Week 10: Ideology & Genre II

Romantic Comedy  <3
Romantic Comedy: Semantic
Character Elements
• Opposites Attract
• Contrast of Lovers
• Shapeshifter
• Mentors of Love
Narrative Elements:
• The “cute meet”
• Breakups and Makeups
• Kiss and Consummation
• The Comic Chase
• A Wedding

Romantic Comedy: Syntactic
• Love’s Opposition? Self-transformation and Self-actualization
• Celebrating love and romance:
-“Love fulfills and enriches”
-“Love is silly, but we need it”
-“Love is painful, but we need it”
-“Forget about it, Love’s too painful!”
“500 Days of Summer” (2009)
Director: Marc Webb/ Writers: Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber
Genre: Romantic Comedy
• Opposites Attract
• Character’s Ideological Stance on Love
– Tom vs. Summer
– Pushing one’s agenda for love
Narrative Perspective:
• Objective / Omniscient
• Subjective – Tom’s Story
Use of Time:
• Linear
• Non-linear – Tom’s Memory

Questions for Class Discussion:
1. Tom’s perspective of love? Summer’s? Are they transformed by the end of the film?
-Tom's perspective of love is that of a hopeless romantic who believes in fate and soul mates. Summer's on the other hand is that of a pessimist, who doesn't believe in such thing as true love. Ironically they seem to flip perspectives at the end of the film, as Summer finds this fateful love and Tom is heart broken by it.
2. When is the “cute meet”?
-When they are in the elevator at work and she hears the music he is listening to.
3. Tom’s Childish Want vs. Social Responsibility?
-Tom's childish want is to find his happily ever after with the women he loves, while his social responsibility is to follow his dreams and desires and pursue his career as an architect.
4. The use of surprise and suspense in the “Expectations/Reality” sequence: What does Tom expect? What actually happens?
-Tom expects that Summer will respond to him as she once did (they talk all night, kisses him, shows him attention & affection). But this dream is soon shattered as she goes about her business all night and shows off her engagement ring to her guests.
5. Is there a “comic chase”?
-Yes, when Tom realizes he needs to go after her and profess his love.
6. What/who are the mentors guiding Tom on his Journey of Love?
-Tom's sister, Summer, his friends at times.