Is this appropriate?
Hey everyone! We’re watching The Notebook (2004) in our English class as part of an assignment, and I have some thoughts. It’s labeled as a love story, but honestly, I’m not seeing genuine love in it. The film follows a girl named Allie and a boy named Noah as they fall for each other, but most of their interactions seem to revolve around kissing and being physical. When Noah leaves Allie due to their different social classes, she moves away and gets a new boyfriend, doing the same things with him. If she was truly in love with Noah, how could she so easily kiss someone else just because they lost touch?
I really don’t see any authentic love depicted in this movie. My question is, should this kind of film really be shown to 17-year-olds in school? What are we supposed to learn about love from it? The scenes feel inappropriate for teenagers, and it seems like an odd choice for class discussion. It just comes off more as lust than anything.
I completely understand where you’re coming from. “The Notebook” does have a lot of romantic moments, but it focuses heavily on physical attraction and passion rather than a deep emotional connection. It’s true that Allie’s actions may seem confusing when you consider the depth of what love can mean.
One perspective is that the film highlights the complexities of love, including the influence of external factors like social class and timing. While it may not present a perfect or fully developed depiction of love, it could spark discussions about how relationships evolve, the importance of communication, and the different forms love can take.
As for showing it in class, it really depends on the goals of the assignment. Perhaps the intention is to analyze the portrayal of relationships in media and how those portrayals resonate (or don’t) with real-life experiences. It might encourage critical thinking about love, relationships, and the impact of societal expectations.
But I agree, there are definitely more nuanced films that explore love in a way that’s more relatable and appropriate for teenagers. It’d be interesting to see how different perspectives on love are represented in various movies. What do you think?