Narrative: Chapter 2.

Hello everyone and welcome back to Theory Thursday. Last week I began to discuss the different types of narration that we can come across in literature. I focused on the third-person perspective last week, you should go and check that out if you haven’t already. Today I am concentrating on the first-person narrative so let’s dive into #theorythursday.

How do I recognise the first-person narrator in a story?

It is very easy to recognise when a story is being told in the first-person, because the narrator is either the protagonist telling their own story, or another character who is telling the protagonist’s story from their point of view.

I mentioned on my Instagram (@katelovesliterature), that today is a double post day because my #bookofthemonth discussion all about F.Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby will also be published today seeing as it is the last day of September. It just so happens that The Great Gatsby is a brilliant example of a story that is told from the first-person perspective. The character Nick Carraway is the narrator of Fitzgerald’s novel and he tells us the story of Jay Gatsby, the novel’s protagonist, and since the story is told from Nick’s point of view, we are seeing Jay through his eyes. The novel is an example of a first-person perspective in which another character telling the protagonist’s story – Nick tells Jay’s story. If Jay was telling his own story, he would also be a first-person narrator.

When a narrator is speaking in the first-person, they will use words such as “I”, and “we”, as they are telling readers about events that they experienced themselves, or witnessed themselves.

I mentioned last week that I tend to prefer stories are told in the third-person, and this is because I feel that the third-person perspective gives readers a broader story because the narrator is outside of the events looking in, and so the narrator is therefore more objective but a first-person narrator is speaking from their own experience, so their feelings will come into play, which means that the story we are told may be biased – this is where the concept of an “unreliable narrator” comes into play, and we must always be open to questioning how the story may be different if it was told by someone else.

If we think about The Great Gatsby for a moment, it is a good example of a novel that could be argued to have an unreliable narrator. I’ve already said that readers experience Jay Gatsby through the eyes of Nick Carraway and while at times he despises Gatsby, there are also times that he admires him. Nick has sympathy for Gatsby and so readers most likely will too, however Nick does not have sympathy for Daisy or Tom, and he judges them harshly for their actions despite claiming he’s not judgemental, and despite overlooking Gatsby’s similar behaviour which is hypocritical – but it’s easier to overlook behaviour from someone you sympathise with than someone you do not.

I would also argue that it is crucial that The Great Gatsby is told from Nick’s perspective. I don’t think this novel would work if it wasn’t. Nick is the mediator between the readers and Gatsby, and because Nick sees Gatsby as a layered and complex man, who he can both admire and despise, readers do too. I feel that it could be argued that Gatsby would not be as dynamic or sympathetic of a character if he was the narrator because if he was the one talking of his misdeeds and then of his better qualities, he could risk coming across to readers as an obnoxious man who is boastful and simply trying to justify his actions, but having Nick speak of Gatsby’s admirable qualities allows Gatsby to become layered, to become dynamic, and somewhat redeemable, having Nick tell his story means that he gets to be a mysterious entity rather than an absurdly rich man talking about himself. Nick telling Gatsby’s story of doomed romance makes him a tragically romantic character, but if Gatsby was speaking, would he simply be a rich man who is pining and whining? Maybe.

Why is it important to know about the first-person narrator?

Well, as always I think it’s important to understand how different types of narration can impact a story. Narration is a key aspect of fiction, and types of narration are key aspects of literary theory and understanding literary theory can only deepen one’s understanding and enjoyment of a text. I say this every week, and I will continue to do so because it is true.

If we think about the above example I gave, The Great Gatsby is a text that highlights how much of an impact the type of narration used can have because as I stated above, I think it can be argued that having Nick Carraway narrate that text is crucial to the text working, I don’t think it would be as dynamic, layered, and impactful of a text if it was wasn’t told from Nick’s first-person perspective, so even though I do generally prefer stories that are told in the third-person, I can recognise texts in which a first-person perspective would be the better choice, and in my opinion, The Great Gatsby is one of those texts – if you want to hear what else I have to say about this novel then check of September’s Book Of The Month discussion.

I hadn’t planned it in advance that this week’s Theory Thursday would align so perfectly with September’s Book Of The Month selection. It was a coincidence that both posts would be published today as this Thursday just happened to be the last day of September, and I like to post my #bookofthemonth discussions on the last day of every month. I also hadn’t planned for this week’s aspect of literary theory to be such a huge factor of the text I am discussing. It was another coincidence that last week I decided I would begin to explain the different types of narration and first-person narration just happened to be prominent in my Book Of The Month selected novel.

This has been Theory Thursday. This has been a breakdown of the first-person perspective. As always if anyone has any comments or questions, I’d love it if you’d drop them below.

Here’s to Friday Eve.

Kate xo.

The Great Gatsby.

Hello everyone and welcome to September’s #bookofthemonth discussion.

If you’ve been following the blog and my Instagram (@katelovesliterature), then you’ll already know that today I am discussing F.Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.

Let’s dive into September’s Book Of The Month.

The Great Gatsby has often been referred to as the Great American Novel. Our narrator Nick Carraway tells his tale, recounting the events of the summer he spent in West Egg Long Island. While Nick is our narrator, I think it is fair to say that this book is about the millionaire Jay Gatsby, as Nick is telling us about his interactions with the mysterious man.

This novel is set in the Jazz Age, so it is understandably filled with money, glitz, and glamour, but I think that ultimately, this book tells a poignant tale and at the end of the day, the moral of this story is that the Great American Dream is unattainable. I also think that while this statement is extremely simplistic, and doesn’t do justice to Fitzgerald’s nuanced tale, simply put, this story is an example of how money cannot buy happiness because while Jay Gatsby is a very wealthy man who has attained great wealth and status, his dream is to be with his one true love.

Before I talk about Fitzgerald’s writing style, I am going to touch on how symbolic I feel that this novel has become as I feel the name Gatsby has become ingrained in pop culture. I think that when one thinks of The Great Gatsby, they automatically associate the novel with glitz, glamour, flapper dresses, and decedent parties filled with champagne. How many Gatsby themed parties have you heard of? I have heard of many, even if people have never read the book, they have an image of what The Great Gatsby is, and I think this is one of reasons why this novel has become a canonical classic.

I think it is interesting to note that the name Gatsby has become associated with opulence, because I think that this novel is one that is often misunderstood. While Gatsby is wealthy and he is an opulent showman, this is not all he is, this is simply a part of his very complex persona. Fitzgerald often commented that people who reviewed the book hadn’t the slightest clue what it is about. Many people first experience this text when they are in secondary school (high school), and I personally think that this is a text that needs to be read in college, because there is not enough time on the secondary school curriculum to allow students to really engage with this text and understand it. It is not something you can read quickly at fifteen or sixteen and appreciate, it will fly over your head. You need to sit down and enjoy this book, it needs to be taken in. I’ve read this book many times now and it is only now that I am in my twenties that I feel I am really appreciating it for the classic that it is.

A key aspect to this novel is Fitzgerald’s choice to write it in the first-person. This story is narrated by Nick, which means we are experiencing all events through Nick’s point of view. Now last Thursday I started to break down the different types of narrative. I started with the third-person and this Theory Thursday I am going to be talking about the first-person narrative and why it is important. While I personally prefer stories that are told in the third-person, I would say that it is crucial that The Great Gatsby is told from Nick’s perspective. Nick is the meeting point between Gatsby and the readers, we are seeing Gatsby through Nick’s eyes. Nick had mixed feelings about Gatsby, he admires Gatsby, he praises Gatsby, and at times he despises Gatsby. A major theme in this novel is the idea of the unattainable Great American Dream. In my opinion, there is an inescapable feeling of melancholy throughout this novel, because this novel showcases how so many people hope for that dream, they work towards it, they reach for it, they make sacrifices for it, but that dream remains unreachable and unattainable for most and this harsh fact leaves people feeling aimless and disappointed.

