This is considered by some to be one of the top 25 romantic quotes from a movie. Consider any time you've had something remotely romantic said to you or consider one of your favorite romantic quotes from a movie. Think about the idea of a romantic sayings, quotes, and the likes by examining the purpose of them--in others words, what do they mean to a romcom, to relationships, to you? Are they cheesy? Are they superficial? Are they important? Do they help define moments in relationships (whether it's a movie relationship, a fictional romance novel's relationship, or your own relationship)? Use a specific example to help ground your thinking and make sure you use evidence from the readings to help support what you are saying (could be Roberts' novel or any of the readings we have done so far).
250-400 words. Dialogue with one another.
Due: Monday, October 1, 2012 by class time.
Romantic lines are a desire of the heart and of the ears, to please, excite, and potentially bring passion to a relationship. I don’t think they should be expected or forced. These lines should be naturally voiced, in the right place at the right time. Whether it be in a movie, novel, or real life, cliches and overused lines can detract from the moment. It is important to share with someone that you love, how you feel, and when a line is true and appropriate (even intellectual), it can be memorable. I don’t think romantic lines are necessary, but they can certainly enrich a moment.
ReplyDeleteHigh expectations of these lines could be influenced by our society’s romance movies, including each’s classic quotes. But, what separates a romantic line from one that is just plain cheesy?
From Romeo and Juliet’s “star-crossed lovers” to Jerry Maguire’s famous quote, “I love you... you complete me,” I can’t help but cringe and question their sincerity and authenticity. Even Royce Cameron’s, “kiss me back,” quote to Laura, is too cheesy for me. Romantic lines captivate some hearts and manage to always disgust others. When a line is exaggerated, overused, forced, and unconvincing, it can become sappy and humorous. Lines reach a romantic quality when they are vulnerable, exposed, close to character, and unique. In the romantic movie, The Notebook, Noah holds Allie up in his arms and says, “If you’re a bird, I’m a bird.” In many ways, this line seems too staged. But, I love how it’s unique and true to Noah’s character. In comparison to, “I love you to the moon and back,” I can appreciate its form. When a line is simply overused, it can lose value.
I believe, in most relationships, romantic lines do not define moments. They add zest, and passion, but do not and should not define moments in relationships. Some movies use these lines as marketing tools, sappy quotes that will lure an unsuspecting romantic right in. An example of this is Tom Hanks in the movie Sleepless in Seattle,“Well, it was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were suppose to be together… and I knew it. I knew it the very first time I touched her. It was like coming home… only to no home I’d ever known… I was just taking her hand to help her out of a car and I knew. It was like… magic.” A lot of the time, like Sleepless in Seattle, romantic quotes are pivotal points in movies. If a pivotal point in your relationship is someone telling you that you "complete them" or that they'll "never let go", that's an issue. I do believe that romantic quotes are, well, romantic and sometimes even beautiful, but if a romantic quote is the best part of your conversation with your partner, you might want to reevaluate your relationship. No judgement of course.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sarah when she talks about romantic quotes being overused, and cheesy. Specifically when she says, "when a line is exaggerated, overused, forced, and unconvincing, it can become sappy and humorous". I see this when I read the quote from Jerry Maguire "You complete me". Many people use this line and eventually it loses it's spark. I also agree with her when she says that romantic lines can, "certainly enrich a moment". So I guess it all depends on what romantic quote you're using in each specific situation.
One of my favorite romantic quotes comes from my favorite romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally. When Harry finally finds Sally on New Years Eve at the end of the movie, he tells her, “I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” Although I would agree with Cam that romantic quotes shouldn’t necessarily define a relationship, especially a real-life relationship, I do think that they are necessary in movies. If we are thinking directly in the context of Harry and Sally’s relationship, he probably could have said anything, “I need you”, “I want to be with you”, “marry me” he could have said something horribly unromantic and ended up with Sally because she loved him too. For the sake of the movie, though, the touching romantic quote was a necessity because as an audience, we don’t know their feelings. We may have watched their evolving relationship, but the sappy quotes help us understand their love a little bit better by giving us “glimpses” into the characters’ hearts. For this reason, movie quotes are probably much more important to the audience than they would be to the characters. As Janice Radway said in Reading the Romance, one of the most important parts of a romance novel is the ability to relate to the main character, this likely is also true about romantic movies. Without vulnerable, sappy quotes that explain the speakers’ true feelings, the audience may never be able to understand or relate to that specific romantic moment.
