Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Tuesday Tropes: Race For Your Love

 
What would Valentine's week be without a romantic trope, right?

Carl sits in a diner, knowing that he is never going to see Sally again, all because of a misunderstanding. If he had been honest with her, their breakup would never have happened. That's it! Carl picks up his coat and runs out the door. Never mind the traffic or pedestrians in the way. He must hurry, and stop Sally from boarding that train!

Race For Your Love - an action trope, often used at the ending of a romance story (or comedies), that happens when a character tries to catch the person they love (usually to amend a misunderstanding) by any means necessary, even if they have to get out there and run!

The ending of Spider-Man 2 is a great example of this trope, since running would be easier without heels and a dress, but that's what made the scene powerful, right?

Let's not kid ourselves - we've seen this a lot, but there are plenty of ways to vary this trope. Let's examine a few of them, shall we?

In Sleepless in Seattle, Annie heads for a rendezvous spot arranged by the son of the man she wants to meet. Kinda creepy, huh? Stuck in traffic, she proves her love by running the rest of the way to the Empire State Building. I think we all know what happened next ...

"You can thank me later, Dad ..."

Now, this trope is not limited to romance. Parents love their children (or they should), right? How about when your son is about to leave on a jet plane forever and you have to, literally, chase it down?

They don't make motorized stairs like they used to ...

Not even Victorian era Anime are immune to this trope. Take Emma, for example (which I'm reviewing tomorrow, coincidentally). You can't have a good Victorian romance with running after a train, right?

Too slow, Mr. Jones ... too slow ...

This post is making me run out of breath! I'd better stop now and take it easy before I fall and hurt myself. Only the imagination is the limit to where this trope can go, be it a time from the past or in the distant future, so long as there is running and love involved. 

Have you used this trope in your writing? What are some of your favorite examples from what you've seen. Anyone need a tissue?

I'm David, and sometimes, you only have to dash for your love ...

28 comments:

  1. Haven't used this one yet. Wow, Last Starfighter. So 1984. Oh wait, that is when it cam out

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  2. Sigh-- I do love a good chick flick and Sleepless is among my favorite fluffy romances. I need a tissue now.

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  3. I haven't used this one either. Thanks for the flashback though, I may have to watch the Last Starfighter now.

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  4. I had a character who was going to dash for her love but got outside and found her love making out with someone else.

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  5. I'll go with you, Alex! Man, I love that movie. I've used this trope a couple of times. It's a good one.

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  6. See...Scarlett could have gotten Rhett back if she hadn't stopped running at the door. Man. That.Stinks.

    You should have ran Scarlett!!

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  7. Oh I loved the ending of Spiderman 2. Another show that hooked me with this trope was Shameless on Showtime. In the pilot episode, Steve has a phone call with Fiona and runs to her, and man (combined with the music) it was powerful. Got me to where I watch the series whenever it's on.

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  8. I haven't used this one--in a romantic sense. I have on a dash for the finish line sense, or race against time to save someone. Hm. Guess I don't write romance enough...

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  9. I haven't used this one in a romantic sense, but I probably will some day, since it's one of my favorites. I love the films that you mentioned; Spider-Man 2 is my favorite. I hope you liked Emma. I thought it was interesting.

    Best,

    Alexandra~

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  10. Wait, there's Victorian era anime?! Please tell me this is on Netflix! :-)

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  11. All I could think of while reading this entire post is about the kid in Love, Actually running through the airport and dodging security for his love. Honestly I'm surprised nobody shot him. Dodging security and running toward a plane? That should have ended in blood and tears.

    Still, it was a powerful scene.

    Ditto EJ's reaction to Victorian era anime. TELL ME MOAR ABOUT THIS AMAZING THING.

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  12. Great post. I never thought about this.

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  13. Argh!! This is one of my pet peeve tropes!
    I certainly hope I never stick one in a story of mine, unless it's as a joke!

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  14. All I think about when they're running is we have modern technology. You can call or text now. Haha! But it is more dramatic. :)

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  15. This is always a fun trope when it is well done. I haven't used it yet, but who knows. Maybe someday. ;)

    I loved it in Seventeen Again when the Mike gets a ride from Ned to the courthouse, so he can try stop the divorce proceedings with his wife, even though he's still stuck in his seventeen year old body. Awesome scene. Love that movie!! :)

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  16. These posts are so ironically timed! I'm actually thinking about having my MC's guy best friend chase her down at the airport before she flies back home. I guess we'll see how it goes. ;)

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  17. This would be such a useful trope. Why have I not used this one yet! I've seen it used several times, but I can't for the life of me remember which movies now. It'll come to me later when I least need to remember...

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  18. A post perfectly timed for Valentine's Day coming up. I remember one of the final scenes in the first Sex and the City movie where Miranda and Steve run towards each other at the end...I don't remember the details exactly--I believe they were both running, or perhaps was it just one of them? But I know what you mean!

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  19. I've never used the trope, but I'm thinking I should: I don't like much romance but I am a sucker to romantic reunions.

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  20. I love The Last Starfighter! But even as a kid, I wondered, "Why is she so happy to go join a bloody alien war?"

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  21. I used this troupe toward the end of my first book. By darn, it added super tension to the scene. It got my heart racing and I wrote it. haha Great post, DPK!

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  22. Well, she didn't catch him at the airport in Boston so she has to fly all the way to India. Does that count?

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  23. I have a trope happy romance and I should have probably used this one as well. But alas I didn't

    I did just watch a Korean show (Bennet's fault) where the girl chased down the man she loved, dressed in a bridesmaid dress, trailed by several men, and carrying a dirty plunger. It was...kinda sweet and kinda gross.

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