Fitzgerald uses a lot of motifs in this novel. What is a motif? A motif is a recurring idea in a work that lends itself to the overall theme of the work. I would argue that the novel’s key theme is the idea that great dreams are in fact unattainable and this fact leads Nick Carraway to end up very angry and very disillusioned. The motifs that can be recognised in this novel are those of judgement, extreme wealth, infidelity, and facades.

We make all of our decisions about what we think of Jay Gatsby based on what Nick thinks of him, because we are seeing him through Nick’s eyes. Gatsby does many things that one might consider immoral however Nick could also be called an unreliable narrator because at times he is biased and hypocritical, for example he judges other characters and their immoral actions differently to how he judges Gatsby and his actions because while at times he does criticise Gatsby, he also does sympathise with him and so in turn, readers sympathise with him too. This point is something I will elaborate further on in this week’s Theory Thursday because the idea of the unreliable narrator is one that is unavoidable when you’re dealing with a first-person narrative, because when someone is telling us how they saw something, that view will always be biased in some way because it is impossible to be impartial when you’re directly involved.

I would say that Fitzgerald is quite a vivid writer and he has captured the Jazz Age in a very stark, tangible way. I think my above point about how much the name Gatsby has become associated with opulence proves this because Fitzgerald did paint a very clear picture of extreme wealth. Fitzgerald doesn’t only describe extravagant wealth, he also paints a bleak picture of the realities that the average person must deal with. I think a perfect example of this is the valley of ashes. The place is dusty, smog filled, and dim. The dull, ashy place is described as “crumbling”, the “powdery air” makes the place feel truly depressing. This “grotesque garden…where ashes take forms of houses.”, is a stark contrast from Gatsby’s warm, exciting house, and readers can easily see the class divide that existed, and still exists today in America.

In my opinion it is Fitzgerald’s writing style, specifically his use of vivid imagery that has made The Great Gatsby so memorable. Fitzgerald created a vivid world that invited readers in. We become enthralled by the decadence of Gatsby’s wealth but appalled by the conditions that other people have to live in. Gatsby is a complex man. He has created an intricate facade. Behind his wealth, he has cheated, and lied, and bootlegged his way to the life he has now, but despite all his wealth, and status, there are lines he cannot cross, battles he cannot win, and his doomed romantic plight is what makes The Great Gatsby a tragic romantic tale all about the loss of dreams, a novel that leaves us feeling melancholy and yearning for something, even if we don’t know what.

There are some uncomfortable aspects to this novel, particularly some of the beliefs held by the character Tom Buchanan. He has beliefs and uses language that many readers will find offensive today – that is the point. We are not supposed to like Tom. He is the least sympathetic character in the book. He is aggressive, and he is unkind, and he is a very intimidating, hulking figure. His wife Daisy, whom Jay loves, is beautiful, and elegant. She is a true golden girl however many would call her a very manipulative and selfish character. I don’t think that anyone is particularly likeable in this novel. Nick Carraway states that Tom, Daisy, and Jay are “careless people” who “toss others aside”. This is true however Nick isn’t perfect either. Ultimately I would say that this is a novel about flawed people and their hopes and dreams. They have achieved great riches but there is still something missing, something unattainable, and it is a novel that sticks with you. It is a novel that I know I will read again, and again because each time I will find a new aspect to focus on, a new idea to discuss, and something new will resonate with me in a way it didn’t before.

There is a reason why this novel is considered The Great American novel, and I think it is a novel that everyone should read at least once – and then again, and again, so that eventually it is a novel that we understand.

It is a great coincidence that this Book Of The Month discussion occurred during #bannedbooksweek. It didn’t occur to me when I was selecting September’s #bookofthemonth.

I simply wanted to read a classic novel in September as it is the month where everyone heads back to school and off to college, however I am glad that I just happened to choose this novel, and that this month’s Book Of The Month discussion arrived during #bannedbooksweek. I don’t believe that this novel was ever outrightly banned, but attempts were made to censor the book due to some of the language, profanity, etc.

Every year during Banned Books Week, we celebrate our right to read. I touched on this over on my Instagram. I have a degree in English Literature, and I cannot tell you how many books I studied that were banned at one point in time. Books such as To Kill a Mockingbird, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Ulysses, The Call of the Wild, Lady Chatterley’s Lover – to name only a few. These are beautiful, layered, complex, nuanced, and educational texts. They are important. Do they cover uncomfortable topics? Do they make us uncomfortable? Yes. That is the point. Literature reflects our society, all of society. The good, the bad, and the things we’d rather pretend never happened. We cannot rewrite history, we cannot ignore history, we must listen, we must learn, and we must read. So here’s to our right to reading. It is so important.

This has been my discussion of F.Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. This has been September’s Book Of The Month. I hope you enjoyed it. Have you read The Great Gatsby? Let me know what you think of the novel because I love hearing your thoughts.

Make sure to keep an eye on my Instagram (@katelovesliterature), because I will be announcing October’s #bookofthemonth very soon.

Kate xo.

Alice in Wonderland.

Hello everyone and welcome back to another Movie Monday. Seeing as next Monday will be the start of spooky season, I decided that I would watch another classic Disney movie before moving onto a month of thrillers, horrors, and cult classics – Hocus Pocus I’m looking at you.

I’m really looking forward to the month of October because the spooky nature of the month especially as we get closer to Halloween, really lends itself to so many movies, books, short stories, and more. Today though I’m easing us into spooky season with Tim Burton’s live action, dark fantasy adventure Alice in Wonderland.

This movie was released in 2010, and I still remember the day I saw it in the cinema.

Let’s dive into #moviemonday.

Plot.

This movie follows the now grown up Alice Kingsley as she runs away from the suffocating society she lives in and finds herself back in Wonderland after falling down the rabbit hole. In this version, Alice is nineteen and she thinks that Wonderland is a figment of her imagination. She knows the place because she’s had reoccurring dreams about it, but as she wanders deeper into Wonderland, and faces the dangers that lie there, she learns she is not dreaming after all. Alice must face her fears and find herself if she wishes to survive the dangers of Wonderland and get back to her real life – but there’s dangers waiting for her there too, and in Wonderland, Alice learns that she can face them.

Characters.

Our main protagonist is obviously Alice Kingsley. Alice is a dreamer, she is adventurous, and she struggles with what is expected of her – to be ladylike and to marry well. She greatly misses her father and due to several hints, we learn that Alice is very much like her father as she has the same inquiring mind. Alice is independent and strong-willed. She is kind and she is a quick-thinker. Most importantly, Alice is curious which is why she does so well in Wonderland. She does not dismiss the wonder of the place, she does not scoff at imagination, she is open to exploring and that is why she is the ‘right and real Alice’ – if you know you know, and if you don’t – watch the movie.

In Wonderland, Alice meets an ensemble of characters, the White Rabbit, the Dormouse, the Cheshire Cat, Tweedledee and Tweedleduum, and most importantly, the Mad Hatter. I would suggest that the Mad Hatter is the most important person Alice meets in Wonderland, followed by Absolem, because the Hatter is the person who believes in Alice the most. He has been waiting for her to return, and it is he who fills Alice in on the dangers that are lurking in Wonderland. It is him who tells her that she must face the Red Queen and defeat the Jabberwocky, and it is his friendship with Alice that helps her remember that she has in fact been in Wonderland before, in fact she is the one who named it Wonderland when she was younger.