ReplyDeleteIn a real-life relationship, the words aren’t so important. Words that aren’t memorable, deep or eloquent can have so much meaning simply because they’re said in a shared, private moment. Years later, when that moment is recalled, it probably wont be the words that are remembered, but the feelings. So much is said without words in a relationship, but that is something that cannot necessarily be conveyed through a book or a movie screen. In the end, the feeling is what is defining, and the words are our attempt to convey that feeling.
Romantic sayings and quotes I feel like have a bad reputation of being overly cheesy when represented in society, but when it comes to some individuals, they adore it because they find it either cute or thoughtful. I personally have a conflicted view on what romantic quotes and sayings mean to a relationship where the line between the sayings being cheesy and romantic is difficult to point out, thus not being sure whether or not if the saying was what the other person really meant. With relationships in movies and fictional romance novels, I feel as if the romantic sayings almost solidify the connection between the two individuals just so that the audience or reader knows and clearly understand what their relationship is like as opposed to a real-life relationship where I’m not so sure it has the same effect.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, in my opinion, there are two different types of romantic sayings in which are said in different stages of the relationship. For example, when a guy is first talking to a girl and he is trying win her over, he’ll say really cheesy quotes like
“Are you tired? You should be because you’ve been running through my mind all day”. Most of the time it will make a girl laugh and blush just because it’s so cheesy and it is both intended and taken in a half-jokingly way that tends to release the awkward tension between the two and lets the other know that they are interested. They are similar to cheesy pick-up lines
The other type is when the couple has reached a more intimate part of their relationship. I think this is when things begin to get serious, when one of them says a romantic saying, they really mean it. In the Nora Roberts novel with the third vingette about Julia and Cullum, it takes a while for both of them to admit that they are in love with each other and so when they both say they love one another at the same time, it puts Cullum in a more confident position to Julia that “[she was] what [he] wanted without even knowing it” (355). Romantic sayings and quotes such as this one I think are important because it’s like a start to their romance and love, making their feelings for each other known. This gives more significance to their connection and relationship as a whole, not saying that they are a major factor, but a nice thing to have.
Regardless of the type of romantic sayings and the stage in the relationships, I find that romantic sayings are important one way or another and do help define special moments in the relationship because it becomes something memorable for the couple. However, I do agree with Cam and Sarah that when a line is overused, it becomes something even worse than cheesy. At that point, I don’t find it to be significant because there is no thought or value behind them, where the person probably didn’t even mean it. This applies to real-life relationships more so than fictional ones because it is just the two individuals, they only have to solidify their feelings with each other, not an audience.
I think, when you hear a romantic quotes said in a movie, the whole point of it is to make your heart melt and for you to become a part of the relationship in the movie. Romantic movies are designed to make you feel like a part of the unrealistic relationship, or at the very least make you desire the couples’ intimacy and I agree with Sarah when she says that romantic quotes “can certainly enrich a moment,” in fact that is really the quotes sole purpose. But to say that the romantic movie quotes “should [not] be expected,” is, I think, fairly inaccurate. When someone thinks of a romantic comedy the first thing that pops into her head is the best cheesy quote from that movie. In some cases the cheesy romance is what makes a movie a comedy. For example in the end of Letters to Juliet, when the main characters fall from a balcony, they only words they exchange are “Can you move?” “Only my lips.” This exchange becomes so cheesy and expected that you cannot help but laugh, therefore enhancing the comedy. Without these quotes I do not think the viewer experiences the entire feeling of the movie, they do not become involved in the characters’ lives.
ReplyDeleteThese romantic movie quotes are meant to make the person who is hearing them feel special. We all want to be told we are special and that we mean the world to someone. And although the cheesy lines like “You shine with the light from the sun,” from The Lizzie McGuire Movie take these compliments to an extreme, I feel like they have to be extreme to show the true feelings that the characters want to convey. As we have discussed in class, different people and different couples find different things romantic, so to be able to convey to everyone watching the movie the precise way to feel, the quotes cannot be simply mediocre, they have to be able to get the point across to every type of person possible, and therefore has to be extremely cheesy.
