RED TOPIC 1Love Story Hidden MessagesEvery author has intended messages that they want their audience to seein their piece of work. Sometimes authors are not successful in conveyingtheir intended messages and they end up with contradictions and hiddenmessages. In his novel Love Story, Erich Segal presents many of thesehidden messages and contradictions. One contradiction is between themain character Jenny's ethnicity and her actions. Two hidden messagesare that a girl should give up her dreams to increase her social andeconomic prosperity, and a man should fall in love with a woman whoknows who she is, but only if she is willing to give herself up for him.One way in which the novel contradicts itself is in the issue of Jenny'scultural background; she is presented as an Italian American and yet heractions and beliefs contradict those of a typical Italian American. Thissubculture is typically Catholic, family-oriented, and set in their ways.Jenny introduces herself to Oliver, her love interest, as "Jennifer Cavilleri,an American of Italian descent (5)." By introducing herself this way, sheimplies that her ethnicity is involved in her identity. Jenny also wears agold cross around her neck at all times that, she explains, is "forsentimental reasons, not religious (48)." Jenny has no priest and doesnot follow the Catholic religion. Her father has no idea of this when hetells Oliver. "Jenny has no doubt told you, we are of the Catholic faith(92)." Jenny secretly denied her faith, one that is embedded in the Italian2American culture. Jenny is obviously not the typical Italian American, andyet she uses her ethnicity to define herselfHer actions and life style contradict her implied identity not only inrelation to religion, but also in relation to her closeness to her father.Jenny makes Oliver feel guilty for his hard feelings toward his father.Oliver describes Jenny as adhering "to some atavisticItalian-Mediterranean notion of Papa-loves-bambinos and there was noarguing otherwise (43)." After all, the Italian culture calls for this strongsense of family. Jenny, however, does not feel it necessary to consult herfather or even introduce him to Oliver before they decide to marry. Also,Oliver only meets one of Jenny's aunts at her graduation. Jenny onlyinvites her father to her wedding because they have a "genuine concernthat our omission of the Father, Son, an Holy Ghost would make theoccasion far too trying for unlapsed Catholics (103)." Even the tone hereis deprecatory towards Jenny's relatives. Also, once Jenny and Oliver aremarried they never see and rarely call Phil, Jenny's father. Phil asserts"Christ, she should call more often, goddammit. I'm not a stranger, youknow (129)." The woman who the novel makes Jenny out to be, a womanwho defines herself by her background, and the woman she actually is aretwo very different individuals.Along with contradictions, there are also hidden messages in the film; oneof these is that high social and economic standing is more important thana person's dreams. Both Oliver and Jenny have dreams for their future.3Jenny has a scholarship to study with a famous music teacher in Paris.Jenny tells Oliver that "she takes very few American pupils. I was lucky. Igot a good scholarship, too. (56)." Oliver also has plans to go to lawschool and become a well-paid lawyer. Jenny's dream is a once in alifetime chance, whereas Oliver can wait to go to law school. When itcomes down to choosing between Oliver's dream and Jenny's, though, ofcourse Jenny gives up her plans. After all, Oliver is a "preppie millionaire"while Jenny is a "social zero." The novel implies that Jenny's dream is notas important as Oliver's dream because he would be giving up his covetedsocial stance. They do not even have a debate as to what they should door if a compromise could be made. Jenny automatically gives up her lifeto become a part of his. This is because his life is seen by society as the"better life."Jenny makes the decision to give up much of what she loves in order toreach a place of success. She knows that in the end her hard work willhave a big pay-off: economic and social prosperity. Jenny takes a lowpaying job that has little to do with what she loves, music, in order tosupport her and Oliver for three years. During this time, she no longer hasthe time to stay in her music groups and she does nothing for herself.Jenny does not complain and never mentions the life she could have had.This is because in the end Oliver ended up with the "absolute highestsalary received by any of the members of our graduating class (144)." Atthat point, Oliver and Jenny are able to live like "nouveau riche." This newlifestyle is much better than the life Jenny would have had if she had4followed her dreams. The hidden message is that forfeiting your dreams iseasy to do as long as in the end you climb the social and economic ladder.Accompanying this hidden message is another message; a boy shouldlove girl who is assertive and independent, but only if that girl is willing togive up herself for the man. Jenny's attitude and personality imply thatshe is an empowered woman, yet her actions imply that she would doanything for Oliver. When the audience first meets Jenny, she is verystraightforward and honest. She calls Oliver "preppie" and "stupid andrich," yet after talking to him for two minutes she goes out to coffee withhim. She remarks "Why the hell should I come to a lousy Hockey game(8)," yet not only does she go to the game, she also waits outside forOliver for a long time. She tells Oliver that he should stop staring at herand start studying, but then she goes right ahead and has sex with him.All the while, Oliver seems to fall in love with her no-nonsense attitude.He considers her different and unique. Oliver loves the part of Jenny thatis assertive and straightforward, but he stays with her because she givesin.This is not only seen with Jenny's attitude and actions, but also with herdreams and goals. As mentioned before, Jenny seems to be independentand full of dreams. She gives up her dreams and her independence,however, to be with Oliver. Jenny, however in control of the relationshipshe seems to be, is actually giving up everything that she wanted. This isalso seen when Oliver makes Jenny so mad that she disappears for the5day. When Oliver attempts to apologize, Jenny simply says "Love meansnever having to say you're sorry (131)." There is no attempt to resolvethe matter and Jenny does not let
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