Our last protagonist to be introduced before we move on to our antagonist is the White Queen. She is beautiful, and gracious. The White Queen has been robbed of her power, and all of Wonderland is suffering because she is no longer queen. Alice must face the Jabberwocky on her behalf, she must be the White Queen’s champion because the White Queen has sworn to never harm a living creature. She is wise, she is patient, and she knows that she cannot force Alice to be champion, the choice must be hers, and even though her fate, and all of Wonderland depends on it, the White Queen will not force Alice to fight.

Our antagonist is the Red Queen. She is the White Queen’s older, evil sister. She is loud, and obnoxious. She rules with fear. Anyone who displeases her will lose their head, and she keeps the citizens of Wonderland inline by sending out the Knave of Hearts to terrorise them. The Jabberwocky is her champion, and even though it is a vicious creature, she is scared of Alice’s return because Alice has beaten the Jabberwocky before, and the prophecy shows that she will do it again, so the Red Queen is determined to capture Alice in order to ensure that she does not lose her throne.

Themes.

Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland has always been one of my favourite texts. I love the book, I love the Disney animation, and I love Tim Burton’s live action adaptation, which is of course the version I am discussing today however the themes of this story remain the same no matter which version you are discussing. I think one of the most prominent themes explored in Alice in Wonderland is the idea of growing up, and the loss of childhood.

Something that is important to note is that in the original story, Alice is a child. Alice navigating Wonderland as a child, in my opinion could be said to represent how a child views the adult world. Alice is unprejudiced, and innocent, she is curious, and open – as most children tend to be. She sees the rules of society and what is expected of her, and she asks why? It is a really good and valid question, why do we do the things we do? Why are there so many rules that come with adulthood? In this version, Alice is nineteen but she has not lost her childhood curiosity. She still asks why? She is open to ideas, and to wonder, and she is open to things that other people in her society dismiss as nonsense.

I would say that in the original version, Alice’s journey through Wonderland could be said to represent the journey from childhood to adulthood. It is confusing. When we are young we are filled with questions, and wonder, and we are innocent and unaware of the injustice that exists in the world, and then as we grow up, we have different experiences, we face trials and tribulations, as Alice does, our beliefs, and all we have been taught are questioned, we may change our minds, we may adapt to new things, we accept that certain parts of childhood must be left behind because existing in adult society does come with certain rules and the physical shrinking and growing that Alice experiences due to the ‘eat me’ and ‘drink me’ potions, represent the emotional growth she is experiencing – some parts of her are getting bigger while others get smaller.

In Burton’s live action, I would argue that the message is slightly different. Alice still questions why she must do things a certain way, just because she is a woman. She wishes to think for herself. She is curious, and when she is in Wonderland, she does grow and shrink, and solve riddles, but this time she is not growing from childhood to adulthood, she is learning about who she is as a person and I also would personally argue that this version relays the message that while yes, we must grow up and face our fears, we also must not entirely abandon wonder. We must not entirely abandon our childhood innocence and sense of magic. We must leave room for the impossible, because the impossible or should I say the six impossible things that one can achieve before breakfast – again, no spoilers, watch the movie – that sense of wonder, and Alice’s ability to embrace the impossible is what enables her to survive in Wonderland, and it is also what enables her to change her life for the better when she returns home.

There are other themes that are explored in this movie, to restate what I’ve said above in much more simple terms, I would say that logic vs wonder is a theme. Good vs evil, justice and fairness vs tyranny are themes that are explored through the differences between the White Queen and the Red Queen, and of course, there is the theme of knowing oneself.

Alice cannot survive in Wonderland until she accepts that Wonderland is real, and she remembers who she is. She is Alice, the right Alice, and it is only when she realises who she is, and what she actually wants, that she is able to assert herself, both in Wonderland, and when she returns home.

So there are many nuanced and complex themes that can be explored in Alice in Wonderland, but I would suggest that the key theme is the idea of facing the fact that we must grow up, but we must not abandon our childhood wonderment entirely, because we will always need that, even when we are adults.

Structure.

I would say that the pacing of this movie is steady. It is nearly two hours long but I don’t think it feels too long at any point. There are a lot of moving parts to this story, and I like the fact that the movie gives us time to ensure that we understand what is happening, without spelling things out to us. I really like how different characters, especially the Hatter and Absolem, give Alice, and in turn the audience, information about Wonderland. Doing this adds to the exposition but because they don’t tell Alice everything, the movie is not spelling things out for us, and in my opinion, part of the fun is attempting to solve the riddles with Alice. ‘Why is a raven like a writing desk?’

The movie is a always moving towards the final battle at the end, every riddle, everything Alice learns along the way, everyone she meets and helps, all she does leads up to when she must face the Jabberwocky, and when this battle finally arises, it feels important. I feel that the movie did a really good job of preparing the audience for this moment because it is not overdone, and it does not feel overhyped. This battle is important, and there will be no spoilers here but the fight with the Jabberwocky is one of my favourite scenes as I think visually, it is brilliant to watch.

Final Thoughts.

My final thoughts are that this is a really entertaining movie. It is funny, it is action packed, the stakes feel real despite us being in a place of fantasy. Wonderland is a vivid, and fascinating place and I think that the movie does a fantastic job of suspending disbelief. The score is beautiful, the special effects are well done. The costumes are beautiful and eye catching. Most importantly, the story is compelling, and all of these elements come together for a very entertaining watch. I’d highly recommend it, and even though I do love the animated version and think it is very charming, I would say that I prefer Tim Burton’s live action, and I think this is easily my favourite version of Alice in Wonderland.

This has been Movie Monday. I hope you all enjoyed it. I hope you all have a great week.

Here’s to wonder and curiosity.

Kate xo.

Theatre Is Back!

Hello everyone and welcome to another Friday’s Choice.

Another week has flown by and thankfully this week was a great one.

Today’s #fridayschoice is all about the fact that theatre is back and I couldn’t be more excited about it.

I like to think that my Friday’s Choice posts are a little bit more informal. I like to talk about shows that I’m enjoying, or poems that I’ve read recently. I share snaps of theatres or of my programme collection sometimes. I share all of the literature mementoes that I’ve accumulated over the years. Every week is different. I am really looking forward to October because there is going to be so much to discuss here on katelovesliterature.com and I feel like because October is spooky season and there is so much literature that is suited to this time of year, my Friday’s Choice posts are going to be spilling over with variety.

Before we move into spooky season though, I want to talk about how it feels like we are in a new season of theatre. Shows are opening. Musicals are touring again. The Dublin Theatre Festival is happening. There are so many wonderful shows happening. I feel like my Instagram feed is constantly full of actors, directors, crew members, etc., all heading to work because there is a show happening again finally. Theatre is back and I couldn’t be happier about it.

If you follow me on Instagram (@katelovesliterature), then you will know that I was very excited because last week I purchased tickets to go and see The Lion King. The amazing musical will be in the Bord Gáis from December, and I cannot wait to see it. I’ve seen it once before but it’s been a long time so I am thrilled that I will get the opportunity to see it again.

The first show that I will be going to see after all this time is Rocky Horror. October can’t come fast enough. I just know that when I get to the theatre I will be so excited, and so happy to be there, and so appreciative of the fact that I can go to theatre again that I just might cry. I usually always shed a few tears in the theatre, and that is usually because there will always be a moment in a show that moves me so much that I well up. Theatre is so powerful. It resonates in a way that is so hard to properly describe and that feeling of being in the theatre and watching a live performance, that electricity, that atmosphere, it is one of the best feelings there is.

I have other shows lined up for 2022 including Les Mis and Beauty and the Beast.

I’m sure that I will add more shows to my calendar as time goes on but these four are a really good start. I’m very lucky to able to attend so many shows. I’m very fortunate that I live so close to so many wonderful theatres because it means that I have access to some really incredible performances, and I love seeing people’s ideas, and creativity explored onstage.