Personally, I enjoy romantic quotes, especially in movies. Although I do not think romantic sayings should define a relationship, if a couple can communicate their feelings through words it shows the depth and good communication. I agree with Cam when he says that if romantic quotes are the best part of a couple’s relationship than they have some issues, but I also believe that they relay the depth of a relationship that has been forming overtime. They may be just words, but usually there is a lot of history, passion, and love behind them. I agree with Fendi when she says that there are two types of romantic sayings. There are the cheesy pick-up lines, which seem to be tacky and overused. On the other hand there are the more intimate and passionate quotes which show how much true love exists within a relationship.
ReplyDeleteAlthough romantic quotes do not necessarily define moments in a relationship, the quotes make special romantic moments more memorable. What is unique about these loving quotes is that they are personal to every couple, especially for normal human relationships. Yes, when romantic quotes are overused they lose some of their appeal, but I think when these romantic sayings exist within the relationship of an everyday couple the circumstances are different. Deep, passionate, and loving words are something for a couple to look back on and remember as their relationship progresses. Romantic quotes are a constant reminder of the love and respect they have for one another and can be unique to their relationship. In a real life relationship there is no desired audience to impress with the love quotes and there is in movies and books, which makes them more genuine.
I think romantic quotes have negative and positive effects when they are included in romantic movies and novels. Romantic quotes have the potential to be very beautiful and moving, but they can also be overdone and cheesy. In the Nora Roberts book, for example, when Royce tells Laura to kiss him back, it is romantic, but I feel like it has typical and overdone. One of my favorite romantic movie quotes, on the other hand, comes from the movie Jerry Maguire. Jerry comes back for Dorothy after they have been apart. Jerry begins to tell Dorothy how much he loves her, and she tells him, “You had me at ‘Hello.’” This romantic quote is not overused and is unique to their relationship. It shows that she feels they are soulmates and remembers the first time they met. She is able to capture their whole relationship in just a few words, just as Blane does in Pretty in Pink. As Alexandra said, meaningful romantic quotes that are not overdone give us an idea of the character’s feeling for each other and trust that their romance is genuine. They enhance the value of the relationship if they are used tastefully. Romantic quotes have the potential to be superficial, especially the ones that have been overdone in movies or books, but if they are meaningful they can be very moving and telling about the true love that exists within a relationship.
I believe that the significance of romantic quotes or sayings depends on the context in which they are used. Within movies like romantic comedies, the purpose of these sayings is to involve the audience more deeply in the relationship between the characters and make the love that they share seem more intense and real. For example, in The Notebook, Noah and Allie share the saying "I'll be seeing you," which comes from the song that they danced to. Within the movie, the couple uses the saying to let each other know that they will always come back to each other, that their love will always be there. In this case the saying lets the audience become a part of the relationship and understand the passion and sincerity that is there.
ReplyDeleteIn relationships, I believe that the use of romantic quotes or sayings must be heartfelt, and should be something unique to the couple and the relationship. As Fendi said, when pick up lines are used (Do you wash your pants with Windex? Because I can see myself in them - Ew.) they are used insincerely as a means of attracting a girl rather than explaining deep feelings for her. However, when used in a relationship, I can say from experience that if romantic words are sincere and mean something to both of the people in the relationship, they can definitely "enhance a moment" as Sarah said. But, in truth, these sayings don't define a relationship - they simply add romance and intimacy to it.
As Radway argues, many women read romance novels to experience the feeling of being nurtured by their romantic partner. I think that the prevalence of these (sometimes cheesy) romantic lines is directly related to that, because quotes like these are meant to show the man's feelings for the woman and make her feel loved and nurtured. In this way, I think that romantic sayings can be important - in that they can help make relationships more fulfilling and help couples communicate their feelings to each other.
The words “I love you” are not a romantic saying. One might say them romantically, but it is not something out of the ordinary. However, in one of my favorite movies, they turn the words “P.S. I love you” into something so much more meaningful than the average saying. Obviously, the movie is P.S. I love you, and it definitely helps that the words are always said in a sexy Scottish (Irish in the movie) accent. I think the most important aspect of saying something truly romantic is that it really originates from the person saying it. I love Sarah’s example in the Notebook when Noah says, “If you’re a bird, I’m a bird.” I completely agree with her when she says it’s unique and holds true to his character.
