Wednesday, February 9, 2011
High School Musical: A Reminder
I watched High School Musical 3 last year. It was on HBO or Showtime or something and I was pregnant and didn’t feel like leaving the couch during nap time. It was really sweet and I thought the two main characters—Troy and Gabriella—were cute together. I kept wondering about the original but, well, then I had a baby and then months got sucked into a giant time vortex and the next thing I knew nearly a year had gone by.
Cue Netflix Instantly Watch. I just saw the original this weekend and I must say, I’m hooked. An official East High Wildcat groupie.
Besides being sweet in a typical teenie movie kind of way, there was some real conflict in this movie. Some angst in the way of West Side Story, minus the gang violence overtones.
Troy Bolton. High school jock, sophomore captain of the varsity basketball team. Read: super popular, revered in the way of athletes on the microcosmic scale of high school. Pretty much a teenage god. Charming, charismatic. Zac Efron plays the part perfectly. A smile that probably allowed him to get away with anything growing up. All, “aw shucks, how can you be upset with me?”
Gabrielle Montez. New girl, chemistry whiz kid. First scene? She’s got her nose tucked in a book. Admits to passing out singing in church choir. She’s so wholesome, Wonder Bread could use her as a poster child.
They’re classic jock and brainiac. Opposites attract. Drawn together by a shared love of singing, particularly singing together.
But their friends aren’t having it. The jocks and the geeks band together to keep the young lovers apart (cue score from Romeo and Juliet here). So just as our hero and heroine think they’re making headway, think that it’s okay to buck their “rightful” places in society, their doubts are fed by the people around them and they cave to pressure. Troy denounces his budding sweetheart and Gabriella hears every word. She’s devastated, tells herself it was too good to be true, that jocks don’t fall for chemistry nerds like her.
Dark dark moment.
They resolve their differences. Their friends see the error of their ways when Troy and Gabriella are distraught at the destruction of their budding romance. They patch things up.
But what I find the best about this is that the whole movie revolves around everyone learning to accept those that aren’t like them. Troy and Gabriella learn that it’s okay to fight for their feelings, even if the rest of their friends don’t agree. The school learns that maybe they’re all more than the clichés they belong to. And even two of the teachers/coaches learn that they shouldn’t judge kids by their activities or their parents. That everyone has their own strengths.
What I learned is that setting characters up on opposite sides of a spectrum makes for great conflict. And that learning lessons about the other side makes for good drama and can carry a story through a middle and into a satisfying conclusion.
So, do you employ the opposites attract method of conflict? What are your favorite opposite attract couples? Any examples of books that do it well? I know I enjoy ones that flip the traditional version. Like the geek is the guy and the popular one is the girl, like in the movie “Some Kind of Wonderful” (even though that movie gets more complicated. Good movie, by the way). If you don’t employ opposites attract, how do you keep the conflict going between your hero and heroine?
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33 comments:
My first couple, Jack and Miranda... She prides herself on telling the truth and being truthful. Jack prides himself on how well he can tell a lie. When she realized he will even lie to her...she's crushed... they work it out, but that was a fun thing to play to. As their story goes on and on and on...it becomes something they always find coming between them. And sometimes it works for them!
I get a bigger kick out of the conflict within people. The heroine who doesn't believe in lies but finds herself lying too often.
Let's face it, one of the fabulous scenes in the second Pirate of the Caribbean movie was Jack realizing he wanted to do the honorable thing, which went against everything he lived for!
But yeah, it's fun to do it with the H/H conflict, too! ;-)
I love the opposite attracts trope, Marn. It is one of my favorites - especially when one or the other is completely different than everyone believes they are.
I just read an opposites attract book by Laura Lee Guhrke, Scandal of the Year. Awesome book. Uptight, righteous hero falls for tawdry, loose divorcee. Except all is not what it seems. Really good read. It takes place in the early 1900's too - different time period.
