The Notebook motifs, symbols, and tropes

MOTIFS, SYMBOLS, AND TROPES

FRAME STORY

THEMES

The Notebook without it’s frame

story is a stand-

alone story. It

would have ended

with “happily ever

after shot” of Allie

getting out of the

car with her

suitcases.

Where storytellers choose to begin and end a story affects theme.

LOVE THEME FOR THE FRAME STORY

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER “HAPPILY EVER AFTER?”

FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE…

FAITHFULNESS

COMMITMENT

ALLY’S CONFLICT

CONFLICT – NOAH UNDERSTANDS

MOTIFS AND SYMBOLS

MOTIFS REPEAT

A repeated situation, incident, idea, image, or character type that is repeated throughout the movie

*A single image repeated

*Similar images repeated to reinforce the theme

SYMBOLS REPRESENT

A visual item that serves a literal purpose as part of the mis en scene but also represents or suggests an abstract idea

*A symbol that is repeated is a motif

MOTIFS AND SYMBOLS

EMPHASIS THROUGH REPETITION

EMPHASIS THROUGH CONTEXT

VALUE PLACED BY A CHARACTER

GENERALLY ACCEPTED INTERPRETATION

PLACEMENT ON SET

LIGHTING

MUSIC

BIRDS

BIRDS SYMBOLIZE FREESOM

WATER SYMBOLIZES LIFE

I don’t paint anymore….So paint

PAINTING

ALLIE’S PAINTING REPRESENTS HER AUTONOMY AND CHOICE

You asked what I do for me – I paint.

Nothing is ever really lost, or can be lost, The body, sluggish, aged, cold--the embers left from earlier fires, shall duly flame again.

Leaves

Of

Grass

Whitman

POETRY REPRESENTS ROMANCE

QUOTES FROM THE BOOK THE NOTEBOOK BY NICHOLAS SPARKS

“Poets often describe love as an emotion that we can't control, one that overwhelms logic and common sense. That's what it was like for me.”

“A living poem" had always been the words that came to mind when he tried to describe her to others.”

COLOR AS SYMBOL

NOAH IS THE ONLY ONE IN BLACK

Implies he doesn’t belong

“What do you do?”

“How much money do you make?”

“Sarah Lawrence is in New York.”

ALLIE IN RED

RED

PASSIONLOVEROMANCEDESIREVIBRANCEIMPULSEDANGERANGERCOURAGE

NOAH’S HOUSEAND RETIREMENT HOME ON THE WATERNotice how closely the two houses resemble one another.

When Noah could no longer live with Allie in the house he built for her they move to somewhere that looks like it, on the water, with a dock.

FOR NOAH THE HOUSE SYMBOLIZES ALLIE

GATES & FENCES

Noah is locked out

Ally has to break down the fence

This could or could not have been deliberate on the filmmakers part. I noticed it but haven’t seen critics point it out.

SIMILAR TROPES IN FORREST GUMP AND

THE NOTEBOOK

TROPE - uses scenarios and characters that are probably already present in audience members’ minds and expectations because they have encountered them as representations of the same idea in other stories

FRAME STORIES

FREE AS A BIRD

Say I’m a bird!

WAR TAKES BEST FRIEND

UNDELIVERED LETTERS