ReplyDeleteIf someone tries to say something that doesn’t fit their personality, that is when it becomes cheesy and insincere. Just like Cam’s example of saying “you complete me” I think that most people would not think to say this unless they had already heard it a million times before. The pretty in pink quote was so much more romantic, mostly because it wouldn’t make sense of anyone else said it. Romantic sayings cannot be romantic without personality, and I think that is where many people become confused, and try to say what turns out to be the wrong thing.
I also really love how Lexi said, “In the end, the feeling is what is defining, and the words are our attempt to convey that feeling.” I do think some quotes are really memorable, but only because you associate them with the feeling that you got when the words were said. That feeling is what is truly important in a relationship, regardless of the words. For example, when Royce was proposing to Laura, he made a terrible mess of words. He stumbled over them, and nothing he said was very memorably romantic. However, Laura will remember that moment for the rest of her life, because of the emotions that she felt while he was talking. There was plenty of romance in that page of the book without a single significant quote, but that was okay, because that also fit with Royce’s personality, and it was sincere.
After reading the prompt for this week’s blog I was unsure of how I felt about romantic sayings. Looking back on the romantic things that have happened in my life I would now consider them cheesy even though in the moment I thought it was adorable. I discussed this topic with people in my hallway and all agreed that romantic sayings are based on how you feel about the person at the time. When I was asked to my senior prom he did it by putting a sound in a build-a-bear. At the time I thought it was the most romantic thing in the world. Looking back on it I realize how cheesy it was.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mackenzie when she says, “I think the most important aspect of saying something truly romantic is that it really originates from the person saying it.” When a person says something romantic to someone else but that person does not feel the same way it comes out more on the cheesy side than the romantic side. Plus what is said must be original. In the third Pirates of the Carribean after Will proposes to Elizabeth he says “I’ve made my choice. What’s yours?” This quote was between the two of them and them only. It was something original and not the over-quoted “you complete me” line.
My roommate told me a story of her boyfriend grabbing her hand and asking “See the spaces between your fingers? They’re there because mine fit perfectly in between.” When she told me this I thought it was so cute but she told me her reaction was to punch him. The reaction is based on the person and not necessarily the quote.
No matter what the reaction is or how you feel about romantic sayings, there is a part of them that is necessary for a relationship. I like when Fendi explains, “I find that romantic sayings are important one way or another and do help define special moments in the relationship.” Even if you are not the romantic type and find romantic sayings cheesy, there is a part of everyone that needs to know how the other person feels about them. Usually just because it comes from someone we care about it makes it romantic. To a certain extent, romantic sayings are necessary.
First of all I would like to start off by saying this quote, “I was with you. I had a great time. If I was in a Turkish prison, I'd have a great time with you" is NOT romantic. Saying something cute after making a girl have such a horrible night is not romantic, actions speak louder than words. Anyone can say the cheesiest words ever, but what counts are actions, and to me his actions were so not romantic at all.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most romantic quotes said to me was “you mean the world to me”, and it wasn’t the words, it was the actions that brought up those words. It hadn’t been a month since we had declared our attraction to each other. We had been talking for about 6 months. That day we had our first argument. I am the type of person that hates to be sad, I turn the sadness to anger, but with him it was different, I couldn’t help but cry. Our argument was on messenger, so I found it easy to log off and take my younger sister for a walk. As I was walking and feeling crushed, I saw him running towards me so randomly and unexpectedly. As he walked to me he told me how much I meant to him. The fact he ran to tell me face to face what he felt was romantic, vs. him leaving thousands of cheesy messages on my messenger.