I don’t only attend musicals. I really enjoy plays too and I’m hoping to go and see some new and exciting plays as time goes on. There have been some really interesting, new plays being put on in theatres and I’ve spoken a few times here on Katelovesliterature.com and over on my Instagram (@katelovesliterature), about how I think it’s wonderful that some performances such as those put on recently in the Abbey Theatre, were made available for streaming. I think that this is something that should be done more often because not everyone is able to physically access a theatre and I think that having the option to experience literature, creativity, new ideas, and touching stories from home is remarkable. I do think that buzz of being in the theatre is very hard to replicate however if I was watching a show from home, which I have done and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed doing so, I would rather see the show and create a new atmosphere at home than not see it at all.

I’m really looking forward to seeing what plays I will hopefully be able to add to my “going to see that” list. It can be challenging sometimes, especially when the schedule is busy but now that more and more shows can go ahead, I’m so excited to start being in the audience again.

This has been Friday’s Choice and it really is just a very happy, appreciation post all about how delighted I am that theatre is back. Theatres had to close their doors for a time, and I know for certain that I will never take seeing a show for granted again.

Are you a theatre nerd like me? Have you got shows lined up? What’s next on your “to see” list? Drop me a comment because I’d love to know.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Kate xo.

Narrative.

Hello everyone and welcome back to another Theory Thursday. Last week I broke down why a story’s setting is important. You should check that out if you haven’t already. I explained why a story’s setting is so fundamental. I believe that narration is another fundamental aspect of storytelling as how a story is told majorly impacts how readers respond to it.

There are different types of narration and I am going to dedicate different Theory Thursdays to breaking down each of the different types of narrative, similar to how I’ve been breaking down poetic devices over a number of weeks.

Today’s Theory Thursday is all about the third-person narrative, so let’s dive into #theorythursday.

What is a third-person narrative?

When a story is being narrated in the third-person, it is being told by a narrator who is outside of the story and not part of it. A third-person narrative tells the story from the perspective of someone who watched the events take place, and that person is now relaying that information to the reader.

A third-person narrative will read a little something like this, “Kate sat down at her desk and prepped herself for a day of study. She plugged her laptop into charge and scribbled down notes in her pink notebook. The coffee cup on her desk was refilled many times throughout the day, and after a few long hours, she finally felt confident about her exam.”

Please do not judge my creative abilities based on that example. The above paragraph is not a reflection of how I would go about writing a book – if I ever chose to do so. The above paragraph is simply a very straightforward example of how a third-person narrative works.

The third-person narrator will use pronouns such as “he, her, his, theirs, etc.” This is because the third-person narrator is telling a story about others rather than about themselves – that would be first-person narration, which I will discuss on another Theory Thursday.

Why is it important to understand the third-person narrator?

You can guess what I’m going to say, like any aspect of literary theory, I believe that learning about narration will only enhance one’s enjoyment of a text. Understanding how a story is told will enable you to fully understand the story, and I believe that how a story is narrated can impact how much we enjoy the story.

For example, I prefer stories that are told in the third-person. The third-person perspective is the most common perspective in fiction, which is why I chose to start with it as opposed to the first or second person.

I prefer stories that are told in the third-person because I feel that readers get a broader scope of the stories. When a story is told in the first-person, we are only getting one perspective and while this isn’t a bad thing, I prefer it when a third-person narrator is telling me about events that they witnessed because I feel as though I see the story in a much broader, more nuanced way, and I see all sides of the story rather than just one.

For example, if a character is in an argument, I think that a third-person narrator is more effective because we see the argument from the perspective of an uninvolved spectator – meaning we see both sides, rather than just getting one side of the story, which will always be biased. In saying that though, there are some wonderful advantages to a first-person narrative but I will discuss that in more detail when I am breaking down first-person narration.

Narration, like setting, is a fundamental aspect of fiction because it cannot be overlooked. I don’t think you can discuss a story without thinking about how the story is told and by whom it is told. A really interesting question to think about when reading any text, or watching any movie is how would this story change if it was told by someone else? I think that many movies are tackling that question especially considering the fact that in the last few years we’ve seen retellings of classic stories from the villain’s point of view. Entire movies are being made about the villain’s side of the story, and audiences are being asked to decide if the villain is really a villain after all. An example of this would be the movie Maleficent and more recently, Cruella.

That is why I think it is important to understand the different types of narration, because how a story is narrated greatly impacts the story and how audiences respond to it.

This has been a breakdown of the third-person narrative. This has been Theory Thursday. If you have any questions please do let me know. Happy Friday Eve everyone.

Kate xo.

Father of the Bride.

Hello everyone and welcome back to another Movie Monday.

I couldn’t be more excited for this week because I am finally moving onwards and upwards after two very long, stressful weeks.

The past two weeks were extremely stressful and every evening, I was watching comfort movies – movies that always make me feel better no matter what.

I also asked on my stories (@katelovesliterature), for people to let me know what movies they consider to be classic movies.

A movie that I consider to be a classic is Father of the Bride.

The movie was released in 1991 and directed by Charles Shyer.

I watched this movie when I was feeling very low and it made me laugh and it actually made me cry – in a good way.

So let’s dive into #moviemonday.

Plot.

The plot of this movie is very simple. An overprotective father, George Banks, played by the incredible Steve Martin, must learn to adjust to the fact that his daughter Annie is no longer a little girl. She is a woman, a woman who is about to get married.

The movie follows the Banks family as they prepare for Annie’s wedding to Bryan. They meet the in-laws, they hire a wedding planner, and everyone is very excited – except George.

It is a very straightforward plot but that does make the movie any less funny or any less touching.

Characters.

Our main character is George Banks.

The movie is narrated by George Banks and in his opening statement, he sums up his character perfectly. George Banks is a concerned parent. He likes seatbelts, curfews, bedtimes, he likes his children to call him when they get somewhere so that he knows they got to their destination safely. He is very loving, but very overprotective.

I am going to talk about this loving, overprotective father character in more detail when I am discussing the movie’s main theme because when it comes to overprotective fathers in movies, I feel that there is a fine line between endearing and controlling and this is a line that George Banks never crosses – this is something that I appreciate, and as I said, I will expand on this in themes.

Nina Banks is George’s wife. She is the mother of the bride and she could not be more excited for her daughter, and she also could not be more exasperated by her husband’s antics. Nina is a lovely character. She is warm, and kind. She is rational. She is the perfect counter-point to George because her calm, collected attitude works perfectly to balance out the uptight, and prone to overreact George. Nina is aware that Annie is no longer a little girl, she is proud of her daughter and excited for her as she enters this new chapter in her life. Diane Keaton plays Nina, and in my humble opinion, I think she plays her wonderfully as Nina Banks has always been one of my favourite movie characters.

Annie Banks is the daughter of George and Nina, and while George is our main character and it is his story we are following, the plot and the plot’s themes could not happen without Annie. Annie returning from studying abroad and announcing that she is engaged is what sets our plot in motion. Annie is by all accounts the perfect daughter. She is kind, she is caring, she is a warm big sister. She dreams of being an architect which tells us that she is artistic and she loves basketball. Annie is not an obnoxiously perfect character and she is not a boring one either but as I said, the story we are watching is George’s, he is the father of the bride so therefore Annie is set up as a girl who has grown up into a lovely adult, and she is not making some rash decision. Is it quick? Yes, but Annie has been set up as an intelligent character with a good head on her shoulders and she is not someone who does reckless things. She is in love and she is getting married and now she must navigate this new chapter of her life with her father, who is desperate to cling on to the last chapter. Annie is also very career driven, and she ensures that Bryan is supportive of her career before she agrees to marry him.

