OCD. Having OCD won't stop someone from having heroic traits. Although I have decided that the one with OCD now won't be the main hero any more.
I have seen Monk. I didn't care for the show but I am familiar with it. Monk was the main character, but I do not consider him to have been an any way, by any definition, a hero. Are you conflating "hero" with "main character"?
The FIL will only kick out the SIL if he thinks that is what is best for his daughter. Most fathers will weather anything as long as their daughter is happy. So, whatever the reason, it must involve the daughter. Unless of course Dad thinks he knows better than the daughter what is good for her.....