In Nora Robert’s book, I found it very romantic when he sits down with Laura’s mom and says “...I don’t want anything from you, and I never did. I’ve got some information you may be able to use on the Holloway case” (pg111). Yes I know what you’re probably thinking, how is that more romantic then when Royce got close to Laura and demanded “Kiss Me back” (pg45)? Well it’s simple. When Royce and Laura were in that moment of passion, it was just physical attraction, they didn’t know each other, and had no feeling for each other aside from lust. When Royce goes up to Laura’s mom and tells her the information needed for the case that is just so cute and so romantic. He hates lawyer and he doesn’t believe in what Laura believes, but with those words he proves his love for her in actions, by helping her with something she feels so strong about. Anyone could have said “Kiss me back”, but not anyone can go against their own values for another person.
To me romantic sayings, can mean nothing or mean everything. It depends on the mood I am in. I love romance, but sometimes I feel like it is so mushy and urgh I have to tell them to shut up with the lovey dovey, because I don’t want to hear it. There’s other days that the simplest words
“I love you” make me the happiest girl in the universe!
To me romantic sayings have very different meaning in relationships and outside relationships. In relationships romantic quotes are very meaningful, and are words that you should only tell that significant other. Outside relationships I feel that there just words used to play around and flirt, and should really not be taken seriously, because chances are they’re saying those words to you and many others.
Now romcom is another story! The sole purpose of their romantic sayings is to make the audience fall in love. To make the audience feel like what they’re watching is real, almost like romance novels, it’s just entertainment, so you can be like “aww that’s so cute.” They’re also used to let the audience know that there’s love growing. When we are in love we just know it, but in a movie we need to see that there’s love, that is why they use words to let us know. Like Sara said “Romantic lines are a desire of the heart and of the ears, to please, excite, and potentially bring passion to a relationship.” We want to hear romantic quotes, and Romcom makes sure we get it.
I will have to disagree with Cam, when he says that “in most relationships, romantic lines do not define moments” romantic lines define a lot of moments. Going back to Laura’s example when Royce said those words, he defined a moment, not just any moment but a moment where he was admitting his sincere love to Laura.
To briefly summarize my romantic history- I got strung along.
ReplyDeleteHe was no man of romantic words, but the few things he did say were enough to keep me in a relationship that was essentially going no where. His words are now just blurred fragments in my memory, and there was no grand phrase that defined our relationship. However, I always swoonedbattedmyeyelasheshyperventalatedgiggledsmiled when he told me his favorite quality about me was my perpetual (no, this word was not actually in his vocabulary) dorkiness. He loved that I was lame, and so, I melted like puddy in his hands. We dated for 16 months, and 14 of those months were lived with no “I love you.” So yes, I was strung along but that compliment is still the best compliment I have ever received, and it wasn’t even delivered as perfectly as:
“I was with you. I had a great time. If I was in a Turkish prison, I'd have a great time with you.”
I love that line. I love it because it perfectly fits my formula for an awesome romantic line:
Humor + Creative Insight + Humility = LOVE&HEARTSFOREVA
For me, romance is not defined by smooth seriousness. I admire romantic lines that don’t proclaim to know the meanings of the heavens because romance, and falling in love in general, is supposed to be fun. I think we must make a distinction between sweeping romantic declarations and romantic lines in relationships. Romantic declarations, like “You complete me”, a) violate both the humor and humility aspects of my formula and b) don’t actually mean anything. For instance, if you really loved cake, saying “I love cake” would not prove that you, in fact, loved that dessert. If you really loved cake, you would make a comment that showed your unique understanding of cake. Declarations are superficial and give romance a bad rep. Great romantic lines can define moments in relationships because true romantic compliments show that a person knows something about you that no one else has ever noticed, or cherished, before. Therefore, I agree with Sarah when she said romantic lines should be “close to character and unique”. Those qualities make romantic lines special. To me, Royce’s “Kiss me back” was just a sweeping declaration made during a moment of lust. It did not show that he knew Laura on a deeper level, like I believe Ducky’s quote does. I stayed in a loveless relationship for 14 months because my ex appreciated something unique about me. Creative insight can be a powerful tool, and I think it is a quality that makes romantic lines memorable and important.