Bryan MacKenzie is Annie’s husband-to-be. He is kind, caring, intelligent, and honest. He loves Annie more than anything. He admires and supports Annie’s passion and talent for architecture. He seems like the perfect son-in-law however unfortunately for him, no one is good enough for George Banks’ little girl.

Frank the wedding coordinator is fabulous. Martin Short provides even more wonderful comic relief to this already funny story. His outlandish (and expensive) wedding design ideas clashing against George’s reluctance to wedding plan at every turn makes for some very entertaining scenes.

So with our main characters set up, let’s dive into themes.

Themes.

I think it goes without saying that the movie’s prominent theme is the father/daughter relationship and that is the theme that I am going to be discussing. This entire movie revolves around the fact that George must accept that Annie has grown up. He has to let go even though he does not want to.

George loves his children more than anything. He is a wholesome, hands on father. Nothing makes him happier than when he is with his family, his wife, his daughter, and his son. He only wants the best for his children, he wants them to be safe and happy.

George believes in spending quality time with his children – we see this as we can see how he has played basketball in the backyard with Annie since she was a toddler.

I mentioned earlier that something that I really appreciate about Father of the Bride is that the movie does not cross the line from endearing to controlling and this is very important.

I sometimes think that movies that depict the father/daughter relationship struggle with this line. Many movies depict controlling fathers that stifle their daughters and disrespect their right to privacy and trust, all in the name of being an ‘overprotective father who simply loves his daughter so much.’

George is not one of those fathers. He is not controlling. He does not disrespect Annie. He does not belittle her. He is proud of her, he is proud of the person she is, he is proud of her academic achievements, he is proud of her dreams, and he roots for her to reach them. He does not disrespect her privacy. At no point is George Banks a controlling father – he is a worried father. He is a father who struggles to accept the fact that his little girl is getting married and moving out. He does not want it to happen – not because he does not want her to live her life, but because he is going to miss her. Annie embarking on this new chapter means that there will be many changes in the Banks house.

George will no longer see her every single day, she will not be at the dinner table for breakfast and dinner every single day. Her room will be emptier as she has taken some of her things to her new place. She will not live there anymore, she will be living somewhere else, with her husband. George knows Bryan is a good man, he knows Annie will be very happy, he wants that for her. He is just simply not ready to lose her. The time went too fast.

Does he overreact at the news? Yes. Does he argue with Frank’s outlandish wedding ideas? Yes. Does he glare at his perfectly nice son-in-law? Yes. He does all of these things, but they are funny, and they are endearing, and as an only child, I can confirm that they are accurate. George Banks is an endearing, doting father and there is no point in the movie where he crosses into controlling territory and this is something that I really appreciate because in my opinion, it allows audiences to relate to, sympathise with, and laugh at George Banks and his antics and at no point are we having to excuse controlling behaviour in order to enjoy the plot.

The key scene in this movie, in my opinion, is the scene where Annie declares that the wedding is off after an argument with Bryan. George should be delighted. We think he should be happy after all he has been hoping that Annie saying she is engaged was just a dream. There will be no spoilers here – go and watch the movie, but I will say that George’s reaction to this fight, and his following scenes with Annie, and Bryan, are perhaps the three most touching scenes in the movie.

Despite all his tie-opening, and eye-rolling at Frank, despite him wishing that his little girl was still ten, in this scene, he does not rejoice, he does not make sarcastic quips, he does not declare that he never liked Bryan anyways. In this scene, he is a caring, comforting father and despite all of his comedic overreactions up until this point – here he is a calm, reassuring, voice of reason and I really love this scene. No matter how old we get, our fathers will always be our fathers. It does not matter that Annie is getting married, she will always adore her father, she will always need him, and I think that it is in this scene that George realises that while yes things will change and he will have to adjust, he will never truly lose Annie.

I have loved Father of the Bride since I was young. My Mam showed it to me for the first time when I was maybe ten. It was always just a funny movie that we watched together because we both love Steve Martin. I watched this movie for the first time in a while recently, and while I still laughed, for the first time I cried. I feel as though I now understand this movie on a much deeper level, and I found the touching moments so much more touching. I said it before and I will say it again, the father/daughter relationship can be a very complex one, which is why I think it is a theme in so many movies and I feel that Father of the Bride presents this relationship and this theme of struggling with letting your child grow up and accepting their new chapters in life very realistically. I feel that this movie presents this theme in a healthy, funny, and very touching way and it was very enjoyable to watch.

Structure.

Father of the Bride is a fast paced movie. It is not a long movie, perfect for when you want something lighthearted and fun, but it still has its touching moments.

As I said, George narrates this movie so there are a few montages that are narrated by George’s voiceover – we watch the events while George complains about them which makes for a very funny contrast.

I have spoken a lot about how I think that a movie’s structure can often match the movie’s plot and I think that this can be said for Father of the Bride. The movie is fast paced because the characters are planning for a wedding that is only a few months away. The characters are busy and excited, so therefore the pacing is busy and excited but it never feels rushed and George’s exasperated, steady narration keeps audiences in the loop. In my opinion, it is very straightforward, but very effective storytelling.

There are a few montages as I said, and they show the passage of time but also George’s thoughts. There is one particularly moving instance where George is reflecting on Annie’s childhood and we see her playing basketball with him through the years – another touch that I enjoyed is the fact that Annie is nearly always in red. As a toddler she has a red bow, as a young child a red hoodie, as a teen in braces a red bobbin, and now as an adult she is wearing a beautiful red jacket. I love little details like that and if you are a movie fan like me then it is things like this that you will appreciate.

Final Thoughts.

My final thoughts are that I am so happy that I watched this movie again. I enjoyed it so much, I laughed, I cried and I feel that now I relate to, and appreciate this movie in a new, and deeper way.

I would highly recommend it.

Have you seen Father of the Bride? What do you think? Let me know.

This has been Movie Monday. I hope you all enjoyed it. Here’s to a new week.

Kate xo.

Quotes That I Love.

Hello everyone. Happy Friday. I feel like this week has flown by. It has been another rather stressful week for me however I can say that after many ups and downs, I am heading into this weekend much happier than I was when heading into last Saturday so I am thankful for that.

I thought that it might be nice for today’s Friday’s Choice if I share some quotes that I really love.

Words have power and I think it is incredible that we can read some words once and they can stick with us for a very long time. I am positive that almost everyone has a quote or two that they love.

I am going to share four quotes that I really love with you all today. Some are from books, some are from poems, and some are from movies.

So let’s dive into #fridayschoice.

Anyone who ever gave you confidence, you owe them a lot.
A quote from Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

I have started off with this quote because I think it is so true. Confidence is a gift in my opinion. Anyone can fake it until they make it, but true confidence can be rare and hard to come-by. I think that when you truly feel confident it is one of the best feelings there is. Nothing makes me happier than when I can say that I genuinely feel confident, secure in myself, and happy.

If someone helps you feel that way, if someone gives you that confidence boost, then I agree that you owe them a lot because if someone gives you a confidence boost, then they have given you a real gift.

There are many people in my life who have given me confidence over the years, some of them really stand out, and I will always be grateful to those people because without confidence, I would not be where I am today. I would not be doing what I love, I would not be doing what makes me happiest, and I would not have learned about myself, and what I love, and what I am truly capable of without that confidence. So, to those people, and you know who you are – Thank you xo.

Even miracles take a little time.
A quote from Walt Disney’s Cinderella.