Just introduced my daughter to "Some Kind of Wonderful" last week. She loved it! It's kind of cool to watch my kids discovering all the movies I loved when I was younger - gives me a little credibility too. I didn't think they'd ever watch a movie I suggested again after my musical phase. My son, especially, is very cautious when I say "Hey, I know what we can watch!"
I love "opposites attract" stories. I think we're attracted to qualities in another person that we wished we had, and if we're open-minded enough, we're willing to see where that interest takes us.
In a story, it provides plenty of opportunities for conflict, as well as growth. In real life, it may cause strife. LOL The things that were once so charming often end up being the reason for arguments.
I LOVE opposites attract stories and one of my all-time favorite series is the NERD series by Vicki-Lewis Thompson. I adored that she took "nerdy" men and made them all sorts of awesome. There was one book I believe that did turn it around and have the girl as the nerd too.
Love that series and love the whole opposites idea in stories.
Chance - Jack and Miranda sound like a real hoot. I love the internal conflict as well. Especially when it's something the person didn't know was a real character flaw and all of a sudden they realize the way they thought about something wasn't correct. Or that it's ok to go against their "instincts." Or when something a character thinks was a flaw becomes an asset.
Irish - I've never read Guhrke, though I have been meaning too. Again, I've been meaning to read a lot of stuff but well, time prohibits, sometimes. LOL!
And I love introducing my eldest to something he didn't think he'd like. Hot cocoa was a recent one. He's in that phase where he thinks any food I put in front of him might be laced with poison so when I offered hot cocoa after a recent snow, he got that look like he'd just been visited by the Messiah. "Mother, dear mother, you are an angel among women."
It only lasted for a hot second but it was worth it. And I wore that smug grin for at least an hour.
I'm glad your daughter liked Some Kind of Wonderful. I heart that movie. Mary Stuart Masterson is amazing. And the end, when he chases her down the street? Le sigh.
Donna - I definitely think that opposites attract thing works better in fiction. At least if the people are TOO opposite. I think sometimes certain things are better being opposites. Like introvert/extrovert. I think a lot of couples trend toward the opposite of what they are. I'm an extrovert, my DH is a bit more of a introvert. Not shy, just the sort who doesn't find it necessary to talk unless he has something to say. I like that about him, because I get diarrhea of the mouth. And he likes that I have no problem filling silence and smoothing over awkward situations in public.
But completely different moral sets might be a bone of contention.
Scape - Vicki Lewis Thompson is another author I haven't tried. I love nerd stories though, maybe I'll check her out too.
I love opposites attract. *LOL* Deerhunter and I are opposites, I think. There's a lot of things that make me think, I cannot believe you're so different; and then occasionally I'll be surprised because there will be something where we're alike and I didn't expect it.
I'm drawing a blank on books at the moment--but I am reading (again) the Dark-Hunter series, which features tortured soul heroes who usually end up with someone who definitely not emotionally damaged like they are. Someone who ends up usually bringing them back to the light. I consider that a sort of opposites attract setting. The cynic and the optimist paired.
Ooohhh, Hellie! I love the cynic and optimist ones. Like Zsadist and Bella in Lover Awakened. SIGH SIGH SIGH!
And I particularly like it when it's the tortured hero. Tortured heroines are good too, but there's something about a hero being led back to the light. Maybe it's that little bit of Florence Nightingale in me. :)
I should really proofread.
Sometimes I think setting out with a story where the H/H are direct opposites in life, like my tree hugger v. logger scenario, is like cheating. But the more I write the more I see it's potential. The H/H of my MS are opposites. She's the bookworm English teacher and he's the Pro ball play turned HS coach.
But that only really fed the external conflict. She's too serious and never cuts loose, whereas he likes to have as fun as he can. That's the opposite aspect that fueled the fun stuff. She makes him want to settle down and get serious and he loosens her up. Though now that I think about it, I might have missed some opportunities to use more of their differences.
Hmmmm.....I need to think about this.