Some people consider romantic quotes to be unnecessarily gushy and cheesy, while others consider them to be very heartfelt and sincere. I consider them to be an overdramatic way of portraying the romantic feelings people have for one another. Romantic quotes are able to tug on our heartstrings because we love to hear and get an affirmation of the unconditional love that we all want to give to and receive from someone we love. They may seem superficial and sometimes they are, but romantic quotes are sometimes the only way to portray the complex emotions and feelings that come along with love to one’s significant other. I also agree that romantic quotes, like the one from Pretty In Pink, help define the feelings and emotions that are relevant to that specific moment. For example, within the Roberts reading, the relationship between Laura and Royce becomes complicated because they both end up falling for each other as their relationship progresses. In order to explain to Laura how much he loved her and wanted to be with her, he ended up telling her that he may not be “the man she deserves”, but he still loves her and wants to “spend the next 60 Christmases together”.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Jordyn’statement about how the perception of romantic quotes differs based on the person. Some people are more willing to accept romantic and ‘cheesy’ lines as an expression of love. Other people however might that romantic quotes are too overdramatic and unrealistic and would prefer not to hear about it. I also agree with Meg when she says that the significance about the romantic quotes depends on the context in which they are said. There are the heartfelt romantic sayings that are utilized in order to convey love, while there are also those creepy pick-up lines that are used in order to achieve or get something from the relationship rather than convey love, which is what Fendi said.
I have always adored quotes, especially romantic quotes. Ever since I was in middle school I remember hearing lines in movies and having the urge to write them down so that could read them again later in hopes that someone would feel that way for me someday. I agree with Lexi that romantic quotes are necessary in movies and books because they “explain the speakers’ true feelings”. Without Royce’s romantic proclamation at the end of the vignette we would not be able to fully understand his character. Through his declaration of love we truly comprehend and appreciate what he is feeling and where he is coming from. I also concur with Holly’s statement, “In a real life relationship there is no desired audience to impress with the love quotes while there is in movies and books, which makes them more genuine.” I hope that real life romantic sayings are never forced or undervalued. It takes a great deal of courage for some men to be able to voice their feelings, so I feel that we as women should appreciate it when they do.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most romantic lines I have ever heard was in an episode of One Tree Hill. Peyton says to Lucas, “Imagine a future moment where all your dreams come true. You know it’s the greatest moment of your life and you get to experience it with one person. Who’s standing next to you?” Lucas ponders this question for awhile and comes to the realization that it is, in fact, Peyton. After he wins a basketball game, he finds her in the screaming crowd and says, “It’s you, Peyton. When all my dreams come true, the one I want next to me. It’s you.” This is a defining moment in the couples’ relationship because they both realize how important they are to one another. Overall, I believe that romantic quotes add to a relationship as long as they are sincere and that sometimes they are necessary in order to know completely what the other person is feeling.
What makes a quote romantic? I view a romantic quote as meaningful words that make a person feel a sense of importance. But the words are not solely enough. It is the way the words are presented. Mackenzie said that the phrase "I love you" is not romantic in it of itself. I think almost anything can be romantic depending on how it is displayed. At the end of part one of "The MacGregor Brides" Royce shows up at the MacGregors mansion and declares his love for Laura. Royce precedes to ask Laura to marry him by shoving a small box in her hand and stating, "here". Many of us would not view this word as romantic in anyway but when carried out with this action of handing her the box many peoples hearts would become filled with warmth. As readers we become emotionally involved and in this moment we are overwhelmed with joy while wishing a boy would shove a box into our palm and say "Here".
ReplyDeleteIn romantic films and novels romantic lines are in place to make viewers or readers feel excitement and pleasure. The way we feel when we let ourselves get emotionally involved in literature and film is much like "escapism". When romantic moments and romantic lines are read or heard we may pretend they are being said to us. We take on a new role as the character experiencing this excitement. In films and literature the words are there on purpose, but many of us experience romantic lines in our own lives. Personally, I have not experienced the immensely powerful romantic quotes that are seen in romantic movies. That however is okay with me because when romantic things are said to me they often are more powerful because I know they are not staged. When I watch a romantic movie and hear romantic lines I cannot deny that I get emotionally attached, but having someone say something out loud to me without a script is much more powerful in my eyes.
I do believe that romantic words are meaningful and important. Although they can become redundant and cliche in the media they do their job of making viewers feel good. I do not see anything wrong with that. Then also in my own life there are things that I have had said to me that have stuck with me and made me feel loved and important. I see no problem with people expressing emotions that will make me feel significant and cared for.