Walt Disney’s Cinderella is one of my favourite movies. I have loved it since I was a little girl. In many ways, the movie is very sentimental to me and I will always love it. I really do love this quote because I think that it is helpful. I have had two very stressful weeks. I have cried more than once. I have been utterly stressed out and now, after a lot of time, energy, patience, and phone calls, I am able to walk into the weekend knowing that everything is okay. It took time, and it took effort, but I made it in the end and it was worth it.

When I was deciding which four quotes I would mention, because truly there are hundreds that I could mention, but when I was trying to choose four to start with, this one popped into my head almost immediately. I think that if you want to do something and it is important, and you consider it worth doing, then the effort you put in won’t be for nothing. Things may take time, and require patience, but I think that in the end, if it something you truly wish to do then the patience will pay off.

The lights were clicking on, and the rightful owner of the music, tiny but no longer timid sang for the rightful owners of the song.
A quote from Interruption at the Opera House, a poem by Brian Patten.

This is one of my favourite poems. I will talk about it in a dedicated post at some point in the future because I love it and have loved it since I was fifteen. This is a poem that is about appreciation for the arts. It is a poem that is about how it does not matter where someone comes from, if they love the arts then they should have a right to hear great music, and see amazing theatre, and the poem also sheds a light on how some people may take the arts for granted.

It is a really lovely poem and I have always loved that final line because I think people who truly love the arts will know what I mean when I say that a song is not ‘just’ a song, and that a book is not ‘just’ a book. The arts can be moving, touching, and so important to so many people and this poem highlights that in a really beautiful way.

There is a wisdom of the head, and a wisdom of the heart.
A quote from Hard Times, by Charles Dickens.

As many of you will already know, I love Charles Dickens. Hard Times is a novel that explores the tension that can exist between logic and imagination. Dickens makes the point that we cannot function on logic alone. There are things in life that are illogical, but those things are not any less valid. We must think with our hearts as well as with our heads. It is important to be rational, and logical, of course it is, but it is also so important to leave room for the illogical. It is important to leave room for creativity, and wonder. It is so important to be empathetic, and kind, as well as informed. There are many different kinds of wisdom and we can learn from so many different things. So, that is why I love this quote because I think that it is so important to acknowledge that there are different kinds of wisdom and in life, sometimes our head will be right, but other times our heart may take the lead, and that is okay. It is all about balance.

This has been Friday’s Choice. These are four quotes that I really love, and as I said, there are many, many more that I love too and I will share them, and explain the reasons behind them as time goes on here at Katelovesliterature.com.

What’s your favourite quote? Please let me know. I’d love to hear it. I hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Kate xo.

Setting.

Hello everyone and welcome back to Theory Thursday. Last week I talked about some more poetic devices so go and check that out if you haven’t already.

Today’s #theorythursday is all about setting. Where a text is set, (by text I am referring to any kind of piece – a book, a tv show, or a film), plays a very fundamental role in the text and when one is discussing a text or conducting a literary analysis of a text, setting is something that cannot be overlooked.

So let’s dive into Theory Thursday.

What is a setting?

The setting is the time and place that the text takes place in. When one is thinking about the setting of a text, there are a few factors that should be kept in mind such as the climate, landscape, society, and culture. All of these factors serve as a backdrop to the text but they are not just a backdrop, these factors can be extremely important because of how they can influence a text.

There are also elements to a setting. The four elements are time, mood, place, and cultural and societal contexts. These elements are important because they enrich the text, they make the world seem more tangible and real and it makes the story more accessible to the reader.

I can think of so many examples of how the setting plays an important role in the story. The text that I am going to mention is Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. At some point in the future, this novel will be my chosen Book Of The Month and when that time comes I will be discussing it in far more detail, but for now I am going to simply say that this is a really good example of a text in which the setting plays a very important role in the story.

In Oliver Twist, the setting of London is really important. I love Dickens, so much so that I wrote a thesis about his works, and one of the things I love so much about Dickens is his use of descriptive imagery. Dickens writes in a stark, and vividly detailed manner and in Oliver Twist, London is a world of its own. The slums of London is where most of the action happens. The slums are filthy and poverty stricken. The slums are dark, scary places where crime is commonplace. The slums are cold, gloomy, and there is very little hope in the slums. Oliver experiences many different “homes” in this text, he experiences the harsh life of a workhouse orphan, he experiences the cold and dangerous, crime filled slums and then he experiences life at Mr. Brownlow’s house. Mr. Brownlow’s house is clean and comfortable. It is a warm place filled with kind people who take care of him. There is money in that house. The difference is stark. The people who live in that house live a completely different life to those who live in the slums and Oliver’s fate depends on where he ends up. The difference is crucial.

I mentioned how a setting has elements and factors – time, place, mood, societal/cultural contexts, landscapes, and climate.

Well in Oliver Twist, we can see two very different worlds and those worlds have different factors and elements.

The Brownlow house is warm, clean, comfortable, and safe. The people who live in that house are members of civilised society. They are refined, and mannerly. Their culture is a middle-class, law abiding one.

The slums are freezing, and filthy. Poverty and crime are rampant. The people who live in the slums don’t have a chance because from the moment they are born, they are looked down upon due to being from the slums. They are surrounded by poverty, they are not considered members of civilised society, they are cast aside. Some are not law abiding, there is a culture of survival, of violence, of theft.

In one text, Dickens has created two vastly different worlds, and those worlds, and the people in them, and what that will mean for Oliver, are all influenced and impacted by the setting.

Why is setting important?

As I hope I have explained in the above example, the setting impacts and enriches the story. The setting helps ground the reader, and where a story is set can really help the reader to envision the world they are reading about. I would argue that a sentence such as this, “the filthy, freezing, dark alley in the slums.”, conjures up a certain image. I would argue that reading something like that would make you think of a place that isn’t very nice, and isn’t very safe, and if I was reading a story and came across that sentence, I would think that this is a place where something bad may happen to the character. So, as I’ve said already, the setting really can help the reader imagine the story more vividly and I would say that being able to do so enhances the reading experience.

Setting is also very important when it comes to conducting a literary analysis because the setting of a story is considered to be a fundamental factor of fiction. I don’t think it would be possible to conduct a literary analysis without talking about where the story is set because the setting influences so many things. For example, you can’t read a text such as Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird without mentioning that it is set in the South in the 1930s because the entire book is about the prejudices and injustice of the Southern legal system. Oliver Twist is about the plight of an orphan, and Dickens sheds a light on the harsh realities that poverty stricken people faced and he couldn’t effectively make that point if he did not set the story in the slums because we need the filthy, gritty, harsh reality of the slums in order to see the harsh circumstances that poor Oliver must face. His plight wouldn’t have the same impact if he was always in the lovely Brownlow house, if he was always in that warm, safe house, he wouldn’t have a plight. So that is why setting is important, because it enriches and influences the text.

This has been a breakdown all about setting. This has been Theory Thursday. If you have any questions then please do drop them in the comments below. I love hearing your thoughts and opinions.

Kate xo.

Dirty Dancing.

Hello everyone and welcome back to Movie Monday. Here’s to a new week.

Today I am talking about Dirty Dancing. Did any of you guess the movie? On my Instagram (@katelovesliterature), I said that I chose the picture of the lake for a reason. Well in Dirty Dancing, Baby and Johnny practice their iconic lift in the water because the best place to practice lifts is in the water. It was a vague enough hint but I didn’t want to make it too obvious.

I also asked people on my Instagram stories to let me know what movies they consider to be classic movies because I love hearing other people’s opinions and funnily enough, someone’s answer was Dirty Dancing and I think it would be fair to say that lots of people consider this to be a classic movie.

Let’s dive into #moviemonday.

Dirty Dancing was released in Ireland in 1987 and the movie was directed by Emile Ardolino.

