https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9OxnHj43uE Fear sometimes manifests itself as anger. Lars is afraid of being abandoned by Bianca, just as first his mother, then his brother, then his father, abandoned. His angry fear is met with Karin's loving anger. I've always loved this scene. It's very rare to see anger that heals, that draws someone close instead of pushes them away. Gosh, I'm getting all teary-eyed. There's an absolutely fascinating psychoanalytical analysis of Lars and the Real Girl here: http://www.cgjungpage.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=917&Itemid=40 Bianca essentially is a 'transitional object' that allows Lars to see other people as separate people and be brave enough to form relationships with them.