Kiddo saw the image up there when I pulled the page up. (We're home for a snow day.) She loved this series when it first came out and now says it's cheesy. LOL! I still *heart* Zac. Of all the teen heart throbs to come out of the last several years, he's the only one I can stomach.
Sorry for the delay. Had to pick up the offspring.
Bo'sun - I love what you've done with the opposites in your MS. :) And I think you're right; there are two ways to do this. Internal and external. I think the external stuff really works if it corresponds with an internal thing. Like the jock and brainiac if the jock is outgoing and popular and the brainiac is a bit introverted. Like HSM. :)
Or like your characters.
And I agree about Zac Efron. Definitely better than Bieber, that's for sure.
Donna said: I love “opposites attract” stories. I think we’re attracted to qualities in another person that we wished we had, and if we’re open-minded enough, we’re willing to see where that interest takes us.
In a story, it provides plenty of opportunities for conflict, as well as growth. In real life, it may cause strife. LOL The things that were once so charming often end up being the reason for arguments.
I've had a therapist tell me that it is human nature to be attracted to your opposite - sort of looking for in another what you lack. She also said what you said, Donna, that what draws you to that person is what usually sends you running at a later date unless you learn how to deal with the differences.
I've also had one of my more religious friends say that she believes God puts opposites together to learn from each other.
So, I suppose whichever way you look at it, it seems to be a universal theme! LOL
When writing, I do think it makes sense to utilize that basic truth and use it to your advantage. Like Marnee said earlier, though, you have to have basic moral similiarities. I like stories that initially showcase the H/H differences and then as the story unfolds you see that they are more alike than they think. Or that they think alike on important moral issues but their differences are superficial and aren't really important in the overall scheme of things.
Irish, I can see that. You're attracted to what you don't know. I call it the charm of the different factor. I think sometimes we are taught from an early age to discount what we are able to do easy as not worth much. As if the only worth is in struggle ... and we only struggle with what doesn't come easy... the opposite of what comes easy to us seems more valuable. More attractive.
No, I'm not on meds.
Well, not yet. It hasn't kicked in yet. (Yeah, my arm still hurts some. Ouch.)
And we do look for what we are missing. But we have to have something in common to get around the frustration of having nothing in common!
Lots of fuel to write with!
Irish - I like all the ways you think of that. Learn from each other, looking for what we lack, whatever. I think it's all true.
And superficial differences. That's what I mean. I think that deep down, the characters all end up having basic similarities. Like in HSM, the two of them loved to sing. And they were of course good wholesome, sweet people. Blah blah. :)
But we have to have something in common to get around the frustration of having nothing in common!
That is very very wise. :)
Hope you arm feels better, Chance.
I love the conflict generated by the attraction of opposites so long as the story reveals enough commonalities for me to believe in the HEA. One of my all-time favorite opposites-attract story is Carla Kelly's Reforming Lord Ragsdale, which pairs a heroine who is an Irish indentured servant of great purpose and a hero who is an English aristocrat of wasted potential. It sounds impossible, but Kelly makes it work. It's one of those rare books where I really doubted than an HEA could happen.
Hope you're feeling better, Chance, and your drugs are the good (happy) kind! :)
which pairs a heroine who is an Irish indentured servant of great purpose and a hero who is an English aristocrat of wasted potential. That statement alone makes it sound fascinating!
and we only struggle with what doesn’t come easy… the opposite of what comes easy to us seems more valuable. More attractive.
This is so very true - to the point where we tend to put the other's traits above/below our own. This one concept took me sooooo long to learn but in the end was such a valuable lesson. I try so hard to teach my kids this too - just because so and so is different does NOT mean they are better or worse than you.
I think it can go both ways: positive: he is so spontaneous and I'm so boring. Or negative: he is so reckless and I'm so dependable. Either option leaves plenty of pitfalls (and character development). The outcome you hope for (in RL and in our stories) is realizing that neither character trait is right or wrong it just IS and how we deal with it and live with it shows real strength character.
