Lauren+Reflection+4

The American Romantic

I believe that Americans are hopeless romantics. We believe in fantasy like romances and are obsessed with finding our "one true love". In the first picture I wanted to include this because it is a famous photograph that is somewhat symbolic of romantic spontaneity and whirlwind romance that many Americans find so appealing. In the quote below from The Great Gatsby it describes a wonderful kiss changed Gatsby's life. I chose to include the song by Alicia Keys because it talks about how many people think they need to show their love for someone in wild and extravagant ways. Gatsby did this for Daisy (described in the quote below) because he thought that was what she wanted. However, the song shows that just having someone love you is enough. I chose the song by Selena because it describes another aspect of a Romantic, the helpless romantic. It shows someone who wants to be with someone so badly and they constantly dream of being with them. The epigraph from the Great Gatsby shows a romance where the person is willing to put on a show and draw in the one they want through whatever they think will attract the object of their affection. The poem Annabel Lee by Edgar Allen Poe depicts a beautiful romance that made even the angels jealous. And even when Annabel died the love was still strong and lived on. It shows an everlasting love that is another part of the American Romantic identity. Below this is another modern interpretation of the American view on romance. It is a scene from a very popular love story that shows a love that was blocked by many different things like distance between the two characters and the parents wishing the love would end because it creates an impractical financial situation. However, inspire of everything working against them, the two characters have such a strong love that they work through this and are together forever. All of these different scenarios are love stories that make up the American Romantic identity. Romance is a large part of the American Character because so much of our time, energy, and money is put towards thinking about romance, buying movies of loves stories, reading books about love stories, and listening to music about love stories. Americans are enthralled with the perfect romance and how they can have one too.