Plot.

This movie follows Baby (Frances) Houseman as she goes on summer vacation with her parents and her sister. It is the summer of 1963 and Baby and her family are off to Kellerman’s, an upscale resort in the Catskills.

At Kellerman’s Baby meets Johnny Castle the dancer. At first it appears that the two have absolutely nothing in common but when Baby is the only person who can step in and be Johnny’s dance partner at a gig he cannot miss, the two begin spending more and more time together. As rehearsals go on, the two talk and bond and they learn that they may just like each other after all. In fact, it is more than just liking each other and this summer is life-changing for Baby in more ways than one.

Characters.

Baby Houseman is our main protagonist. Baby is young and naive and when the movie begins we learn that she is getting ready to head off to college in the fall so this summer vacation is likely one of the last she will have with her sister and her parents. Baby idolises her father and Doctor Houseman dotes on her in return. He is her hero, she looks up to him, she wants to be like him. Baby is very smart and very kind. She wants to change the world but before this summer at Kellerman’s, it is clear that she lived a sheltered life and it is here where she learns about the problems that people face and the unfairness in the world and most importantly, she learns about who she is as a person and who she wants to be. Her worldview is altered at Kellerman’s but this is something that I will discuss more in the themes section of my discussion.

Johnny Castle is our male lead. He is a dancer. He is part of the working-class staff at Kellerman’s. Johnny is kind and hardworking but he also far more cynical than Baby. He knows how the world works. He has faced unfairness before and he will again as the movie goes on. He is a talented dancer and a fantastic teacher even though in the beginning he was a bit gruff. As the movie goes on, Johnny becomes more and more impressed by Baby and she also changes his worldview – again I will discuss this more when I discuss themes.

Penny is a very important character and while Baby and Johnny are our lead couple, and it is mostly Baby who has a maturity arc, her arc would not be able to happen without Penny as it is Penny who sets the plot in motion. Early on in the movie, it is revealed that Penny is pregnant and she is unable to afford to have the baby. She and Johnny are extremely worried because the only time she can get to a doctor is on the same night as their gig in another hotel, a gig they cannot miss because if they do then they will lose their salary and they will not get booked again for the following summer. There is no one else who can fill in for Penny which is why Baby is the one to do it. Penny is hardworking and like Johnny, she is looked down upon because she is part of the working-class staff. Penny is cynical and like Johnny, she is all too aware of the unfairness in the world. Penny has had an upbringing that was the opposite to Baby’s. Penny has been fending for herself since the age of sixteen and so she cannot lose her job. She is a very talented dancer, she used to be a rockette, and she also helps to get Baby ready for the important performance.

Jake Houseman is Baby’s father and he is also key to the story. Jake is a doctor and he is Baby’s hero. He is a kind father, he seems to be a calm and loving man, and it is clear that he dotes on Baby. He is proud of her and he trusts her. This is made clear when he gives her the money she asks for ($250) even though she cannot tell him what it is for. The father/daughter relationship between Jake and Baby is a key part of this story and again, I will elaborate more on this in themes.

We have a selection of ensemble characters, Baby’s mother, her sister Lisa, Robbie the waiter, Max the owner of Kellerman’s and Neil his grandson. While all of the characters contribute to the story, I would suggest that the most important characters are Baby, Johnny, Doctor Houseman, and Penny because these four are the four corners of the plot and it is these four characters that allow the movie’s themes to play out. So let’s discuss themes because Dirty Dancing touches on some very important ones.

Themes.

I love it when someone who has never seen Dirty Dancing says what they think the movie is about. Many people say it is a chick-flick or a rom-com and I suppose in some ways it is however, I would argue Dirty Dancing is actually a coming of age story because one of the movie’s key themes is the idea of becoming your own person with your own ideas and beliefs.

This movie touches on many important things, abortion, classism, sexism, hypocrisy, and individuality.

At Kellerman’s there is a class divide. There are the guests and the staff, of course this will happen at any resort but among the staff, there is another divide – the waiters and the dancers.

The waiters at Kellerman’s are students from Ivy League universities. Robbie is one of them. Max, the owner, tells these waiters that they are the best, they are good, intelligent, respectable young men and they are given orders to romance the daughters who come to stay.

The dancers on the other hand are told not to even look at the guests unless it is to provide dancing lessons. Johnny is not an Ivy League student who is choosing to do some summer work to earn a few extra dollars, he is depending on this income as it is the only one he has.

Robbie is considered to be a ‘better’ man than Johnny simply because of his college status however it is Robbie who is an arrogant, rude man. He tells Baby that ‘some people count and some people don’t’ and he is of the opinion that people like Johnny and Penny don’t count.

Robbie is the father of Penny’s baby but he claims that it could be anyone and you ‘never know with a girl like that.’ Robbie used Penny and he did not care what happened to her, he also knew that he would be able to walk away because people would most likely believe him over her.

Baby’s father even likes Robbie, he thinks he is an upstanding young man and before he learns the truth about him, he even gives him money towards college. Robbie appears to be the type of young man that Doctor Houseman would like his daughters to date, he is handsome and well-groomed. He knows how to charm parents and of course, he goes to an Ivy League college. He is like Doctor Houseman, or so we are lead to believe.

Johnny is always facing preconceived opinions and if we are being honest, his attitude likely does not help but the issue is that people already assume the worst of him and so therefore, he is always on the defensive but this only fuels people’s negative opinions of him. It is a classic case of people judging a book by its cover or in this case, by its status and background.

Baby spends a lot of time with Johnny, and as she gets to know him as a person, she learns that he is not like how others perceive him to be. He is used by the rich, older woman at Kellerman’s. They pay him to sleep with them and they treat him as nothing more than a shiny toy but Johnny needs the money so he puts up with it. He is not a perfect character, I don’t think anyone in this movie is but there are many instances where it is clear that Johnny knows about the real world and he knows what he can and cannot do – a great example is when Neil, who knows nothing about dancing, wants to dictate the last dance of the season. Baby is disappointed when Johnny allows Neil to be rude to him instead of telling Neil his ideas but Johnny knows that in order to keep the job that he needs, he has to do things Neil’s way.

Another important instance is when Baby’s father assumes that Johnny is responsible for Penny. He assumes that Johnny is the father of Penny’s baby and he is disgusted that Johnny would leave her to a false doctor. Johnny is not surprised by Doctor Houseman’s assumptions and he is so used to people thinking the worst of him that he does not bother to correct him – In that moment, Penny is more important and that brings us to a key point in the movie – Penny’s abortion.

Something that I love about Dirty Dancing is the way the movie handles Penny’s abortion. It is not debated. There is no big scene in which Penny has to defend or justify her choice. At no point does Baby, Johnny, or Doctor Houseman look down on or treat Penny badly because of her decision. It is Penny’s choice and Penny’s choice alone. The doctor she goes to see turns out to not be a real doctor and Penny is left gravely injured which causes Baby to rush and get her father to assist her. This movie came out in 1987 and yet I cannot think of a more relevant time to discuss this scene because of certain things that are happening in certain parts of the world. I’ll say this – banning abortion does not stop abortion. Banning abortion only stops safe abortions. If someone is desperate, they will find a way and back-alley abortions will rise and they can have extremely dangerous results – as shown in this scene.

Baby’s exposure to classism and unfairness causes her to reevaluate her upbringing and her opinion of her father and this theme of maturity and individuality is key to the movie.

The father/daughter relationship is very complex and Baby goes through a very difficult journey in this movie because the view she has of her father changes. He was once her hero and she viewed him through rose-tinted glasses and as this movie plays out, Baby sees that her father is not perfect and in fact, she does not like everything he does. She does not agree with everything he does and as she changes and develops her own opinions and begins to break away from the mould, he becomes colder with her. He does not like the changes, he struggles with them, he wants her to stay away from Johnny, he feels that the girl he trusted, the girl who was just like him is changing.

