2008 Woodie Awards
A Night With Rodanthe
Maureen Stemmle
Issue date: 10/13/04 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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One of the most annoying things in life are grand sweeping statements, that have complete disregard for the fine and not so fine details that differentiate many, somewhat similar, aspects. A good story is a good story no matter what medium it is told in. Movies are particularly prone to this. The genre "chick flick" is a great example, as is its literary counterpart. Chick stories tend to be a lump category for anything that is more likely to be read by a female than a male. It is irritating that there is no real male equivalent, and the only thing that comes even close is possibly the action flick. Yet, those attract both genders equally. Any story that is driven mainly by inter/intra-personal suspense is often written off as a chick story. There is a wealth of literature and cinema that is not gender biased, that is wonderfully enriching and beautiful and engaging with out being 'mushy crap,' as one young man said.
The love story has been a staple of great story telling since the ancients. Look at mythology, and it's ripe with great love stories, and not all were romantic relationships, though a great deal were. There is a difference between a romance novel and a love story. A great example of the difference is the movie Life is Beautiful, a love story focusing mainly on a father's love and devotion to his family, and especially to his son. It is that relationship that drives the plot; the love and devotion to his child. That is not mushy crap, but is a moving story that highlights what is best (amid the worst) of human nature.
That same theme is the backbone of Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks. This story manages to be both a story about love as well as a story about romance (again a fine differentiation, but still different) without being a romance novel. There is no 'heaving bosoms' or 'firey gazes' or any of the romance novel cliches that so often cheapen a story. It is dramatic and gently tragic.
The male protagonist, Paul, is the epitome of the word metanoia. Like an alcoholic that has reached rock bottom, he has been shocked back into himself and has started to want to live again. As he is tying up the last of the loose ends of his former life, he is moved for the first time by another's sorrow.
The love story has been a staple of great story telling since the ancients. Look at mythology, and it's ripe with great love stories, and not all were romantic relationships, though a great deal were. There is a difference between a romance novel and a love story. A great example of the difference is the movie Life is Beautiful, a love story focusing mainly on a father's love and devotion to his family, and especially to his son. It is that relationship that drives the plot; the love and devotion to his child. That is not mushy crap, but is a moving story that highlights what is best (amid the worst) of human nature.
That same theme is the backbone of Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks. This story manages to be both a story about love as well as a story about romance (again a fine differentiation, but still different) without being a romance novel. There is no 'heaving bosoms' or 'firey gazes' or any of the romance novel cliches that so often cheapen a story. It is dramatic and gently tragic.
The male protagonist, Paul, is the epitome of the word metanoia. Like an alcoholic that has reached rock bottom, he has been shocked back into himself and has started to want to live again. As he is tying up the last of the loose ends of his former life, he is moved for the first time by another's sorrow.