Nothing like having your GP tell you it's all about growing old... I guess I flipped a switch when I turned 50 that I didn't know about! Blast!
I think common ground is just needed for any longterm relationship to work. I remember my sis talking about her boss, who liked to date women way younger than him...and how he admitted to her that it got old when his dates had no idea who he talked about when he tried to talk music.
One of those things that really lets you know you aren't dating in your age group!
I still think this book Janga mentioned sounds really interesting! What did they have in common, I wonder?
Sometimes I think setting out with a story where the H/H are direct opposites in life, like my tree hugger v. logger scenario, is like cheating.
Weird. I think it's cheating when the heroine, who has no reason to be, suddenly has her life in danger with a psycho gunman and the hero has to protect her at all costs. But there are die-hards who love that stuff.
I love it, you can suspend disbelief when it comes to emotional attraction, but not when it comes to threats to one's life... I can actually understand that!
It's funny, cause those old guys dating the pretty young things think everyone is looking at them together thinking how hot or lucky he is and I assume people think just the opposite. He's either really rich or she's working out daddy issues!
I know a guy who used to date really screwed up girls - lots of baggage, I mean more than the usual. I finally realized that he thought he could save them. Unfortunately, he married one and realized a little too late that he didn't have that power. He's pretty miserable now.
I always look at them and think...what do they talk about?
But I suppose it isn't about the talking...
Never works to marry someone to change them and/or save them...sad.
When I was younger, I dated older men, and now that I'm older, I've dated younger men. There is PLENTY to talk about. Older men had experienced things I hadn't, so I was fascinated with what they had to talk about. Younger men aren't beaten down by life yet, and they showed me music and interesting places I didn't know about.
There's plenty of good things to "opposites attract". :)
True, Donna. If you date them because you want to talk! Which is the better route to happiness, I'm sure!
I just love the idea of a guy talking about some concert her went to and the younger girl responding with a great big 'huh?'
Chance, what they have in common is that they are both people of intelligence and compassion whose lives have been shaped by deep wounds. As they learn these things about one another, the "enemy" acquires a recognizable humanity. It really is a remarkable book. As serious as it is, it also has a rich vein of humor. I give it my highest recommendation.
Uh...he went to... I need to eat!
I haven't dated that much lately, but don't people still talk? LOL
And if the young girl has any intelligence, she will say, "That sounds interesting. Tell me about it." LOL
I suppose I shouldn't be so quick to judge, huh, Donna!? If I had a chance I would have jumped at dating an older guy. They always held way more fascination for me than those my age or younger. I always fantasized that they had all their issues worked out and were ready for a serious relationship. (So, I guess that makes me the one with the Daddy issues?)
I've had it bad for Paul Newman since I was about 14! LOL
Marn, I never saw this but it seems to have all the same things I loved about Grease (Similar? You don't say!)
Thanks, Janga! I'll have to look for this book, see if I can get it in electronic form.
Sorry guys. I got drug away by RL today.... :(
I think it’s cheating when the heroine, who has no reason to be, suddenly has her life in danger with a psycho gunman and the hero has to protect her at all costs. But there are die-hards who love that stuff.
I think this is true for me. I think it's cheating when there's a bad guy thrown in at the end to make a conflict. I've seen a lot of historicals do this lately. If the suspense isn't throughout, don't throw a gunman in at the end.
As to the younger men-older women; older men-younger women thing--- Honestly, I think as long as the people involved are people of worth (ie, good souled, caring, good intentioned) that age doesn't matter and it is a matter of learning about interesting people. It's when there's some sort of selfish motive involved that it gets ugly.
Old guy more concerned about a pretty piece than a person. Younger girl looking for money or whatever. Reverse the genders and it's still not good.
But I had a roommate who admitted she didn't care what a guy looked like as long as he was rich. Yeah, we're not friends anymore.
JK - OMG, it is like Grease! I loved that movie too!! :)
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