Baby is changing but it is not a bad thing. One of the key scenes in this movie is when Baby confronts her father. He tells her that she is not the person he thought she was and she responds by saying that he isn’t either. She tells him that he taught her to be good and kind to everyone and he always said that everyone deserves a fair shake but Baby tells him that she has learned he did not mean everyone, he meant people who are just like him.

This conversation cause Doctor Houseman to cry. He is forced to look into the mirror. He must accept that in some ways, he has been a hypocrite, and he must also accept that his daughter, his baby, is no longer a little girl. She is a young woman and she will speak her mind and she will have her own opinions and sometimes they will be different from his and that has to be okay.

It is a new chapter when a father must accept that his little girl has become a woman. The dynamic changes. It is also very hard when a daughter learns that her hero is not perfect. It is a difficult time but I believe that it is a time that everyone goes through and Baby goes through it in this movie, she has that experience where the rose-tinted view gets muddied and she matures because of it. This is why I would say this is a coming of age movie because Baby’s mindset changes from daddy’s girl to independent young woman who can accept her father is not perfect but loves him anyway.

Structure.

Dirty Dancing is a fast-paced movie. The Houseman family arrive at Kellerman’s and immediately Max the owner begins to breakdown the rules to the staff – this sets up our internal class divide and Baby seeing Johnny dance and clearly being attracted to him lets the audience know that Baby and Johnny are going to be love interests.

There is a lot of exposition done in the first half an hour. We are aware of the issues among staff, we see that Baby looks up to her father, we learn that Penny is pregnant and needs someone to fill in. This issue is what sets our plot into motion and we move from set-up to action.

Baby learning to dance is when the action begins. There are a few montages in this movie which function as a way to move time along, we see her improving, and we see that her and Johnny are getting along better. There are a few moments when the pace slows down and this allows Baby and Johnny to bond – for example the scene in the water where they practice the lift, and it is quite realistic I think because Baby does not magically become this amazing dancer, the goal is simply to get her decent enough to pull off one dance reasonably well and this is achieved.

I also really like that the performance at the hotel is just that – it is decent. It is not amazing, and there are some bumps but they get through it and they save Penny and Johnny’s employment. I feel this was a smart move because the goal – getting through that gig- has been achieved but also there is something left for the finale, the iconic lift.

I would say that this movie is top heavy because a lot happens in the introduction and then the action is filled with dancing, learning, and bonding but then we get a quick and busy climax. There are a lot of moving pieces in this movie and we know at some point that everything will come to a boil eventually and of course it does.

Everything spills over, a rich lady sees Johnny and Baby together, Johnny gets accused of stealing and of course everyone just assumes he is guilty but Baby knows he is innocent. She has to decide whether or not to speak up because doing so reveals their relationship and then her putting herself out there and arguing with her father seems pointless because Johnny is proved to be innocent but he still has to leave because of his relationship with Baby and for the first time, she learns how unfair life can be even though she did the right thing. It is a hard lesson and she learns it quite close to the end of the movie but Johnny has learned too. He becomes less cynical because no one has ever put themselves out like that for him before. So while Baby’s world-view changes, so does Johnny’s and the final scene is the final dance and it is filled with revelations because everyone’s growth can be clearly seen in this final scene which makes for a very, very satisfying finale. ‘No one puts Baby in a corner!’. No spoilers though – go watch the movie.

Final Thoughts.

Dirty Dancing is a great movie. The story is compelling, moving, funny, and heartfelt. I feel that this movie, while it touches on some very important themes and issues, is also relatable because I think everyone can relate to the idea of coming of age and realising that things are not always as they seem. The characters are engaging, the cast is fantastic, and of course, this movie is set to a classic score. Who could forget the song ‘Time Of My Life?’ – I’m still humming it.

So this has been Movie Monday. I hope you enjoyed it. Have you seen Dirty Dancing? What do you think? Would you consider it a classic movie? Let me know.

Kate xo.

Comfort Shows – The Golden Girls.

Hello everyone and welcome to Friday’s Choice.

I’ll be honest and say that I have not had the best week. If you follow my Instagram (@katelovesliterature), then you will have seen that I shared a quote that I love. ”Every kick is a boost.” – This is one of my favourite quotes by Rue McClanahan, who of course played the brilliant Blanche in The Golden Girls.

My Irish mammy always says ”what’s for you won’t pass you”, so even though it has not been the best week and I don’t feel this way now, I know that I will look back on this week and be glad that things worked out as they did.

All of this brings me to this week’s #fridayschoice. I have been thinking about comfort shows, shows that we watch when we are feeling down. I’ve been speaking to family and friends about this because I wanted to get some opinions and almost everyone I spoke to had a show or a movie or a book that they go back to when they are feeling down.

My comfort show, I’ve discovered, is The Golden Girls. Every night this week I have been watching The Golden Girls on Disney plus and it really does help me to relax and clear my head before I go to sleep.

I love this show for many reasons. It is nostalgic for me. I used to watch it a lot with my grandmother when I was younger. It is funny. The quick wit is fantastic and I believe that the character Sophia is the definition of sarcasm. The four leading ladies are a dream team. They each play their part perfectly and the chemistry the group had is something that is rare to come by.

I plan on talking about this show in more detail at a later date because I think it is an incredible show. The writing is fantastic, the storylines that the show covered were at times very powerful and poignant – I have a specific episode in mind that I plan on discussing in more detail. Most importantly, The Golden Girls is brilliant because of what it does for female representation onscreen.

There are still conversations about having older women onscreen in 2021, and many actresses have spoken about the struggles they face in casting after forty.

The Golden Girls is a show about older women and they are not the butt of the joke. They are lively, nuanced, fun, well-rounded characters who live full lives that are full of ups and downs, laughs and tears. They are interesting, dynamic, vivacious and yes, sexy. They make growing older look fabulous and it is. Yes growing older can come with new challenges, but life does not stop once you pass thirty and this show reflects that.

I adore Betty White, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur, and Estelle Getty. They are wonderful, funny, talented actresses who can sing, and dance, and play instruments, and they fill the show with heart. It is actresses like these four that made me adore acting because what they do onscreen is marvellous.

I even love the theme song – ‘Thank you for being a friend’, and every time the opening credits play, starting with that shot of a plane flying through the orange sky at sunset, I feel better. I feel calm and cozy and my ideal way of watching this show is when I am snuggled up with a blanket with some tea or coffee, and sometimes even a little treat and while a tv show cannot fix a problem, it does take my mind off of it and it makes me feel a little bit better.

The reason that I wanted to talk about comfort shows is because I think the idea of a comfort show demonstrates how important the arts can be. A book, movie, or show can be so much more than ‘just’ a book or ‘just’ a movie because of what they can do for people. They can move people and make people laugh or people can relate and feel less alone or a show can even make you feel better on a bad day. Literature and the arts can do so much for so many people and this is why I am so passionate about the arts and about literature, and why I created Katelovesliterature.com.

If I was to talk about all the things that literature and the arts have done for me, I would be typing forever so for now I’m starting with comfort shows.

The Golden Girls is funny, witty, heartfelt, and so ahead of its time. I will talk about this show again in the future but for now I will simply say if you are ever having a bad day, I would highly recommend watching The Golden Girls because if you are like me then it might just bring a smile to your face too.

This has been Friday’s Choice. I hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Have you got any comfort shows, books, or movies? Is there a piece that brightens your day? Let me know, I’d love to know.

Kate xo.